Alabama History: The Origins of Nick Davis Road

Nicholas Davis was born April 23, 1781, in Hanover Count Virginia. He was married there to Martha Hargrave of a wealthy Quaker family and afterwards moved to Kentucky in 1808. Nick served as U.S. Marshall and was as a Captain in the WAR OF 1812 when became a political and personal ally of Henry Clay.

He settled in what is now Athens, Alabama on several hundred acres and built his large log home lovingly names “Walnut Grove” in 1817 which is located on Nick Davis Road across from the now Limestone Correctional Facility. Here Nick entertained large numbers of guests for days at a time, raced his blooded horses and lived the life of a much-admired country gentleman.

He was a framer of Alabama's first constitution, was twice a candidate for Governor on the Whig ticket, and served as President of the Alabama Senate for 5 terms.

He died on September 29, 1856, and is buried here at his beloved estate. The monument still stands today on the Walnut Grove property.

Adapted from https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=29284.