Miles C. Davis

As printed in 1904

MILES 0. DAVIS.

Miles C. Davis, who has contributed to the pioneer industrial development and is now a factor in financial circles in Sioux City, was born in Pittsford, Vermont, January 19, 1835, his parents being Hiram and Anna (Hubbell) Davis. The family was founded in Vermont at an early epoch in the history of the new world and the Hubbell family was represented in Connecticut at an early day. The father died at the age of forty-two years, leaving three sons, Albert F., Miles C. and Edgar, the second named then but seven years of age. The mother soon afterward married and removed to Rutland, Vermont.

Miles C. Davis started out in life on his own account when but seventeen years of age. His educational privileges were limited, but he possessed strong determination, enterprise and energy. He was first employed on a farm near Rutland, Vermont, for two years, teaching a district school in the winter of 1853, and then learned the miller's trade with John Stevens of Pittsford, with whom he worked for three years. In 1857 he removed to Troy, New York, where he was employed at the milling business for three months, at the end of which time the plant was closed and he was thus forced to seek another position. Accordingly he went to New York, thence to Norfolk, Virginia, afterward to Richmond, Virginia, on to Indiana, and subsequently returned to the Green Mountain state, but all this time found no employment in the line of his trade so he directed his energies into other fields of activity. He worked at the carpenter's trade with his brother, Albert F. Davis, for one season and together they transformed a tract of timber land into lumber and wood. In the meantime they established a brick yard and turned their attention to brick making, and in the winter seasons cut their wood and timber. The business relation between them continued until 1861, when they dissolved partnership. The following year Mr. Davis engaged in bridge building in Vermont and vicinity. In March, 1862, he began working for the government in Virginia. On the 5th of December, 1863, he left that state and arrived at Nashville, Tennessee, December 10, at nine o'clock at night. In two hours time he was on the road with men to build bridges over Rutherford and Carter creeks, on the Decatur & Alabama Railroad. On the 3rd of February, 1864, he was taken ill with typhoid pneumonia in Nashville. While there the construction corps with which he was connected was ordered to Chattanooga, where he joined them April 15th. On the 27th of May the railroad bridge over Lookout creek was broken down and he was ordered to rebuild it the quickest way possible, as it was the only feeder for Sherman's army on the way to the sea. Mr. Davis burned out the wreck and commenced work at once and in one hundred and thirty-one hours the new structure was completed, he working one hundred and eleven hours of that time. In August, 1864, Mr. Davis was ordered to the Memphis & Charleston and the Decatur & Alabama Railroads to build bridges, and while at Elk Creek he sustained a fall of forty-four feet, after which he was cared for in the home of a physician at Westmoreland, returning thence to Chattanooga in September. In October, being in poor health, he took a trip north through Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, returning in November. In April, 1865, he was ordered to London, Tennessee, to take charge of a sawmill cutting lumber for bridges and other work, and continued to operate it until the war ended and afterward had charge of the property until it was sold. He remained at Chattanooga for two years after the close of the war, engaging in grain traffic on the river. There during the big flood of 1866 the Louisville warehouse was destroyed as were the business prospects of Mr. Davis.

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

PAST AND PKKSKXT OK \V()():il']!V rol'NTY ing in the month of August. He not only made a prospecting tour in this part of the state, but also visited Mankato, Minnesota, St. Cloud, the Red River country and other portions of Minnesota and in that state he located two thousand acres of land at one dollar and a quarter per acre. In December, 1870, he look up his above in Sioux City, where he engaged in the grain business as one of the pioneer millers. In this line he first represented the firm of II. I Bogue & Company and the following spring became a member of a company that built the first elevator, this being erected in 1870, while the following year a mill was built. At this time the firm of II. I). Bogue & Company was composed of II. D. Bogue, M. C. Davis and Messrs. Sanbom and Follett. In iST.". Messrs. Davis. Sanbom and Follett purchased Mr. Bogue's interest and he continued in business until 1807 with his other partners, when he became sole proprietor. In 1900, however, he leased his mill and has since given his attention to other business affairs, largely dealing in real estate. During the early days of his connection with the grain trade and the milling business scores of ox-teams stood in waiting for a considerable distance near the mill. He has handled grain from Iowa, South "Dakota, Nebraska and other remote points, many of the ox-teams coming from Yankton and Sioux Falls, and other long distances, hauling the grain which was to be converted into flour and then return to the homes upon the frontier. Mr. Davis is now also a factor in financial circles in Sioux City, was one of the organizers and has been the vice president of the Security National Bank and has also been the vice president of the National Bank.

On the 6th of December, 1869, occurred the marriage of Mr. Davis and Miss Hattie A. Penfield, a daughter of Charles and Irene( Dike) Penfield. Her death occurred April 8. 1897, when she was fifty-one years of age. The only child of this marriage is Charles P. Davis, of Sioux City. Mr. Davis of this review is a member of the Congregational church at been deeply interested in all lines of progress future had in store for this great and growing section of the country, wisely allied his interests with the business affairs in Sioux City and while promoting the welfare and progress here he has at the same time profited by the development of this section of the country and has found in its business advantages the opportunities which he sought and which have enabled him to become one of the substantial men of Woodbury county. Throughout all his extensive and important business dealings he has maintained an unassailable reputation and well deserves mention among the representative and honored citizens of northwestern Iowa.

As printed in Past and present of Sioux City and Woodbury County, Iowa (1904). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.