The Davis Families of Wapello County, Iowa

GEORGE W. DAVIS, Sr.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

E. D. DAVIS.

A student of history cannot carry his investigations far into the annals of Wapello county, and especially of Competine township, without learning that the Davis family has figured most prominently and honorably in connection with the agricultural development of this part of the state. Since pioneer days the family has been represented here, and for almost six decades E. D. Davis has been not only a witness of the growth and development of Wapello county, but also an active participant in much that has been wrought for its present prosperity. He was born in this county December 25, 1855, and is a soil of William and Priscilla (Mowery) Davis, who are mentioned in connection with the record of George W. Davis on another page of this work. Like others of the household, E. D. Davis remained at home, performing such tasks as were assigned him by parental authority and dividing his time with the work of the schoolroom. When his text-books were put aside he concentrated his energies upon farm work and upon school teaching. He had supplemented his early educational training by a college course and for some time he successfully engaged in teaching, imparting readily and clearly to others the knowledge that he had acquired. When twenty-eight years of age he was united in marriage to Miss Maggie Eller, who was born in this county and is a daughter of Harvey E. and Mary C. (Vannoy) Eller, both of whom were natives of North Carolina. At an early day they came to Iowa and their remaining days were passed in Wapello county. In their family were fifteen children, of whom eleven are still living.

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Davis began their domestic life upon the farm where they now reside, and he has become owner of three hundred and fifty acres in Competine township, constituting an excellent and well developed tract. He has brought his fields to a high state of cultivation, and has added many modern improvements to the farm, so that the place is one of the attractive features in the landscape. He has also a half interest in eighty acres in Dahloncga township, and in his business he makes a specialty of stock-raising, handling good grades of horses, cattle and hogs. Everything about his place bespeaks the thrift and enterprise of the owner, whose work is carefully managed and whose energy has been the secret of his growing success.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Davis have been born nine children: Wilbur C, now living in this county; Edward C, a teacher of agriculture at St. Paul, Minnesota; Harry, deceased; Clarence J., now a student in the State Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa; Mary C; O. E.; Herbert P.; Roy M., and Raymond L., the younger children all attending school and living at home. The parents are members of the Baptist church, in the work of which they take an active interest, Mr. Davis serving now as school treasurer. His political support is given the democratic party and, while he has never sought nor desired political office, he has served as school treasurer for ten years, being the present incumbent in that position. He represents one of the well known old families of the county and, having lived here for fifty-eight years, he is familiar with much of the history of the development and progress in this part of the state. He can remember a time when much of the land was still uncultivated, when country homes were small and when now thriving cities were tiny towns. In the years which have since come and gone he has "displayed a keen interest in the changes which have been wrought and has ever borne his part in the work of general improvement.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

OMER C. DAVIS.

An excellent farm property on section 3, Competine township, is owned by Omer C. Davis, who ranks with the representative agriculturists of the county. His work has been capable done in every connection, and his sound business judgment is manifest in his growing success. He is one of the county's native sons, born April 8, 1861. His parents were William and Priscilla (Mowery) Davis, of whom more extended mention is made on another page of this work in connection with the sketch of his brother George W. Davis. The usual experiences of the farm lad came to Omer C. Davis in his boyhood and youth. He attended the district schools and through the periods of vacation worked in the fields, taking his place behind the plow almost as soon as old enough to reach the plow handles. He has lived to see remarkable changes in the methods of farming and in the machinery used in the work of the fields, and at all times he has kept abreast with the trend of modern improvement. He remained under the parental roof until he attained his majority and then purchased the farm upon which he now resides, comprising two hundred and sixty acres of land that is rich and arable. He has wrought a marked transformation in the appearance of the place by adding many improvements and modern equipments, and in addition to cultivating the cereals best adapted to soil and climate he raises good grades of stock and in the sale of his stock adds materially to his annual income.

