Adams County Biographies

Claiborne, Ferdinand Leigh
Claiborne, Ferdinand Leigh, soldier, was born in 1772, in Sussex County, Va., and died in 1815, in Natchez, Miss.; son of William and Mary (Leigh) Claiborne, of Blanchester, Va.; grandson of Nalhanlel and Jane (Dole) Claiborne, of "Sweet Hall." Va.; great-grandson of Capt. Thomas and Ann (Fox) Cleborne; great-great-grandson of Lt Col. Thomas Cleborne and wife, a Miss Dandridge; brother of Gov. William C. C. Claiborne (q. v.). He was educated In the schools of Virginia; appointed ensign of infantry, U. S. Army, 1798; promoted captaln, 1799; resigned from the army, 1802, and located in Natchez, Miss., as a merchant. He was elected to the Mississippi Territorial legislature, 1804; colonel of militia. 1805; commander of the troops sent to support General Wilkinson, 1806, in the Sabine campaign; 1811, brigadier-general of militia of the Territory, and organized the militia for U. S. government service. In 1818, he was made brigadier-general of volunteers; was stationed at Fort Stoddard, and served actively throughout the War of 1812 and the Creek uprising, in defense of the white pioneer settlers, especially along the Alabama river. In December, 1813, he attacked the Indians at the "Holy Ground." After victory, he returned to Natchez and resumed his work as general of militia. He was elected to the Mississippi legislative council, 1815, and presided over that body. Married: in 1802, to Magdalene, daughter of Col. Anthony Hutchins, an English officer. Last residence: Natchez, Miss.

Source: History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, By Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen, Published by The S. J. Clarke publishing company, 1921; Submitted by Veneta McKinney

Davis, Brinton B.
Captain Brinton B. Davis was born in Natchez, Mississippi, January 23, 1862. He is the son of Jacob Brinton Davis and Mary (Gamble) Davis. His father was a native of Philadelphia. Pennsylvania, and came of a family of Welsh origin that very early settled in Georgia, thence removed to Philadelphia. The mother of Captain Davis was a Scotch lady who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1857 Jacob Brinton Davis located in Natchez, Mississippi, and became a well-known architect of the South, being the architect of many prominent and public buildings of the South. He died at Natchez in 1877 when forty-seven years of age.

Brinton B. Davis was the eldest of his children and was reared in his native town graduating from Eustace Academy, then a splendid and popular academy at Natchez. He was in the twenty-second year of his age when he graduated. He traveled extensively and made a study of architecture. He found it necessary very early in life to launch out for himself, and after completing an academic education he went to New York city, where he spent three years in architectural work and then in the same avenue of life spent about four years at St. Louis. Missouri. In 1892 he located at Paducah, Kentucky, whence he came to Louisville in 1899. When the call came for troops to serve during the Spanish- American war, Captain Davis was in active service for fourteen months, during which time he was in command of Company K, Third Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, and during five months of that time his command was in Cuba. He was frequently commended in general orders by Generals Grant. Wiley and others.

Captain Davis has risen very rapidly in the field of architecture, and throughout the state are many enduring monuments of excellent ability testifying to the technical skill and professional expression of his art form in all of its expressions he is a lover of art and he is more of a connoisseur than a dilettante in this connection, aside from the specific work of his profession, which represents one of the noblest forms of art expression. Among many others are the Kentucky State Normal School building at Bowling Green, the Jefferson County Armory at Louisville, which is the second largest of its kind in this country, the Broadway Public School and Bradford Mills of Louisville. He is in demand as a writer on art and architecture.

Captain Davis is a fellow of the American Institute of Architects, member of the American Federation of Arts and of the Society of Arts, London, England, and other organizations of like character. He is a member of Plain City Lodge, No. 449, A. F. & A. M.. Paducah Chapter, No. 30, R. A. M., De Molay Commandery, K. T., No. 12. Kentucky Consistory and Kosair Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, having presided in all of the above named orders, and has for some time served as president of the board of trustees of the Masonic Temple of Louisville. He is a prominent member of the Commercial Club of Louisville, of which he was elected president in 1909 and again in 1910, it being unusual to bestow the honor of a re-election to the office.

In 1899 Captain Davis married Miss Clara Benbrook, of Natchez, Mississippi. The Captain and his wife are members of the First Presbyterian church of Louisville. He has forged his way to the front in life, and that by his own force of character. Thoroughly reliable in all things, the quality of his work is a convincing test of his own personal worth and he has become an important factor in business circles.

Source: "A History of Kentucky and Kentuckians: The Leaders and Representative Men in Commerce, Industry and Modern Activities", By E. Polk Johnson, Published by Lewis Pub. Co., 1912 - submitted by Janice Rice