George E. Davis, a prominent farmer of Northfield and a native of Acworth, N.H., was born April 30, 1839, son of Oliver and Harriett Elizabeth (Moore) Davis. The father, a native of Acworth, removed to Surry, and later to Lempster, which was the home of his wife. In Lempster he was engaged in farming until his death in 1881. His wife, Elizabeth, died at Manchester in 1885. Henry J. Davis, the first-born of their nine children, was a surgeon in the army, and died at Baltimore. George E., the subject of this sketch, was their second son. His brother, Jefferson, was a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church, and preached in Franklin, where he died in July of 1896. Charles B., the fourth son, who served in the Civil War, and received injuries while so doing, now resides in Franklin, and is married to Katie Blackburne. Lucy, the first daughter, died when young. William is now deceased. Frank Barnard, who is a farmer and lives in Lempster, successively married Rose Libby and her sister, Mrs. Hattie (Libby) Page. Abbie also died when young. Lizzie Davis, the youngest child, was Charles Tandy, and had one child, Guy. After Mr. Tandy’s death she married Benjamin Kimball, and now lives near Franklin.
At the age of nine years George E. Davis went to the home of an uncle in Acworth, N.H., where he subsequently spent two years working for his board. At the end of that time he went to Lempster, worked in a store for two years and on different farms for seven months, attending the district schools in the winter. Going to Unity then, he engaged in farm work there for some time. At the age of twenty-one years he went to live with Ezra J. Glidden, of Unity, where he remained ten years. He then came to Northfield. On March 5, 1868, Mr. Davis was married to Miss Hester Simons, a seminary graduate, and a daughter of Joseph Simons, of Northfield, who is now deceased. She died in June, 1884; and in the year 1886 Mr. Davis married Mrs. Etta Mary Davis, the widow of his brother William, and a daughter of Sumner and Emily (Booth) Eaton, both of Lempster. Mrs. Eaton is deceased. Mr. Eaton resides in Lempster with his son-in-law. By her marriage with William Davis, Mrs. Etta Davis had four children, of whom the only survivor is Lillian Ethel, born October 11, 1877, who lives with her mother, and is a teacher. By George Davis she has a daughter, Nina G., who lives with her parents.
After his first marriage Mr. Davis settled on the farm where he now lives, and which was known as the Joseph Kimball place. He has greatly improved the estate, and it is now named very appropriately Mountain View Farm. For five years Mr. Davis managed a milk route to Tilton, and he has also sent milk to Boston. On his farm of eighty acres he keeps about ten cows, and does considerable dairy business, besides carrying on general farming. He has always been a hard worker and a conscientious citizen. Originally, he was a Democrat; but he would not vote for Horace Greeley, and thereafter he voted the Republican ticket. Mr. Davis is a Mason in Doric Lodge, No. 78, at Tilton, and is a member of the society of Pilgrim Fathers. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Tilton, and are actively interested in church work.