Heritage Gateways
Official Sesquicentennial K-12 Education Project
sponsored by the Utah State Board of Education, the BYU-Public School Partnership and the Utah Education Network
Pioneer 1847 Companies
Moses (Davis), Susanna [Susan], 1846-7, Mormon Battalion Wife and son Daniel
Daniel Coon Davis and his wife, Saphronia Fuller, were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the early days and were among those driven from their homes. Mrs. Davis, being a frail woman, was unable to stand the hardships of those times, contracted cholera and passed away leaving five children to the care of the father. Later, Captain Davis married Susan Moses who had made her home in the Davis family for many years. She was acquainted with all the children who, even before their mother's death, looked to her for assistance.
When Daniel Davis became Captain of Company E Mormon Battalion he was accompanied by his wife and youngest son, Daniel, on the long journey. The other children were left in the care of the eldest daughter, Ann. President Young promised them he would care for the wives and the children of the enlisted men and they trusted his leadership. After completing the entire journey to California, Captain Davis and his wife came to Utah settling in Farmington. When the county was named Captain Davis had the honor of having it named for him.
Soon he was called to his old home in the East to help settle his father's estate and to take charge of business for the Church in that vicinity preparatory to bringing a company to Utah. He took Susan and the children with him. On the way Captain Davis became ill, died, and was buried near Fort Kearney. Susan and two of the children continued East, while the others returned to Utah. It is said that Susan stayed in the East and married again.
Daniel, the child who made the entire trip with his father and foster mother, lived and died in Morgan County, Utah.
Source: Our Pioneer Heritage © Carter, Kate B., ed. 20 vols. Salt Lake City: International Society, Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1958-1977. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher. Documents and images are exerpted by permission from the LDS Family History Suite CDROM from Ancestry.