Written by Lynn Marie Allen
John Davis comes from Kentucky as an orphan. Little is known or written about John’s life as an orphan. Upon his arrival in Hiawatha, Kansas, John will get a job at the Hart family homestead. John will work hard for over 50 years to amass what some might consider a fortune. John gets a job working as a farmhand on the Hart family homestead. John Davis attends church each Sunday and, in time, falls hopelessly in love with Sarah Hart, and Sarah returns these affections. The initial reaction of the Hart family is one of disapproval, and for how long, we can’t estimate, but Sarah was disinherited. We can also assume they were forgiven, at least in some measure, because the wedding takes place at the Hart homestead.
Sarah and John begin their life together and buy a farm, where the Davis family will work diligently and make a fortune for themselves. Sarah and John, in their over 50-year marriage, were extremely frugal. While the Hart family liked John while he worked as their farmhand, they did not express the same fondness when John shared that he had fallen in love with their daughter. However, John & Sarah worked hard and spent their lives saving, and in the end, they amassed what could be considered a fortune. The Davis’ amassed quite a fortune. Sarah was plagued by rheumatoid arthritis, and John was her caregiver.
Hiawatha’s townspeople thought they knew how best to spend the money the Davis family saved and earned! The community expressed a desire for a hospital or a new swimming pool. John had artistic etching that sprang brilliantly to life in his head! John had the idea to see Sarah depicted in pink and white Italian marble throughout certain portions of their life together! John gave the people exactly what they asked for in the purest of ironies! He gave the people of the community “something” for Hiawatha. Each year people travel, vlog, and enjoy this monument! Now you don’t have to take my word for any of this; read, explore, and enjoy some of the brilliance others have written about the Memorial. One more piece of advice if you have not seen the Memorial, I hope you will get out and see this truly remarkable Memorial that has been resting in Hiawatha for nearly 100 years! As always, there is so much more to every story! Find it! Be sure to stop by and share with me what you discover! #historymysteries #travel
Forest of Words 