In 1910, Monroe & Sarah DAVIS are in the Blackwell City, Kay County, OK Census. Listed with them is their 16 year old "adopted" daughter, Alva M. BIRCHFIELD.
Monroe & Sarah were 66 years old at that time. Sarah (MCHENRY) DAVIS died in 1912 (at 68) and is buried at the Ames Cemetery, Ames, OK.
In 1915 Monroe is listed in an Enid, OK city directory as a boarder with his son, Samuel DAVIS at 808 S. Grand Ave., Enid, OK.
In 1917 Monroe lived with son William (and Ida) DAVIS at 1327 East Randolph, Enid, OK. Also that year, he boarded with son Samuel (and Mary) DAVIS on S. Grand Ave.
Monroe was in Louisiana for some time also, but the reason for his residence there remains unknown. The believed location was Welsh, LA. He is known to have been there in 1919 where he was photographed and possibly, he was there until 1921.
In 1921 Monroe lived with his son, William (and Ida) DAVIS at 1110 East Broadway, Enid, OK. Monroe’s Grandson, Harry DAVIS, (and wife Verna) and his Great Grandson, Merle Armond DAVIS also resided there.
In 1923 Monroe lived with Wm & Ida at the Broadway home.
In 1925 Monroe resided with Wm & Ida at 405 East State, Enid.
The following is the full letter/news article written by Monroe DAVIS when he was 88 years old, and was then a resident of Blackwell City, OK, while living with his adopted daughter, Alva (BIRCHFIELD) BRADFORD and family.
From the MADISON TIMES, Madison, MO.
"Recalls Early Days Around Madison"
Blackwell, Okla., July 13, 1931
I notice in your number of July 9th, a write up of early days of the city of Madison, which was read by me with much interest. Being an Old Settler myself, I was born and raised about three miles northwest of Madison in the year 1843.
Am now 88 years old, my name is Monroe DAVIS. My fathers name was Madison DAVIS, was generally known as Mat DAVIS, who settled where I was born in 1833.
James R. ABERNATHY was an uncle of mine by marriage. I can recognize the name of all the Old Settlers mentioned, however, I only find one name that I can recognize that is living among all of my acquaintances, that one is John DUNAWAY. Probably he would remember me.
Among the old industries you failed to mention the old grist mill, that was owned by John DAWSON, that was run by the power of an incline wheel and was driven by horses walking on the wheel and the weight of the horses would revolve and which would also run the millstone. The parties that brought the grist to mill had to furnish the horses. The miller that run the mill was named WYSINGER.
Just to show the younger boys how milling was done at that mill, I will explain just how it was done. The mill was equiped with a set of mill stones that was used to grind either corn or wheat. If it were corn the meal was scooped into a sack and if it were wheat it was scooped into another sack and carried upstairs and put through a bolt that was run by hand. It took two men to do it. One man would turn the reel while the other fed the stock into the reel. The flour would fall into a chest below.
The miller, Mr. WYSINGER, would take a turkey wing in his hand, open up the chest and divide the fine flour from the middlings by drawing a line between the fine flour and the middlings and shorts also. He then would put the shorts on the bottom of the sack then tie a string around the sack, then do likewise with the flour and middlings. All three then would be in the same sack. The bran was then put into a separate sack.
