JACOB B. DAVIS was born February 21, 1834, in Todd County, Ky. His parents were Jacob and Polly (West) Davis, both natives of North Carolina. The father settled in Todd County at an early day. His death occurred in 1865, aged seventy-five years. He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Our subject, the eighth of thirteen children, began for himself at the age of twenty-one years. He had nothing in the start but his own energy and perseverance. In addition to farming he has worked some at the carpenter trade. He has been tolerably successful in business. He owns 250 acres of land, much of which is improved. His outlook is encouraging. He enlisted October 1, 1861, in Twenty-sixth Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Stone River, Salt River, etc., besides many dangerous skirmishes. He was in the Thirteenth United States Army Corps, under Gen. Thomas. His discharge dates July, 1865. He served nearly five years. He was wounded in the Shiloh battle in the left arm, and in a skirmish he was shot in the left jaw and left leg at the same time. He was disabled by these wounds some two months. He carried the ball in his jaw from 1864 to 1883 (nineteen years), when it came into his left nostril and was taken by him from his mouth. The ball knocked out two molar teeth on the left side and one on the right, and then glanced upward toward the eyes. The ball that gave him the wound in his left limb he still carries, and from these wounds he has much discomfiture to this day. He has received a pension the last six years. He had a spell of yellow jaundice in 1862, and on convalescing from that he took the typhoid fever which disabled him three months. Mr. Davis is proud of his army record, but does not care to make another. He was taken prisoner when wounded, but was paroled the same day. Mr. Davis was married in 1861, to Miss Mary J. Rainwaters, of Logan County, Ky. Their children are Judidah B., Jacob C. (deceased), Jerome F. and Benjamin R. Judidah B. is the wife of M. S. Heltsley, of this county. Armon D. is their child. Mr. Davis is a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Davis is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
