Davies, Samuel photo 2.jpg
Birthplace of Samuel Davies near Bear, Delaware. Photo credit: R. Andrew Myers

Birthplace of Samuel Davies near Bear, Delaware (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

The historic Polegreen Church as it looks today.

The historic Polegreen Church as it looks today.

Davies, Samuel Polegreen Church Historical Marker.jpg
Davies, Samuel Polegreen Church Site Marker.jpg

Paper communion token used at Polegreen Church, Hanover, Virginia. Source: Presbyterian Historical Society

Providence Presbyterian Church in Gum Spring, Virginia was organized by Samuel Davies in 1747. Photo credit: R. Andrew Myers.

Providence Presbyterian Church in Gum Spring, Virginia was organized by Samuel Davies in 1747 (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

The Byrd Presbyterian Church in Goochland, Virginia was organized by Samuel Davies in 1748. Photo credit: R. Andrew Myers.

The Byrd Presbyterian Church in Goochland, Virginia was organized by Samuel Davies in 1748 (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

Historical marker for the Old Briery Presbyterian Church in Briery, Virginia.

The Samuel Davies statue by Alexander Stirling Calder, located at the Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Samuel Davies statue by Alexander Stirling Calder, located at the Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Samuel Davies is buried at Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, New Jersey. Photo credit: R. Andrew Myers

Samuel Davies is buried at Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, New Jersey (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

Letters of Patrick Henry, Sr., Samuel Davies, James Maury, Edwin Conway and George Trask (1747/1750, 1921)

A Sermon on Man's Primitive State; and the First Covenant: Delivered before the Reverend Presbytery of New-Castle, April 13th 1748 (1748)

Two Poems: 1) The Following Verses Were Composed by a Pious Clergyman in Virginia; and 2) A Clergyman’s Reflections on Hearing of the Death of One of His Pious Parishioners (1750)

October 2, 1750 Letter to Philip Doddridge (1750, 1858)

March 2, 1751 Letter (1751, 1805)

The State of Religion Among the Protestant Dissenters in Virginia (1751)

An Account of a Remarkable Work of Grace, or, The Great Success of the Gospel in Virginia (1751, 1752)

A Description of a Storm (1751)

July 4, 1751 Letter to Joseph Bellamy (1751, 1854)

Letter dated September 12, 1751 (1751, 1819)

Miscellaneous Poems (1751)

January 10, 1752 Letter to the Bishop of London (1752, 1850)

June 10, 1752 Letter to the Virginia Gazette (1752)

On the Birth of an Infant (1752, 1816)

Elegiac Verses on the Lamented Death of Rev. Mr. Samuel Blair (1752)

A Sermon, Preached Before the Reverend Presbytery of New-Castle, October 11, 1752 (1753)

January 10, 1753 Letter to the Rev. Patrick Henry (1753)

Travel Diary (1753-1754)

September 29, 1753 Letter to Joseph Bellamy (1753, 1853)

A Sermon Preached at Henrico, 29th April, 1753, and at Canonsgate, 26th May, 1753 (1754)

The Duties, Difficulties and Reward of the Faithful Minister (1754)

A General Account of the Rise and State of the College, Lately Established in the Province of New-Jersey, in America; and of the End and Design of the Institution (1754)

Record of Contributions to the College of New Jersey (1754, 1841)

Verses on Gen. Braddock’s Defeat (1755)

Letter to a Friend in London (1755, 1819)

Religion and Patriotism: The Constituents of a Good Soldier (1756)

Virginia's Danger and Remedy: Two Discourses (1756)

March 2, 1756 Letter to John Wesley (1756, 1827)

July 14, 1756 Letter to John Gillies (1756, 1845)

August 10, 1756 Address of Hanover Presbytery to Governor John Campbell (1756)

The Virginia-Centinel No. X (1756)

January 28, 1757 Letter to John Wesley (1757, 1827)

The Crisis: or, The Uncertain Doom of Kingdoms at Particular Times, Considered With Reference to Great-Britain and Her Colonies in their Present Circumstances: A Sermon (1757)

Frontier Warfare [from The Gentleman’s Magazine] (1757)

Frontier Warfare [from The Scot’s Magazine] (1757)

Letters from the Rev. Samuel Davies, &c. Shewing the State of Religion, Particularly Among the Negroes (1757)

Letters From the Rev. Samuel Davies, and Others; Shewing, the State of Religion in Virginia, South Carolina, &c. Particularly Among the Negroes (1757, 1761)

Remarks on the Philosophical Works of Lord Bolingbroke (1757, 1837)

Little Children Invited to Jesus Christ: A Sermon Preached in Hanover County, Virginia, May 8, 1757 (1758)

Poetical Essays for July 1758 (1758)

The Vessels of Mercy, and the Vessels of Wrath, Delineated, in a New, Uncontroverted, and Practical Light (1758)

