DANIEL W. DAVIS, a resident of the town of Brook Haven, and a man of standing and influence among its older settlers, was born at Coram, October 19, 1824, and is in the sixth generation of the Davis family on the island. His paternal ancestors, counting back from the father of our subject, Daniel W., who was also born on the same farm as his son, were: William, David and two Benjamin's, the older one being the first to locate on the island, and coming from Wales. All these men were farmers and all were men of character and good standing.
The father of our subject married Dolly Hopkins, and had eight children. The oldest of these, Elizabeth, is now a resident of Coram, in her ninetieth year, and is the widow of Lewis R. Overton. Lester H. died in 1886, and Sophia in 1835. Mary J. is the wife M Thomas J. Ricks, of Port Jefferson. Dolly is living at Yaphank and is the widow of Van Rensselaer Swezey. Harriet M. is the wife of Thomas Baylis, of Port Jefferson. A child, younger than the subject of this sketch, died in infancy.
In 1850 Mr. Davis married Miss Ann E. Davis, who became the mother of three children, Hannie, the oldest, dying in 1861 Eva S., the second child, is the wife of John W. Brown, a resident of Port Jefferson; Timothy J. is a farmer. Our subject lost his first wife in 1859, and the next year married his present wife, Laura S. Davis. They have three children, William A., Lena, and Lester H. In 1846 Mr. Davis came to his present place which he has since made his home. All the improvements that mark the farm have been gained by his own labor. He has here about two hundred and sixty-five acres, on which he carries out a system of diversified and general farming, with most satisfactory results.
Mr. Davis acts with the Democratic party on all political questions, and has been elected to several local offices of trust and honor. He has been Collector of the town for three years, Assessor for fifteen years, and while be was Collector he also served as Constable. Since 1865 he has been one of the active and earnest members of the Suffolk County Fair Association. While still a young man, only a little over twenty--one, he was elected a Captain in the Suffolk County Horse Guards, and was very efficient in this service for many years. He is associated with the Mt. Sinai Congregational Church, in which he is a Deacon and a devoted laborer.