Davis R. Mims1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 15975, (1848 - )
FatherDavis Russer Mims4 (abt 1810 - )
MotherElizabeth Van Swearingen Cresap5 (1817 - bef 1850)

Key Events:

Birth: May 1848, Kentucky6,7,8
Marriage: Olevine F. Wilks (about 1857 - between 1877 and 1880)9
Marriage: 1 May 1881, Logan Co., Arkansas, Catherine Wilks (about 1860 - between 1888 and 1900)10,11
ChartsDescendants of Linah and Rebeccah (Davis) Mims
AncestryThe Linah Mims - Rebecca Davis Family

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Davis R. Mims was born in May 1848 in Kentucky.6,7,8
     His mother died before 1850, when Davis was about 2 years old.12,13,14 He appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of District No. 1, Caldwell Co., Kentucky, in the household of Lawson Cash and Mariah Beck, whose relationship, if any, to him is unknown. His brother Robert is also listed in the household.15
     He moved to St. James, Arkansas, with his father before 1860.16 He appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Franklin Twp., Independence Co., Arkansas, in the household of his father.17
     Davis married first Olevine F. Wilks, daughter of Minor Wilks and Mary [surname unknown].9
     His wife died between 1877 and 1880.18
     Davis appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Clark Twp., Logan Co., Arkansas, enumerated 28 Jun 1880. His children Otho and Oliva were listed as living with him, as was Mary, his mother-in-law, Catherine Wilks, his late wife's sister, and Rufus, age 1, apparently her son.3
     Davis married second Catherine Wilks, younger sister of his first wife, on 1 May 1881 in Logan Co., Arkansas, with Charles E. Wasson, justice of the peace, officiating.10,11
     Catherine died between 1888 and 1900.19
     Davis appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Galley Rock Twp., Yell Co., Arkansas, enumerated 7 Jun 1900, reporting that he rented his farm. His children Robert and Irene were listed as living with him, as were Rufus, his step-son, apparently then adopted by him, and his mother-in-law, Mary.20
     He was a farm laborer in 1880, and a farmer by 1900.21,22
     No further record of him has been found.
     
Research Note, 16 Nov 2014:

I have placed Byron, John, Linah, Robert and Davis as sons of Davis Mims and Elizabeth Van Swearingen despite some conflicting evidence. They appear in the 1860 census with Davis. Apparently after Elizabeth had died the three older boys were with Sarah Jane (Mims) Tyler, Davis's sister, and her husband in 1850. The two younger were with Lawson Cash and Mariah Beck, relationship not yet identified. Robert's death certificate, for which Linah was the informant, shows Davis as his father and his mother as Lizzie Chisterfer. There is no evidence of anyone by that surname in Caldwell Co. at the time, so I conclude that is simply in error. Linah's death certificate, for which his son Robert was informant, claims Linah's father was John Mims, and his mother's surname was Cobb. Jan Davis, a descendant of John, reports a family tradition that the boys were the sons of John H. Mims and Caroline Hanson Cresap. That is clearly not correct, as their eight children are documented by two reliable sources, which do not include any of these four boys.23,24,25,26,27,28

Children:
     Children with Olevine F. Wilks:

Children:
     Children with Catherine Wilks

It appears that Rufus was actually Catherine's son by first marriage, since he was born before her marriage to Davis. He appears to be the child recorded in the 1880 census as Louis Wilks. But he is shown in 1900 as Davis's son, and used the Mims surname throughout the rest of his life. His death certificate, with his daughter as informant, shows his father as "David Mims" and his mother as unknown, perhaps not surprising since his presumed mother had been dead over 50 years.32,33,34

