Early Oregon Cousins - Mary (Davis) Miles

Mary Davis was a 1st cousin 3 times removed, who was born in Lane County Oregon, not far from where I live now. She was nearer the current town of Creswell, while I live in Cottage Grove. Her birth took place on 11 Jun 1858. She was the 5th child of Isaac S. and Rebecca (Bond) Davis. Her parents and the 3 older children had crossed the plains from Iowa to Oregon over the Oregon Trail in 1853. Her parents had settled their Donation Lane Claim of 320 acres in October 1854 west of present day Creswell.

Mary was included in the 1860 census at age 3 with her parents, 4 older siblings and 1 younger sister. It was December of 1860 when her youngest brother was born. It was also when an inventory of her father's property was taken because he had been declared insane and her uncle Nelson Davis, her father's brother, was appointed guardian. According to some family stories, Isaac had been kicked in the head by a horse and this caused his difficulty. The land had to be sold to settle the estate.

Laura, Mary's sister, died in 1867 and another sister Martha was married about 1868, so there were 5 children in Rebecca's household in 1870. They lived in Springfield township, Lane County Oregon, between Rebecca's sister Elizabeth and her husband Nelson Davis with their 10 children and Martha and her husband William Alkire and their baby girl. Mary had many cousins nearby, many of whom were near her age. These were Mary's double cousins, since their mothers were sisters and their fathers were brothers.

But after Mary's Aunt Elizabeth died in 1872, the family moved to Whitman County Washington Territory. In 1880, only 22 year old Mary and her 19 year old younger brother Isaac were still at home living with their mother in the village of Farmington in Whitman County. Her sister Sarah with her husband Thomas Harris and their 2 children lived next door. Mary's brother James had moved to Nez Perce County Idaho Territory by 1880 and it was there that Mary married William L. Miles the next year, 24 Nov 1881.

However, by 1900 Mary and William are back in Whitman County Washington in Farmington District where William was working as a carpenter. By this time they had 4 sons and 1 daughter in their household. Also living with them was Mary's widowed 75 year old mother, Rebecca (Bond) Davis. It is probable that Rebecca died later that year. A number of family researchers list William's death as 1905 in Idaho. It makes sense because Mary was listed as a widow in the 1910 census when she was living in Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho with her son Roy and 2 boarders as she was keeping a boarding house. She is found living alone in Coeur d'Alene in the 1920 and 1930 censuses. Her older sister Martha also lived there.

Some family researchers list her death date as 1955. I haven't yet found documents to support that, but have not found any other date either.