George Alva "Buster" Davis was the son of Winfield Scott Davis and Mary Elizabeth Keithley, both natives of Illinois.  Alva was born December 28, 1873 or '74, probably in Blandinsville Township, McDonough County.  His younger sister, Sarah Matilda, married Noble Chipman, the son of Alice Roberts Chipman, Mattie's elder sister.

Mattie and Alva married about 1896.  In 1900 they were living near his parents in the village of Blandinsville, with their young son, Clyde.

Mattie died February 13, 1901.

Mattie and Alva's son was:

i.	Clyde Thomas Davis, born March 16, 1898, in McDonough County, perhaps in the village of Blandinsville.  He died July 2, 1978, in Napa, Napa County, California.

 
In 1902 Alva married Minnie Gordon at the annual picnic held by the Colchester Miners' Friendly Society; these picnics usually occurred each year on the second Tuesday in July.  Excerpted from the Colchester Area Historical Society Newsletter, v. 3.1 1997 Winter page 3, originally reported in the Colchester Independent, August 14, 1902:

"A wedding was the highlight of this picnic.  Hardware and implement dealers Walty & Carson made an offer of a $50 stove and fixtures to a couple who would be married upon a platform in front of their store.  Blandinsville barber George A. Davis and Miss Minnie Gordon of Blandinsville were married at 4:30 o'clock by Rev. J.B. Rose with 5,000 viewing the wedding."

Minnie was born in Illinois according to the 1910 census, in which she was named as Minnie C.  At the time of that census, the couple had three children, Geraldine, Virginia and Gordon, all born in Illinois.

Sometime prior to 1910, Alva had taken his young family away from McDonough County.  From 1910 through 1930 he was residing in various locations in Fulton County, Illinois.  As noted in the above newsletter, he was a barber by trade.

September 12, 1918, is the date on Alva's Selective Service registration card, on which his birthday was entered as December 28, 1873.  He named Minnie Davis as his nearest relative and their mailing address was Fiatt, Fulton County.  He was self-employed.  His physical description was medium height, stout build, blue eyes, brown hair, no physical disqualifications.

A month later, "Cora Minnie Davis" died in Joshua Township, Fulton County, leaving behind her three older children and an infant, Winfield Scott Davis.  The State of Illinois death certificate index shows she died on October 12.  The dates on her tombstone are reported as April 21, 1882 - October 18, 1918.

Both Clyde (Mattie's son) and Scott (Minnie's son) were taken as infants into the home of Pearl Permelia Davis (Alva's sister) and her husband, William Miller, who lived in McDonough County.

Alva and Minnie's children:

George Alva Davis died in 1952.  He and Mattie are buried at Glade City Cemetery in Blandinsville, McDonough County.  The year of birth reportedly inscribed on Alva's tombstone is 1874.  Minnie was buried at Fiatt Cemetery, Joshua Township, Fulton County.

See also: Thomas Jefferson Davis (Alva's brother)

Roberts, Adison, white, male, 45, married, farming, born KY, father born TN, mother
born KY
Nancy J, white, female, 42, wife, married, keeping house, born IL, both parents born KY
Miller D, white, male, 18, son, single, farming, attended school within the year, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL
Willis, white, male, 15, son, single, farming, attended school within the year, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL
Oscar, white, male, 12, son, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL
Mattie, white, female, 7, daughter, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL
Mourning, Mary, white, female, 64, aunt, single, born KY, both parents born Ireland

Davis, Winfield S, white, male, 30, married, farmer, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN
Mary E, white, female, 27, wife, married, keeping house, born IL, father born IL, mother born IN
Ira O, white, male, 9, son, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, both parents born IL
George A, white, male, 5, son, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, both parents born IL
Permelia, white, female, 3, daughter, single, at home, born IL, both parents born IL
Sarah M, white, female, 2, daughter, single, at home, born IL, both parents born IL
Stella B, white, female, 1, daughter, single, at home, born IL, both parents born IL

Davis, Alva, head, white, male, Dec 1872, 27, married for 4 years, born IL, both parents born IL, barber, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, paying on a mortgage on his home

Mattie, wife, white, female, Aug 1872, 26 [sic], married for 4 years; mother of 1 child, living; born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, could read, write and speak English

Clyde, son, white, male, March 1898, 2, single, born IL, both parents born IL

Davis, Alva G, head, male, white, 35, married (2nd) for 6 years, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English, barber, barber shop, employer, could read and write, [no entry for home ownership or rental]

Minnie C, wife, female, white, 28, married (1st) for 6 years; mother of 3 children, all living; born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write

Geraline, daughter, female, white, 6, single, born IL, both parents born IL, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Virginia E, daughter, female, white, 4, single, born IL, both parents born IL

Gordon A, son, male, white, 2, single, male, white, 4, single, born IL, both parents born IL

Davis, Alva, head, home owner, paying on a mortgage, male, white, 49, widower, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, barber, general practice, working for wages

Geraldine, daughter, female, white, 17, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Virginia, daughter, female, white, 15, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Gordon, son, male, white, 12, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Davis, Alva, head, renter, monthly rental 8, owned a radio, male, white, 57, married ??, age at first marriage - 21, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, owner, barber ship, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no

Virginia, daughter, female, white, 24, married ??, age at first marriage - 21 ??, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English