My name is Debbie Sorrels Mecca. I am documenting some facts I have come up with about my great-grandfather, Theodore Ewing Davidson. These facts were found in three letters to him from a friend who had fought in the Civil War with him, cemetery headstones, my mother’s memory, and Thee’s death certificate from Oklahoma. I purchased "The History of the Partisan Rangers" written by Adam "Stovepipe" Johnson and found Thee listed on a roster as a scout. This was when I began to search for Thee in western Kentucky.

Thee was born in the year 1844 in Kentucky, and I found him listed in the 1850 Daviess Co KY census, age 5, , the son of George Madison Davidson and Cathrine Burton, who were married 29 Nov 1840 in Daviess County. In 1864, at age 20, Thee fought in the Civil War. Thee was also a great-grandson of General William Lee Davidson who valiantly gave his life for his country during the Revolutionary War.

Thee's wife was Nancy – I think her name was Nancy Margaret Thomas Davidson, but no marriage record for them has been found. Census records show Nancy was born in Texas between 1860-1862.

Thee and Nancy's son, Theodore was born October 1892 (approx), when Thee was 48 and Nancy was 32. Family lore says the family lived near Ft. Worth in Tarrant County at that time, but I have been unable to find them in the 1900 Texas census listings. Between the first child and last, fifteen were born in all with only eight surviving to adulthood.

My Grandmother Ira, and her twin sister, Ila, were the last of the line and were born March 23, 1901 in Wise Co., Texas. Thee was 57 and Nancy was 41 at that time. They moved from Rome, Texas in 1904 to Oklahoma Territory. See their 1910 Garvin Co OK census listing and their 1920 McClain Co OK census listing . Grandmother told me how scared she was crossing the Red River in a wagon on a ferry. Her brother, Ted, was on horseback driving cattle across and she was so afraid he would drown.

My Grandmother (Ira Davidson Burton) told me one time that when Grandpa Charlie Oscar Burton proposed to her that she told him there was no way she could get married because she was the last one at home and needed to take care of her mom and dad. Grandpa Charlie was a persistent soul and was good to Thee and Nancy.

Thee and Nancy lived with Grandma and Grandpa for a short time, and were always nearby other times. My mother remembers them both very well, but Thee never talked to her about the Civil War and only told her some stories about Dr. Jim Davidson who is also mentioned twice in the letters. Dr. Jim was listed as Jas. Davidson and I found him in the 1850 Daviess Co KY census and the 1860 Webster Co KY census, living in Wisemill District.

I could not locate "Wisemill" on any Kentucky map but believe it was near Sebree, formerly known as "Sulpher Springs" or Robards. I have since located these census online.

Thee led an interesting, hard-working life. His daughter, my Aunt Ila was the last living child and in her 90’s the last time I saw her. Aunt Ila was my Grandmother’s twin sister. Ila passed away a few months later.

The main story my mother remembers about Thee was that he was at her house on her first day of school. He felt there was something wrong with her when she got home and she told him she was upset that she didn’t learn how to read her first day of school! He told her to be patient and to keep going back and that she would learn. Mom said Thee and Nancy were very patient and kind souls.

Nancy lived to be 78 and Thee lived to the ripe old age of 91. See a photo of their headstone.