was a consistent and exemplary member of the Congregational church. He married Elizabeth Roberts, born in Cambria county, Pennsylvania, daughter of William Roberts. William Roberts emigrated to America from Wales about 1805, landing in New York city. He married a Welsh lady, and shortly afterward migrated to Cambria county, settling in the wilderness about two miles southeast of Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. He lived here for a number of years and then removed two miles farther out on the Pittsburg and Philadelphia pike, where he built a house and engaged in the mercantile business, with which he was associated during the remaining years of his life. In religion he was a Baptist, and in polities, probably an old line Whig. He died about 1835. The children of Richard and Elizabeth (Roberts) Davis were: 1. Elizabeth, married David W. Jones, deceased. 2. William, deceased. 3. Hannah, deceased. 4. Catherine, married Edward Davis, deceased. 5. Timothy R., formerly a prosperous lumberman, died at Conemaugh. 6. Captain Thomas, of whom later. 7. Jane, married Milton Jones, of Ebensburg. 8. Martha, married Jackson Ross, of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania. 9. Mary, widow of Luther Stiles, resides in Ebensburg. 10. David, a retired merchant and insurance broker of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
Captain Thomas Davis, third son and sixth child of Richard and Elizabeth (Roberts) Davis, was born about two miles southeast of Ebensburg, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, October 7, 1831. He was educated in the common schools of his township and began his business life as a farmer, but while still quite a young man engaged in lumbering in Cambria county, with which he was identified from 1854 until the breaking out of the Civil war. Fired with enthusiasm and patriotism, Thomas Davis, in common with other brave men, enlisted in the service of his country. His first work for the great cause was recruiting one hundred and twenty men for the United States Regulars, Nineteenth Regiment, which had its headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. Then the company -- Company C -- was organized, he was made first sergeant, and served as such until after the battle of Chickamauga, when he was promoted, being commissioned second lieutenant; about four months later he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, and served in this rank until the close of the war. In many of the important engagements of the war he was the acting captain of his company. He commanded his company during the battle of Stone River, in which the company entered the engagement with thirty-two men, and emerged with one-half that number, the other half being either killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. Again, at Chickamauga, he commanded his company, (Company C) and of the regiment of three hundred and sixty-five enlisted men and nine commissioned officers, but sixty-nine enlisted men and three commissioned officers returned from the fray, the others having been killed, wounded, or captured--the regiment being literally cut to pieces. Captain Davis served in all three years, seven months, and seventeen days, during that time taking part in thirty-two engagements. He was in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Stone River, Resaca, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge, leading the charge up the hill. These were the hardest fought battles of the war. From Missionary Ridge, covering a distance of one hundred and twenty-two miles from Chattanooga to Atlanta and fall of latter, he participated in all the engagements of that campaign. He was with Sherman at Atlanta and saw the city burned. After Atlanta, the regular brigade was ordered back to reinforce Thomas at Nashville,
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