Davies Manor
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| Davies Manor | |
|---|---|
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Location: | 9336 Davies Plantation Rd. Memphis, Tennessee |
| Built/Founded: | 1807 |
| Added to NRHP: | March 19, 1975 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 75001787 |
Davies Manor is the oldest home in Shelby County, Tennessee and possibly West Tennessee.[1] It is a two-story, log and chink home made using white oak logs that is on what was once a plantation with a total of approximately 2,000 acres (8.1 km²).[2]
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[edit] History
The original maker of the Davies Manor is unknown,[2] but it is sometimes attributed to Native American[1] Between 1831 and 1837, Joel W. Royster expanded the house from one room to two stories.[2] A locater's deed shows the purchase of land by William E. Davies, but the 1850 census lists Davies living with his family in Fayette County. What most likely happened is that his sons, Logan Early Davies (age 14) and James Baxter Davies (age 12) came to and from Fayette County on Stage Road (now part of Highway 64) to oversee the plantation. In 1851, Logan and James bought the land with the house on it from Royster and adjoined the land so Davies Plantations was approximately 2,000 acres (8.1 km²).[2]
[edit] Davies Family History
William Early Davies was the father of Logan and James Davies. He was a Methodist minister and grist mill operator. On November 11, 1824, Logan was born in Maury County, Tennessee. James was then born on June 9, 1826. [2]
In 1854, James Baxter Davies (age 28) was married to Penelope Almeda Little (age 21). One year later in 1855 Julius Augustus Davies was born and then in 1857, William Little Davies was born. In 1859, Penelope died at the age of 26 and after five years of marriage. [2] Logan Early Davies (age 36) married Frances Ina Davies (age 19) in 1860. A year later, Gillie Mertis Davies was born December 25, 1861. Two years after that, In 1863, Linnie Lee Davies was born. In 1865, Frances Ina Davies died at the age of 24 after five years of marriage.
James Davies served in the 38th Tennessee Infantry from March 5, 1862 to May of 1865. He then married Pauline Leake. They divorced after two years. On June 17, 1904 James Baxter Davies died; leaving 596 acres (2.41 km²), including Davies Manor, to his sons, Dr. Julius Augustus and Dr. William Little Davies (both bachelors).
Twenty years later, on December 21, 1924, Dr. Julius Augustus Davies died, leaving one-half undivided interest in Davies Manor to his brother, Dr. William Little Davies. Seven years after that Dr. William Little Davies died; leaving 596 acres (2.41 km²), including Davies Manor, to his cousin, Ellen Davies-Rodgers[2] who donated the house to the Davies Manor Association in 1976.[1]
