Giles Davis, deceased, late of Charleston; although not one of the early settlers, was yet a citizen and business man who enjoyed in so large a measure the confidence of his fellow-men and was held in such universal and high esteem by the entire community, that it is with pleasure that we give a brief sketch of his life; he was born in Union Co., Ind., Nov. 7, 1824; he was the son of Elisha and Elizabeth (Shafer) Davis, both of whom were natives of Ohio; his youth was spent in the usual manner of farmers’ sons. On the 18t of October, 1845, when not quite 21 years of age, he was married to Miss Louisa Jinks, a daughter of Samuel and Phoebe (Winchell) Jinks, of Franklin Co., Ind. In 1868, he removed with his family to Jasper Co., Ill., and engaged in farming; in 1871, he came to Coles Co., and, until 1873, kept a meat market in Charleston; he then located on a farm in Seven Hickory Tp., where he resided two years, at the end of which time he returned to Charleston and resumed business; in 1878, just previous to his death, he engaged in the grocery business, which is still continued by his son, Warren R. Davis. He died Oct. 19, 1878, leaving a wife and eleven children – Sarah E. (Mrs. E. B. Wooden, of Charleston), Phoebe J. (wife of T. J. Hedrick, of Rush Co., Kan.), Robert S. (a teacher, of Rush Co., Kan.), Richard E. (a telegraph operator in Litchfield, Ill.), Giles 0. (in business in Charleston), Warren R. (also in business in Charleston), Louisa J., Emily M., Harry E., Wilber M. and Effie L.; their first-born, Samuel J., died Sept. 3, 1847. Mr. Davis was a highly-respected member of the Masonic fraternity and the Knights. of Honor.
