It was not unusual for young men with property to write their will in preparation for marching off to war.
In the opening lines of his last will and testament Lewis Davis wrote:, “I Lewis M Davis of the town of Franklin in the County of Merrimack and State of Newhampshire beinn about to start for the ward do make a disposal of my property …” Of that property he later wrote that he owsed 160 acres in Stearns County, Minnesota. Furthermore, he leaves any property in possession at the time of his death to Cora E. Judkins daughter of Horace and Elisabeth Judkins and that the property should be left in the care of John Perver until Cora become 18 years old.[1]
This document provides us with clues for additional research:
- Search for an enlistment of Lewis M. Davis (perhaps of Franklin, New Hampshire) in the Union forces.
- Search the Government Land Office (GLO) Records in Minnesota to determine if Lewis M. Davis obtained land under a homestead act, or if he was assigned land from another individual.
- Search of land records in Stearns County, Minnesota. Activity for Salt Lake
- Search the 1860 census of Stearns County, Minnesota, for Lewis M. Davis, since he has not been located in New Hampshire census records.
A search was conducted in the National Park Service database Civil War Soldier and Sailors[2] for the enlistment of Lewis M. Davis serving with the Union provided the following results:
| Soldier Name | Function | Regiment | Microfilm |
| Davis, Lewis | Infantry | 10th Regiment, N.H. Infantry | M549 roll 3 |
| Davis, Lewis F. | Infantry | 16th Regiment, N.H. Infantry | M549 roll 3 |
| Davis, Lewis F. | Infantry | 18th Regiment, N.H. Infantry | M549 roll 3 |
| Davis, Louis M. | Infantry | 16th Regiment, N.H. Infantry | M549 roll 3 |
A search was conducted in “U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles” at Ancestry .com for Lewis M Davis indicates he enlisted at the age of 29 on 13 September 1862 as a private in Company E, New Hampshire 16th Infantry Regiment and was mustered out on 20 August 1863 at Concord, New Hampshire, and that Davis died 21 August 1863.[3]
When the opportunity presents itself I need to examine the microfilm (M549, roll 3) of the service record of Lewis M. Davis in the 16thRegiment, New Hampshire Infantry. Davis’ brother-in-law, Daniel R. Woodward, also serviced in the 16th Regiment.
A search for individuals with the surname Davis obtaining land in Stearns County, Minnesota, provided results for not only Lewis M. Davis, but also his siblings, George Davis, and Albe C. Davis obtaining land in Stearns County, Minnesota (5th Principal Meridian) Township 126 N-034W.[4]
| Accession | Names | Date | Doc | Twp – Rng | Aliquots | Sec |
| MN1900_.141 | Davis, Albe C [P] | 9/1/1869 | 175 | 126N-034W
126N-034W 126N-034W |
SE1/4SE1/4
N1/2NE1/4 NW1/4NW1/4 |
15
22 23 |
| MW-0235-014 | Davis, George E [P}
McLaughlin, William [W] |
8/15/1866 | 76850 | 126N-034W
126N-034W 126N-034W |
SW1/4SE1/4
S1/2SW1/4 NW1/4NW1/4 |
15
15 22 |
| MW-0150-207 | Davis, Lewis M [P]
Burns, Susan [P] Burns, Thomas [W] |
1/20/1862 | 96321 | 126-034W
126N-034W |
S1/2NE1/4
S1/2NW1/4 |
15
15 |
Jeremiah Judkins (spouse of Lewis M Davis’ sister, Nancy Davis) also obtained land in Stearns County. [5]
| Accession | Names | Date | Doc | Twp – Rng | Aliquots | Sec |
| MW-0183-049 | Judkins Jeremiah K [P]
Knapp, Alexander A [W] |
5/20/1863 | 101298 | 126N-034W
126N-034W |
S1/2NW1/4
S1/2NE1/4 |
23
22 |
Although all of the land acquisitions are post 1860, these men and respect families were enumerated in Stearns County, Minnesota, on 27–28 June 1860.[6]
| Page | Details | Family summary |
| 64 | Lines 2 4–27; dwelling 697, family 561 | Jerimiah Judkins; 31; M; farmer; %00; $300; b. New Hampshire Nancy “ ; 29; F; b. New Hampshire Antonet “ ; 7; F; b. New Hampshire Ida Ann “ ; 2 F; b. Minnesota George E. Davis; 21; M; farmer; $500; b. New Hampshire |
| 64 | Lines 39–40; dwelling 698, family 562 | Albert [Albe] Davis; 25; M; farmer; $500; b. New Hampshire Sarah C. “ ‘ 19; F; b. Maine |
| 65 | Line 10, dwelling 701, family 565 | Louis M. Davis; 27; M; farmer; $500, $200; b. New Hampshire [no other household members] |
[1] Will of Lewis M. Davis, file no. 6128, Merriamck County New Hampshire Probate Court, Concord, New Hampshire.
[2] http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/, 20 August 2011.
[3] Rodney Sawyer, Register of Soldiers and Sailors of New Hampshire, 1861–1865; viewed 21 August 2011.
[4] Government Land Office, Bureau of Land Management, RG49; http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/default.aspx
[5] Government Land Office, Bureau of Land Management, RG49; http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/default.aspx
[6] 1860 U.S. Census, Free Population Schedule, Stearns County, Minnesota, pages 64-65; National Archives microfilm series M653, reel 574; viewed on HeritageQuest Online, 21 August 2011.
