Samuel Presley Davidson 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Born: 8 October 1847, Mount Zion, IL 1 2 4 5 6 7
- Marriage (1): Martha E. Houser in November 1869 1 2
- Marriage (2): Sidney J. Houser on 24 July 1889 in Tecumseh, NE 3 4
- Died: 8 December 1928, Denver, CO at age 81 6
- Buried: After 8 December 1928, Tecumseh, NE 6
 General Notes:
About the two wives of Samuel; (e-mail from Herbert N. Davidson, 3/22/2013)
Brian, Samuel Presley Davidson was my great grandfather. He did, indeed, marry Martha's sister, Sidney. Martha had gone to Chicago to purchase furniture for the home which had been enlarged to accommodate her parents who had moved in with her and Samuel intending to spend their declining years in Tecumseh. Her sister, Adeline, and her two daughters, Mary and Grace, also made the trip. Both Mary and Grace also died. I have not been able to determine what killed them but I am guessing Cholera.
Herbert N. Davidson
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Burial Notes:
In addition to the two smaller gravestones for Samuel and his first wife, Martha E. Houser, there is one large tree trunk shaped monument with their names, birth and death dates on the same grave site. The inscription on this larger grave marker makes it seem as if the smaller gravestones for both of them may only be cenotaphs or empty graves with only a memorialization as the grave stone marker.
This larger tree trunk shaped grave marked has an area of where the bark appears to be peeled away containing a message that begins "In Memory Of". Beneath that is the name of his first wife indicating that she died in Chicago, Illinois. Beneath that is the memorialization to Samuel indicating that he died in Denver, Colorado.
The question is if their bodies were ever shipped back to Nebraska for burial there. It would seem likely that his first wife, Martha, was indeed buried there as her smaller stone has some inscription information indicating as a minimum her age at death.
Samuel remarried and continued to live in the Tecumseh area. There are no known details about his death in Denver which occurred 42 years after Martha's. It seems as if his smaller gravestone has no inscription on it other than his name. The stone is greatly weathered so perhaps it is no longer readable.
But if both of their original smaller stones had complete inscription information then why was the larger tree trunk shaped stone erected?
Nearby is a gravestone for their daughter, Jessie, which appears in a similar shape and form as the smaller gravestones for Samuel and Martha. It has complete inscription information.
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Noted events in his life were:
He appeared on the 1870 US Census in East Lincoln Township, Logan, IL on 6 August 1870. 5
1870 US Census
Page 62, Dwelling 473, Family 480
East Lincoln Township, Logan County, Illinois
Married within the year (Nov)
S. P. Davidson..22..IL..Lawyer
(Living with wife and wife's grandmother.)
.
He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Tecumseh, NE on 4 June 1880. 1
1880 US Census
Page 663D, District 302, Dwelling 105, Family 106, Roll 751
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska
S. P. Davidson..Self..32..IL..Lawyer
(Living with wife and 4 children.)
.
He appeared on the 1885 Nebraska State Census in Tecumseh, NE on 3 June 1885. 2
1885 Nebraska State Census
Page 15, Dwelling 114, Family 114, Ward 2
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska
S. P. Davidson..Head..36..Lawyer
(Living with 1st wife and 3 children.)
.
He appeared on the 1910 US Census in Tecumseh, NE on 30 April 1910. 4
1910 US Census
Sheet 10B, District 27, Family 261, Roll 849
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska
Sixth Street; Home owned, no mortgage
Married 22 years
Samuel P. Davidson..Head..62..IL..Lawyer
(Living with 2nd wife and 5 children.)
.
He appeared on the 1920 US Census in Tecumseh, NE on 13 January 1920. 8
1920 US Census
Sheet 13A, District 27, Dwelling 137, Family 140, Roll 992
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska, United States
Home owned, no mortgage
S. P. Davidson..Head..72..Illinois..Attorney
Jessie Davidson..Daughter..44..Illinois..Stenographer, Railroad
Lytha Davidson..Daughter..26..Illinois..Bookkeeper, Railroad
Malissa Davidson..Daughter..22..Nebraska..Stenographer, Railroad
Ruth Davidson..Daughter..19..Nebraska..Fieldeman (?), Newspaper
(Samuel was widowed and living with 4 daughters.)