Citations

  1. [S1822] Lawson Cash household, 1850 U.S. Census, Caldwell Co., Kentucky, shows name as David R. Mims.
  2. [S980] Davis R. Mims household, 1860 U.S. Census, Independence Co., Arkansas, shows name as Davis R. Mims.
  3. [S5086] David Mims household, 1880 U.S. Census, Logan Co., Arkansas.
  4. [S980] Davis R. Mims household, 1860 U.S. Census, Independence Co., Arkansas, shows them apparently living as parent and child.
  5. [S225] I assume Elizabeth is the mother of young Davis, since it appears that the elder Davis was his father, and she is the only known wife of Davis Sr.
  6. [S5092] Dave Mimms household, 1900 U.S. Census, Yell Co., Arkansas, shows month, year age 52, and state.
  7. [S1822] Lawson Cash household, 1850 U.S. Census, Caldwell Co., Kentucky, shows age 2 and state.
  8. [S980] Davis R. Mims household, 1860 U.S. Census, Independence Co., Arkansas, shows age 12 and state.
  9. [S5086] David Mims household, 1880 U.S. Census, Logan Co., Arkansas, shows him as widowed.
  10. [S5090] D. R. Mims and Catherine Lewis, marriage record, Logan Co. Arkasas, shows date and officant.
  11. [S5092] Dave Mimms household, 1900 U.S. Census, Yell Co., Arkansas, shows him as widowed.
  12. [S569] M. M. Tyler household, 1850 U.S. Census, Trigg Co., Kentucky, shows Bryon, John, and Linah in the household.
  13. [S1971] Caldwell Co. Order Book, G:358, shows her husband appointed constable 19 Mar 18949; and G:387, shows him resigned as constable 20 Aug 1849.
  14. [S1822] Lawson Cash household, 1850 U.S. Census, Caldwell Co., Kentucky, shows Robert and Davis in the household.
  15. [S1822] Lawson Cash household, 1850 U.S. Census, Caldwell Co., Kentucky.
  16. [S7498] Hardison, "Re: Mims - LaFerry Family in your Ancestry tree," e-mail to author, 1 Jul 2017, shows location they lived, citing interview with man now age 105 whose family lived next to them. In email same subject 2 Jul 2017 explains present name of community.
  17. [S980] Davis R. Mims household, 1860 U.S. Census, Independence Co., Arkansas.
  18. [S5086] David Mims household, 1880 U.S. Census, Logan Co., Arkansas, shows her husband as widowed, with youngest child at age 4.
  19. [S5092] Dave Mimms household, 1900 U.S. Census, Yell Co., Arkansas, shows her husband as widowed, and the youngest child as born in 1888, and her mother with no children living.
  20. [S5092] Dave Mimms household, 1900 U.S. Census, Yell Co., Arkansas.
  21. [S5086] David Mims household, 1880 U.S. Census, Logan Co., Arkansas, shows occupation as farm laborer.
  22. [S5092] Dave Mimms household, 1900 U.S. Census, Yell Co., Arkansas, shows occupation as farmer.
  23. [S980] Davis R. Mims household, 1860 U.S. Census, Independence Co., Arkansas, shows Davis with Bryon, John, Linah, Robert, and Davis Jr., apparently living as father and sons.
  24. [S5089] Robert Marsellas Mims, Standard Certificate of Death, shows father as Davis Russer Mims, mother as Lizzie Chisterfer.
  25. [S2073] Linah Mims, Standard Certificate of Death, shows father as John Mims, and mother's maiden namea as ----- Cobb.
  26. [S5082] Davis, in "Robert MIMS b. 1763 KY," listserve message 29 Jun 2003.
  27. [S2003] John Mims Family Bible.
  28. [S736] Cresap and Cresap, History of the Cresaps.
  29. [S5086] David Mims household, 1880 U.S. Census, Logan Co., Arkansas, shows them apparently living as parent and child.
  30. [S5146] James S. Miller household, 1925 Iowa State Census, Ringgold Co., Iowa, Redding.
  31. [S5092] Dave Mimms household, 1900 U.S. Census, Yell Co., Arkansas, shows the boy as his son.
  32. [S5086] David Mims household, 1880 U.S. Census, Logan Co., Arkansas, shows the boy apparently as son of Catherine, as Louis Wilks.
  33. [S5092] Dave Mimms household, 1900 U.S. Census, Yell Co., Arkansas, shows the boy as Rufus Mimms as son of Davis.
  34. [S5115] Rufus D. Rufus D. Mims, Certificate of Death.