Perkins

The parents of the Davis family were Hugh and Elizabeth (Jones) Davis, he a native of North Carolina, and she of Huntsville, Alabama. Mr. Davis learned the trade of a carpenter in his native state and later became a skilled mechanic. In early manhood he removed to Marshall, Mississippi, where he engaged in contracting and building. He ran the first steam saw mill in northern Mississippi. During the years of railroad building he had large contracts in bridge building, and at forty years of age had acquired a competence, being the owner of extensive plantations and many slaves. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was a wealthy man, but all his possessions were swept away by its ravages. Although he was a slaveholder he was strongly against secession and used his influence actively against it.

At the close of the war he removed to Bolivar, Tennessee, where he ran a saw mill for two years. In 1878, being an old man, he was brought to Colorado by his sons, where he made his home till his death, which occurred a few months later in the old Sterling settlement. His wife lived to be 81 years of age. Her death occurred in 1895 in Sterling. In her obituary notice she was characterized as "a faithful consistent Christian woman – indeed a mother in Israel, for her children to the third generation have grown up to a beautiful Christian manhood and womanhood. These constitute the grandest monument to her memory, and are the greatest blessing she could have left to the world.”

Their children were thirteen in number, nine of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. All came to Sterling, and all have had an active part in the development of the town and country. They are: Sarah A. (Mrs. Calvin) Cheairs, mother of Mrs. J. J. Cheairs; Mary E., widow of F. G. Ayres, Hugh; Cornelia, wife of the late R. C. Perkins; Edward, of Merino; Margaret, wife of D. J. Armour; Elizabeth, wife of J. W. Landrum; Amma S., wife of Alexander King; and Jacob M. Davis.

Hugh was with one of the first parties who came to spy out of the land in the Platte Valley in 1873 and helped in the construction of the Sterling ditch. For a few years he made his home with his brother-in-law, R. C. Perkins. When his father and mother came he and his brother, Edward, built a home and cared for them. The little hut still stands by the road which leads past the Monroe home north of town, and is now used for a granary. This modest structure was the scene of the weddings of both Mrs. J. W. Landrum and Mrs. Amma King, who lived with their brothers until they married. Later Hugh and Edward moved to Merino. Hugh Davis married Bettie Isom, on November 17, 1881. Her father was one of the colony which settled Merino. Their children are Mrs. Frank Morrell, Mrs. L. G. Whitney, and a son Webster. Mr. Davis was a man highly esteemed and useful in the community and was actively interested in civic and religious enterprises. He contributed generously to four church buildings, projects of the Presbyterian congregation, having been a charter member of that body in Sterling. His death occurred May 12, 1923, at the age of 75 years.
(Lille Gordon Whitney 1885-1944 is buried in Sterling, in a lot purchased by the Davis Brothers. So is Ava D. Whitney 1885-1984.)

The descendants of this family make a creditable contribution to the population of Sterling, the largest of any family among the first settlers. In 1915 on the Fourth of July, a reunion of the family and picnic was held at the home of Mrs. J. J. Cheairs. Eighty-eight members were present, the oldest being "Uncle Davie"Davis, brother of Hugh Davis, Sr., aged eighty-six, and the youngest, Bryan Davis, grandson of Edward Davis, aged two months. An interesting feature of the program at this reunion was an original poem entitled "The Davis Family,"by (Mary) Mrs. Ned Davis, daughter-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Davis. It is as follows:

On the hillside of the prairie, In the land of corn and cotton, In the great state, Mississippi, Lived the elder, Hughie Davis, With his loving wife Elizabeth; On the river Wolf, their home. Davis" Mills were close beside them; Thirteen children blessed their happiness; One alone, ere manhood reached him, To the home of the Great Father, To the happy land eternal, At the age of thirteen left them. And the others of this family Grew to manhood and to womanhood, The Creator of the Nations Looked upon them with compassion; With a father"s love of gentleness, Blessed them with the greatest blessings. "As unto the bow the cord is, So unto the man is woman, Useless each without the other."Thus the youthful Davis family Said within themselves and pondered; Thus they chose their heart"s desire. From this home they all departed To the home of their beloved. And the elder Hughie Davis Turned again unto his labor, Sat down in his sunny doorway; Murmuring to himself and saying: "Thus it is our children leave us, Just when they have learned to help us, Leaving all things for a strange land.”

