Biography

Mentioned in 18380825GMG_WHS1. "Joseph Davis of Minesenk" is one of the men appointed as delegate to the Utica Convention.

Joseph Davis was a prominent man in Orange County. He lived in Wawayanda and then in Minisink; he is recorded in the 1840 census as living in Minisink with 1 son and 6 daughters. Joseph Davis married Elizabeth Decker in 1814. The Life Sketches of Government Officers and Members of the Legislature of the State of New York in 1859 shows that Davis was still actively participating in local (and state) politics. "Mr. Davis is one of the older, most experienced, and influential members of the Assembly. He is of Dutch and Welch descent, and was born in the 14th of December, 1795, in the town of Minisink, Orange county, N.Y. His father, John Davis, who died in that place about the year 1791, was an influential and highly useful man in his day, and was universally respected and esteemed by all who know him. Mr. Davis was educated in a common district school, and was reared a farmer which is still his chief occupation. This is his third term in the Assembly, and he has been President of the Middletown Bank for twenty years. He has, also, filled numerous town offices, including that of Justice of the Peace four years, and is now Supervisor, which position he has held during the past seven years. He was originally a Bucktail, Jackson Democrat, and was an ardent friend of Henry Clay, adhereing closely to the Whig party till it abandoned its organization, when he became a Republican."

A short story about Joseph Davis can be found in the History of Orange County: "In March, 1799, the Legislature of the State passed an act for the 
gradual abolition of slavery. All slaves were to become free at a certain 
age. As an instance of its invoking, there was Frank Bounty, a col- 
ored man, for whom Joseph Davis of Wawayanda had traded a pair of 
oxen when Frank was a young man. When the time arrived at which 
the law gave Frank his liberty he was called up by Mr. Davis and 
told that he was then a free man. Frank asked him if he could not stay 
on with him, but Mr. Davis said he could not, for the reason that people 
would then say that he was being coerced. Mr. Davis gave him some 
money and told him he must go and do for himself, and Frank told the 
Writer that was one of the saddest days of his life. 

Mr. Davis also gave him the use of a house and lot in Brookfield or 
Slate Hill which he might, and did, enjoy for life by paying the taxes on 
it. It was the last house on the west side of the street in the west end of 
the village at that time. There he raised a large family."