The Duty of Christians to Propagate Their Religion Among Heathens: A Sermon (1758)

The Curse of Cowardice: A Sermon Preached to the Militia of Hanover County, Virginia...May 8, 1758 (1758)

August 11, 1758 Letter to Mr. McCullock (1758, 1916)

September 14, 1758 Letter to Caleb Smith (1758)

October 18, 1758 Letter (1758, 1833)

Three Letters From Samuel Davies to Mr. P.V.B. Livingston (1759-1760, 1845)

Commencement Ode (1759, 1898)

A Catalogue of Books in the Library of the College of New Jersey (1760, 1949)

May 24, 1760 Letter From Eighteen Presbyterian Ministers to the Archbishop of Canterbury (1760, 1880)

An Ode on Peace (1760)

Extracts From a Funeral Sermon for David Cowell (1760, 1859)

A Sermon Delivered at Nassau-Hall, January 14, 1761, on the Death of His Late Majesty King George II (1761)

Religion and Public Spirit: A Valedictory Address to the Senior Class, Delivered in Nassau-Hall, September 21, 1760 (1762)

The Military Glory of Great-Britain (1762)

Sermons on the Most Useful and Important Subjects, Adapted to the Family and Closet, Vol. 1 (1766)

Sermons on the Most Useful and Important Subjects, Adapted to the Family and Closet, Vol. 2 (1766)

Sermons on the Most Useful and Important Subjects, Adapted to the Family and Closet, Vol. 3 (1766)

Sermons on the Most Useful and Important Subjects, Adapted to the Family and Closet, Vol. 1 (1766, 1767)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 1 (1766, 1792)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 2 (1766, 1792)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 3 (1766, 1792)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 1 (1766, 1804)

Sermon on Important Subjects, Vol. 2 (1766, 1804)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 3 (1766, 1804)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 1 (1766, 1841)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 2 (1766, 1841)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 3 (1766, 1841)

Hymns Adapted to Divine Worship (1769)

A Touchstone for the Clergy; To Which is Added, a Poem, Wrote by a Clergyman in Virginia, in a Storm of Wind and Rain (1771)

Memoirs of President Davies (1806)

Sermons on Important Subjects (Additional Volume) (1810)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 1 (1816)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 2 (1816)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 3 (1816)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 4 (1816)

Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 5 (1816)

Old Documents (1821)

Memoir of the Rev. Samuel Davies (1832)

Memoir of President Davies (1837)

Davies’ Sermons (1846)

Substance of Sermons (1851)

Samuel Davies (1851)

Biographical Sketch of President Davies (1853)

Samuel Davies (1857)

Samuel Davies (1858)

Sermons, Vol. 1 (1864)

Sermons, Vol. 2 (1864)

Sermons, Vol. 3 (1864)

Rev. Samuel Davies, D.D. (1884)

Pole Green and Samuel Davies Church (1884)

Genealogy of Jefferson Davis and of Samuel Davies (1910)

Samuel Davies Before the King’s Council for the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia, April 14, 1747 (1946)

Letter (undated)

Christ Precious to All True Believers (n.d.)

The Hope of the Righteous (n.d.)


This is Davies’ journal which records his experiences on a fundraising trip to Great Britain with Gilbert Tennent on behalf of the College of New Jersey, although not entirely complete.

Extracted from John Wesley’s Journal.

Extracted from John Wesley’s Journal.

Source: Union Presbyterian Seminary Library Digital Collections

Source: Union Presbyterian Seminary Library Digital Collections

The case is made that this anonymous letter to the Virginia Gazette, which was part of a series of such letters by “the Virginia-Centinel,” was authored by Samuel Davies, is made by J.A. Leo Lemay in Essays in Early Virginia Literature Honoring Richard Beale Davis (1977). This particular letter in the series is noted for its criticism of the conduct of military officers under George Washington’s command.

Extracted from John Wesley’s Journal.

Extracted from John Wesley’s Journal.

Davies, Samuel, Remarks on the Philosophical Works of Lord Bolingbroke Title Page.jpg

A Recovered Tract of President Davies.

It is believed that 16-18 of the hymns in this hymnal were composed by Samuel Davies.

This 3-part article appeared in the September, November and December 1806 issues of The Panoplist.

Included here are letters from Samuel Davies to Richard Crutenden and John Gillies.

At the time of its publication, this biography of Samuel Davies by the Massachusetts Sabbath School Union was the first and only such study of his life. It is included here, though not written by Davies, for its historical value.

At the time of its publication, this biography of Samuel Davies by the Massachusetts Sabbath School Union was the first and only such study of his life. It is included here, though not written by Davies, for its historical value. It was authored by John Holt Rice and it appeared first in The Virginia Evangelical and Literary Magazine (1819).