For this happy Davis family, To the westward had departed, To the land of hill and valley, To the land of snow-capped mountains, To the land of peace and plenty, To the sunny Colorado. In this little city Sterling, Lived so many of this family, Numbers to exceed one hundred. Far they grew in size and number – Landrum, Armour, King and Perkins, Ayres and Morrell, Cheairs and Lutin, Whitney, Hunt, Brush, Hall and curran – In this pleasant land and peaceful. In this land of Colorado Some do fish in lake and river; Some do hunt the red deer only. Some there are who trill and warble Like a lark that soars at evening; Some there are who till the cornfield, Till the land so broad and fruitful, Strip the yellow husks of harvest, Filling all the land with plenty. Some there are who take their colors, Take their paints of different colors, Paint many shapes and figures; Figures strange and brightly colored, And each figure has its meaning. Then take clay and mold the figures, Mold the figures thus suggested. Some do bear a pouch of healing Filled with magic roots and simple, Filled with very potent medicine For the cure of all diseases. Some there are who teach small children, Teach them many words of wisdom, Teach them precept after precept. And so we who"ve joined this family, Wish to them the best of all, Wish them health and wealth and happiness. As the years do come and go May this happy Davis family Grow in love, in strength, in number, until all the world shall know them; Know and reverence, love and honor.

Mary E. Ayres, widow of Felix G., was the mother of Davis Ayres and Mrs. J. N. Hall. She maintained her home in Sterling until old age made it necessary to spend her declining years in the homes of her children. She was another of the courageous women who, bereft of husband when their children were young, was forced to assume the role of both father and mother – a woman of rare refinement and culture. Her son, Davis Ayres, was thirteen years of age when they came to Colorado. When the new town of Sterling was started, and they had moved to the embryo city, he was for six years engaged in the drug business, and later was deputy sheriff, and in 1895 was elected sheriff of the county. In 1894 he was assistant postmaster under R. W. Smith.

Mrs. Hall, the daughter, it may be said, laid the foundation of education in Sterling, having been the only teacher until the year 1885, the story of which is told in the chapter on education. Her husband, Dr. J. N. Hall, was for a number of years the only physician between North Platte and Greeley. There had been one or two at different times, who proved unsatisfactory and it is said that S. R. Propst wrote a letter to Dr. Reed of Greeley, requesting that a doctor be sent into the valley, who would "stay sober long enough to attend a patient."Dr. Hall, a young Bostonian from Harvard Medical School, who had come to Denver on February 14, 1883, to start in his profession, proved to be the victim, reaching Sterling the following April, and for nine years the health of Sterling people was not jeopardized for want of medical skill of a high order; so high indeed that he soon outgrew the town and sought a wider field for his services. Dr. Hall built the home now owned by Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Vandemoer, on Third and Ash Street in 1888. This served as residence and office until they moved to Denver, where he is at present a diagnostician of national repute. They are the parents of two sons, Oliver, who died during the war, of Spanish influenza; and Sigourny, a successful business man in Ft. Collins. The Sterling home was sold to Dr. L. E. Stanton, who was for many years a leading physician in Sterling.

Margaret Davis Armour, wife of D. J. Armour, came to the Sterling settlement in the early days. Becoming homesick in such a lonely country, the family returned to the south, where they remained for eight years. However, they finally succumbed to the urge of family ties, and returned to be permanent residents of Sterling. Bereft of companion and support, and with a family of five, who have devotedly and industriously aided in the task of obtaining a livelihood, the mother has made a record of which any woman might be proud. The children are Bessie, Mary, Beulah, Hugh and William. This record is not intended to consist too largely of eulogies but eulogies are necessary in the story of the pioneers of a community. Otherwise it is impossible to pay the homage due them, who have on the rough frontier of civilization toiled and suffered, and most of whom have died that those who followed might "inherit the promise."Words simply cannot tell all that they deserve.

Elizabeth, wife of the late J. W. Landrum, is the mother of three daughters, Mabel, Lottie and Rena, and a son Dallas. The family lived on their homestead in the old settlement for a time, then moved to Sterling. Mr. Landrum served as president of the board of education, and as county judge. He was a useful and honored citizen. The Davis family have all been active in church and reform movements, and have occupied positions of trust in many organizations as will be shown by reference to the lists of offices in town and county.

Mabel Landrum Torrey, now residing in Chicago, is a Sterling girl to whom all Logan County points with pride, a sculptress of recognized ability, not only in Colorado but all over the United States. Her statue of Winkum, Blinkum and Nod, in the children"s playground in Washington Park, Denver, is especially known. She is a pupil of Loredo Taft who also has produced some of the most beautiful pieces of statuary to be found in Denver.

Edward Davis has spent his life mostly at Merino, where he homesteaded land in 1878. More is said of him in the chapter on Merino. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander King has lived in Sterling from the early days, and their lives have been built into the community, along with the rest of the Davis family. They have one daughter, Reta and three sons, Willard, Earl and Everett. J. M. Davis and his family came to Sterling in 1897 and cannot be classed as pioneers, but to their credit it may be said that they would have come up to the Davis standard had they been among the early comers. Their contribution to Sterling has been for Sterlling"s best interests. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Davis are Viola (Mrs. Otis Curran), Ned, Laura (Mrs. H. W. Gould), Sallie Lee and Gladys. (A brief history of Logan County, Colorado: with reminiscenses by pioneers, Denver, Colo.: Printed by Welch-Haffner Print Co., 1928.)