The first listing for a Davidson in the Federal Census for Chesterfield County occurs in 1800. A Margaret Davidson appears in Chesterfield as a single head of household with five children. The Davidson name does not appear again in the Federal Census for Chesterfield until 1840. The first Census was taken in 1790, and up until 1850, it listed the names of heads of households but did not list the names of other household members, only their genders and age ranges. Most of the state and local records for Chesterfield County were burned by Sherman's troops during the Civil War. Wills and other public records of individuals were forever lost leaving a frustrating gap in the genealogical records of local families. Very little data other than the federal census remains.

The Census of 1840 lists only two Davidsons for Chesterfield County: Lemuel and J. L. Davidson.

Federal Census of 1840

Lemuel DavidsonChesterfield CountyPage 298

Males
1 under 5 years of age
1 between the ages of 5 and 10 (this may have been George W.)
1 between the ages of 10 and 15
1 between the ages of 15 and 20
1 between the ages of 50 and 60 (this would have been Lemuel)

Females
1 between the ages of 5 and 10
2 between the ages of 10 and 15
1 between the ages of 15 and 20
3 between the ages of 20 and 30
1 between the ages of 40 and 50
J. L. DavidsonChesterfield CountyPage 344

Males

2 under the age of 5
1 between the ages of 20 and 30 (This would have been J. L.)

Females

1 under the age of 5
1 between the ages of 15 and 20

Lemuel Davidson may have been George W. Davidson's father. If he was between the ages of 50 and 60 in 1840, his birth would have occured in approximately 1785. Lemuel does not appear in the South or North Carolina Census of 1830. There were several Davidsons living in North Carolina, most of them in the Mecklenburg and Iredell County areas. According to Margaret Aline Davidson, the Chesterfield families of Davidson, Sherrill and Moore may have come from the Lake Norman area of North Carolina, north of Charlotte where the present towns of Sherrill's Ford, Mooresville and Davidson are today. Iredell County includes the town of Mooresville and lies just above the towns of Sherrill's Ford and Davidson. The names of the Davidson men listed for Iredell County are similar to the names of male members of the Chesterfield Davidson family. These similarities do not occur among Davidsons listed for other areas of North Carolina.

North Carolina Census of 1830 Iredell County

George L. Davidson, William L. Davidson, Franklin Davidson, Joseph Davidson and Milas Davidson.

North Carolina Census of 1820 Iredell County

Ephraim Davidson, George L. Davidson and Joseph Davidson.

North Carolina Census of 1810Iredell County

Ephraim Davidson, George Davidson, George L. Davidson, Joseph Davidson, Mary Davidson, Thomas Davidson and William R. Davidson.

The North Carolina Census of 1790 lists the following heads of households for Iredell County:

Joseph Davidson
1 free white male over 16
1 free white female
2 slaves

Alexander Davidson
1 free white male over 16
3 free white females under 16
5 free white females

George Davidson
5 free white males over 16
3 free white females under 16
1 free white female (servant)
11 slaves

• Married: ABT 1827 in Chesterfield, SC
• Married: ABT 1827 in SC ¹

1. George W Davidson b: 20 DEC 1831 in Chesterfield County
2. James Thomas Davidson b: 22 JUN 1833 in Chesterfield County, SC
3. Martha Davidson b: ABT 1838
4. Lucy Davidson b: ABT 1841
5. Elizabeth Davidson b: ABT 1842
6. Sally Davidson b: ABT 1844
7. Effie Davidson b: ABT 1846

• Married: ABT 1846 in SC ¹

1. J. O. 'Hardy' Davidson b: ABT 1847
2. John Davidson b: ABT 1849
3. Mary Davidson b: ABT 1853
4. William Davidson b: ABT 1855
5. Unknown Davidson b: ABT 1859

• Married: 7 JUL 1873 in CrenshawCo.,AL,at Aaron Williams,Butler Co ¹

1. M.L. Davidson b: ABT 1874 in Crenshaw County, AL

1. Title: Knight Family File.FTW
   Repository:
   Media: Other
   Text: Date of Import: Jan 3, 2001