Sgt. Paul J. DesLauriers, ret.
Born February 22, 1935
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYSDate unknown: Richard E. Burns, John R. Coughlin, Gertrude Kelley, Arthur Humphrey
4 Michael Sweeney, Eric Pugh, Manly Shonio, Marion (Pierce) DesLauriers
6 Michael Pugh
7 Richard E. Humphrey, Bernadette Gervais
8 Horace Humphrey
9 Patricia Riley
10 Edwin Shonio, Earl W. Davis
11 Hugh Humphrey
13 Patricia Kerr, Opal Grace Mansfield, Mary E. Burns
14 Allen Weatherford, Donald St. Hilaire, Sr., Donald K. Kenneson
15 Anne Humphrey, Walter J. Astle, Jr., Arlene Alice Langley
16 Tricia Keville
17 Jacob Rager, Marianne (Collins) Astle
20 Raemon Kirby
22 Paul J. DesLauriers, Sr., Walter J. Astle, Sr., Thomas Astle (b: 1888)
25 Lisa Call, Norman W. Kenneson
28 Sophronia Whittemore
MARCH BIRTHDAYS
Date unknown: Florance Evirs, Daniel Shea, Prosper Rich
2 Jonathan Morgan, Joel Morgan
3 Richard Burns, Catherine Rankin, Morton Humphrey, Melvie Rager, James Nelson
4 Ronnie Robinson
5 Erin Keville
6 Ralph Slagle
7 Glenn Gaudette, Anna Rand
9 Stacy Baum
10 Annie J. (Malone) Walsh
12 Roger Purvee, Lehman Nelson
13 Mary Weatherford
14 Mary Shelton, Mary Poe, Joseph Shelton
15 Brian Sullivan, Daniel Whittemore
16 Diane Humphrey, Jennifer Humphrey, Quinn Sullivan, Nolan Sullivan, Charles L. Kelley, Dorothy Bovill, Ulysses Simpson Grant Shelton
17 Eudora Weatherford, Zacharia Eddy
19 George Steed
21 Gersham Davis, Lucy Davis
22 Barbara Gaudette
23 Donald St. Hilaire, Jr.
25 Odell Rager
26 Ruby Rager, Nancy Kenneson, Thomas J. Evirs
27 Esther Humphrey, Harry A. Kenneson
28 Thomas Eddy 1756
29 Pearl Kenneson
31 Nancy Eddy, Phillip Gervais, Elizabeth Eddy
SQUIRE HARPER DAVIS
Family Line:
Squire H. Davis to Charles Finis Davis to Leonard R. Davis to Gwendolyn (Davis) Humphrey
He was the son of Gersham Davis and Permilia Whitaker. He was born on May 29, 1845, in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. His siblings were: John P. Davis, Ransom Davis, Enos Davis and Lydia Margaret Davis.
In the 1860 U. S. Census he was age 15 and living in Laurel Bluff in Muhlenberg County with with his widowed mother Permilia and siblings Ransom and Lydia.
According to his Civil War pension papers I recently received from the National Archives, Squire joined the Union Army in Princeton, Kentucky, on September 5, 1863. He served as a private in Co. I, 48th Regiment of the Kentucky Infantry under the command of Capt. William Porter. He was honorably discharged at Bowling Green, Kentucky on December 15, 1864.
His papers describe him as 5' 5" tall, 113 pounds, grey/blue eyes, light hair, and dark complexion. He could not read or write. His occupation was farmer. He was listed as having developed severe rheumatism as a result of his service.
He married Mary A. Smith on April 9, 1866 in Greenville, Kentucky.
In the 1870 U.S. Census he was listed as living in Greenville, Muhlenberg, Kentucky. He was 24, a farmer and living with his wife Mary, 24, son James 3, and son Charles, age 1.
In 1880 he was living in Meyers, Muhlenberg, Kentucky. He was 34, Mary is 33, and their children James, Charles and Lucy were living with them.
Most of the U.S. Census for 1890 was destroyed in a massive fire and the data is not available.
In 1900 Squire and Mary were living in Huntsville, Butler County, Kentucky. Mary was listed as having given birth to three children and all three were still living. Their sons, James and Charles, lived next door with their families.
In the 1910 U.S. Census Squire was 63 and living in Butler County with his wife Mary who was suddenly three years older than Squire. (This is why census records need to be checked very carefully against primary documents such as birth certificates, etc.)
In the 1920 Census Squire was widowed. His wife died April 9, 1919. Squire was now living with his granddaughter Rosa and her husband Fred Cartwright. I wondered why he lived with his granddaughter. Fred Cartwright signed a affidavit on Dec. 9, 1921, where he stated: "Squire has lived with me for the part of two years. During that time he has suffered with rheumatism all the time. At present he is able to be up and around the home. He does not require an attendant each day but his physical health is such that he is not safe to live alone."
Squire died on November 17, 1924 in Huntsville, Butler County, Kentucky. The cause of death on the death certificate is listed as chronic nephritis.
The death description does not really tell the story. Squire's pension papers give more details.
A notarized affidavit states that on January 9, 1923, Squire had a seizure of the brain rendering him insane and factually helpless and that Squire's mental and physical condition is and will continue attendance of another person.
Why did I write this today? I wrote it because, like most of the people I write about in this blog, Squire H. Davis was just an ordinary man. He was not a war hero or a movie star. He was a young man who served his county during wartime and then went home to be a farmer, husband and father.
To quote Arthur Miller in The Death of A Salesman: "Attention must be paid. He is not to be allowed to fall into his grave like an old dog. Attention, Attention must finally be paid to such a person."
That's it for now. As always cousin Richard and I welcome your comments, stories, photos, etc.