In 1886 Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Samantha Argenbright, who was born in this county and is a daughter of David and Winnie Argenbright, both of whom remained residents of Wapello county until called to their final rest. To Mr. and Mrs. Davis were born four children: Frank E.; Doris Ida, now the wife of Rex V. Hawthorn; and William D. and Ira E., both at home. The wife and mother passed away January 1, 1897, and in 1898 Mr. Davis was again married, his second union being with Miss Mary E. Webb, a native of this county and a daughter of Isham and Jane Webb. Her father was born in Iowa, but her mother was born in Ohio and was brought to this state during her early girlhood. Mr. and Mrs. Webb were the parents of five children, four of whom yet survive. By Mr. Davis' second marriage there were born four children: Virgil, who was born in 1900 and died in 1902; Mamie A.; Ruth G.; and Lester O.

Mr. Davis gives his political support to the democratic party, but the honors and emoluments of office have never had attraction for him. For twenty-seven years he has served on the school board and is much interested in the development and improvement of the schools, realizing how important a factor they are as a preparation for citizenship and all the duties of later life. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist church and to its teachings are loyal.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM DAVIS, one of the pioneer settlers of Wapello county, Iowa, owns a farm of 333 acres in section 14, Competine township. He was born May 3, 1826, in Washington county, Virginia, and is a son of Mo-ses and Mary (Smith) Davis.

Moses Davis was a native of Wirginia. ITe married Mary Smith, who was also a native (if Virginia, and who died in 1863. They reared six children, namely: James, who died in Keokuk county, Iowa, in 1893; David, who died at Martinsburg, Keokuk county, in 1899; Volney, whose death occurred in Indiana; William; rliriam, who married Hiram Smith, and died in Keokuk county, in 1886; and Isabel, who died in Indiana, in 1846.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM Z. DAVIS, a highly respected farmer of Richland township, Wapello county, Iowa, lives in section 18, where he owns 165 acres of land. He was born in South Wales in 1836, and is a son of John Davis.

John Davis was born in South Wales, and followed farming until his death, at the age of eighty-seven years. He was the father of five children: Ehzabeth (Davis), deceased; WiUiam Z.; Ann; John; and Henry, deceased.

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Mr. Davis was united in marriage with Margaret Phillips, who was born in South Vales, and is deceased. They were married in Wales, and their union was blessed by the birth of nine children, as follows: John; Letitia; Daniel; Henry; AMllie; David; Albert; Frank: and Margaret, deceased. Mr. Davis is a Republican in politics. Fraternally, he is a member of the Lrdependent Order of Odd Fellows.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

R. MORRIS L. DAVIS, who has been actively engaged in the practice of medicine in Agency City and Ottumwa, Wapello county, Iowa, for the past fifteen years, is very successful, and enjoys the patronage of the leading citizens of the community.

Dr. Davis was born in London, England, July 14, 1845, and is a son of John and Ann Davites, and a nephew of Sir William Pugh and the lawful heir of his estate. He first visited the United States in 1859. His early education was pursued in the Brancli, Charter House, Welsh and St. Bartholomew schools at London, England, the course in the latter institution embracing the classics, general science, pharmacy and medicine. He graduated from Wyoming College, at Kingston, Pennsylvania, in 1874, from the Starling Medical College, of Columbus, Ohio, in 1879, and the medical department of New York University in 1884. He was a student of Dr..G. S. Bailey at Chicago, who was at one time pastor of the Baptist church at Ottumwa, Iowa. Dr. Davis was a private student of Prof. Alfred L. Loomis, in physical diagnosis, histology and pathology; Prof. AVilliam H. Thompson, in physical diagnosis; Prof. William Draper, in chemistry; Professor AVright, of New York University, in surgery; and Professor Janeway, of Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York City, in physical diagnosis. He matriculated in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York City, in 1863. He served in the Civil War from 1861 to 1865, in the ist Reg., Delaware Vol. Inf., 3d Brigade, Second Division, '2d Army Corps. After the Army of the Potomac had returned to Arlington Heights, Virginia, he was taken with typhoid fever, and remained at Washington, D. C., three months after the regiment was mustered out. He then returned home and began to work so as to be able to support a widowed mother, two sisters and two brothers and prepare himself for his different studies and college courses. He has practiced medicine in New York City, Youngstown, Ohio, and Ottumwa and Agency City, Iowa. He has practiced in the two last named towns since i and has a very lucrative patronage. He has a thorough understanding of medical science, and his years of practice and careful preparation for the profession have given him the qualifications which make a good physician and surgeon and a safe counselor. His social and intellectual attainments are of the highest; he is genial, kind and loving.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.