Samuel Deer Davis Cabin
Samaria, Oneida County

Location: 4576 South 4400 West, Samaria, ID

Samuel Deer Davis was born to parents who immigrated to the United States from Wales after joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  His parents became involved in the controversial church practice of plural marriage.  Several Welsh Mormons who practiced plural marriage settled Samaria in 1868.  Even though no more than 3% of Idaho’s Mormons actually engaged in plural marriage, the Edmunds Act of 1882 disenfranchised Mormons and prevented them from voting, holding public office or servicing as jurors in cases involving plural marriage.  Samuel Deer Davis and 26 other men in Samaria had their names removed from the records of the Mormon Church in 1888, so they could vote in the election.  The following year, Davis and the others were indicted in the Third District Court of Idaho Territory “for conspiracy to unlawfully procure themselves to be admitted to registration as electors of said County of Oneida for the general election”.  The court found Davis guilty and a fine of $500 was set.  When Davis could not pay the fine, the sheriff levied his property to sell it at a public auction.  The title on his 4-room log cabin built in the late 1880’s was defective and so it was not included in the sale, allowing Mrs. Davis and her two children to remain in the cabin.