.
He was buried after 8 December 1928 in the Tecumseh Cemetery in Tecumseh, NE.
Plot: Block 54 Lot 1
Find A Grave Memorial #80070603
While Samuel's smaller gravestone appears to be very similar to those of his first wife and daughter, Jessie, those gravestones have inscriptions on them whereas Samuel's seems to be lacking any inscription, or else his has weathered so badly that it is unreadable.
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Samuel married Martha E. Houser, daughter of John Howser and Elytha Jane Bryan, in November 1869.1 2 (Martha E. Houser was born on 5 June 1849 in Illinois,1 2 5 6 9 died on 28 March 1886 in Chicago, IL 3 6 and was buried after 28 March 1886 in Tecumseh, NE 6.)
Noted events in their marriage were:
They have conflicting marriage information of 7 December 1869. This alternate marriage date appears on a gravestone marker for Samuel Davidson and his first wife, Martha Houser.
They appeared on the 1870 US Census in East Lincoln Township, Logan, IL on 6 August 1870. 5
1870 US Census
Page 62, Dwelling 473, Family 480
East Lincoln Township, Logan County, Illinois
Married within the year (Nov)
S. P. Davidson..22..IL..Lawyer
Martha Davidson..21..IL..Keeps House
Sidney Bryan..71..KY
NOTE - Living next to Martha's parents. Sidney Bryan was Martha's grandmother.
.
They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Tecumseh, NE on 4 June 1880. 1
1880 US Census
Page 663D, District 302, Dwelling 105, Family 106, Roll 751
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska
S. P. Davidson..Self..32..IL..Lawyer
Mattie Davidson..Wife..30..IL..Keeping House
Mary Davidson..Dau..8..IL
Jessie Davidson..Dau..5..NE
Nellson M. Davidson..Son..3..NE
Grace Davidson..Dau..1..NE
.
They appeared on the 1885 Nebraska State Census in Tecumseh, NE on 3 June 1885. 2
1885 Nebraska State Census
Page 15, Dwelling 114, Family 114, Ward 2
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska
S. P. Davidson..Head..36..Lawyer
Martha Davidson..Wife..36..Keeps House
Jessie Davidson..Daughter..16..At School
Nelson Davidson..Son..8
Roscoe Davidson..Son..4
.
Samuel next married Sidney J. Houser, daughter of John Howser and Elytha Jane Bryan, on 24 July 1889 in Tecumseh, NE.3 4 (Sidney J. Houser was born in 1857 in Illinois 4 10 11 12 and died on 13 October 1917.)
Noted events in their marriage were:
They appeared on the 1910 US Census in Tecumseh, NE on 30 April 1910. 4
1910 US Census
Sheet 10B, District 27, Family 261, Roll 849
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska
Sixth Street; Home owned, no mortgage
Married 22 years
Samuel P. Davidson..Head..62..IL..Lawyer
Sidney J. Davidson..Wife..52..IL..4/4
Jessie Davidson..Dau..32..NE..Clerk, Post Office
Robert H. Davidson..Son..18..NE
Lytha M. Davidson..Dau..17..NE
Melissa L. Davidson..Dau..12..NE
Sidney R. Davidson..Dau..11..NE
.
Marriage Notes:
Name: Samuel P. Davidson
Birth Date: 1848
Birthplace: Ill.
Age: 41
Spouse's Name: Sidna J. Houser
Spouse's Birth Date: 1857
Spouse's Birthplace: Ill.
Spouse's Age: 32
Event Date: 24 Jul 1889
Event Place: Tecumseh, Johnson, Nebraska
Race: White
Spouse's Race: White
Citing this Record
"Nebraska, Marriages, 1855-1995," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X58S-SQC : accessed 30 Apr 2013), Samuel P. Davidson and Sidna J. Houser, 24 Jul 1889.
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