Travis was educated at Manchester Grammar School and St John's College, Cambridge. He was ordained deacon on 3 March 1765; and priest on 22 December 1765. He held livings at Eastham,"Cases at Large Concerning Tithes: Containing All the Resolutions of the Respective Courts of Equity, Particularly Those of the Exchequer, Taken from the Printed Reports, and Manuscript Collections, Mostly by Sir Samuel Dodd, Late Lord Chief Baron, Never Before Published; Together with All the Appeals in the House of Lords, to and in Trinity Term, 22 Geo. III." p762: London, W. Strahan & W.Woodfall, 1783 BromboroughParish notes and Handley."Remains, Historical and Literary, Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester" pp67/8: Manchester, The Chetham Society, 1866
