Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 39.djvu/91

 Genealogy of Jefferson Davis. 79

David died on the i6th of February, 1719 (Records, pt. i, p. 24). His wife, Shonnet (otherwise written Janneth) was the first member of the church to pass away (Records, p. 23). She died on the loth of June, 1701, and may have been buried at sea.

Much freedom was employed in spelling the name. The clerk of the church wrote it usually, but not invariably, David. On the 4th of Feb., 1716. many of the members subscribed the Philadelphia Confession of Faith, and here the spelling was both variant and archaic. It appears that every person wrote his own name with his own hand, and took liberty to spell it in his own way. In that place the name Richard Davis is spelled Rhichart Dafydd. Martha Davies. the mother of Presi- dent Davies of Princeton, spells her name Martha Dafis (Re- cords, p. 20). David Davis spelled it Davis (Records, p. 21), as did also Janott Davis, who subscribed in the year 1724 (Rec- ords, p. 22). President Davies appears from these Records to have been the first person of the family connection to put an "e" into the body of the name, and spell it Davies.

It was considered disorderly in the early period for young people to marry without advising with the church. (Records p. yy.) While they were still in Philadelphia, and before the removal to Welsh Tract, one of the young fellows of the Thomas family appears to have violated that rule. His wife however, seems to have healed all the trouble, by uniting with the church. In the year 1702 her name appears as Easther Thomas (Records, p. 12), and in the year 1716 she subscribed the Confession of Faith as Estor Thomas. (Records, p. 20. "t But apparently she was not content with her lot, and in the year 1733 the following entry occurs :

"At our quarterly meeting, Jun 9, 1733 Then was Esther Thomas excluded.

"She was under a kind of suspension for some considerable time before ; for her lukewarmness, and negligence and for blaming the doctrine and for carrying her grand daughters to the Presbyterians to be sprinkled contrary unto the \\\\\ of their