DAVIS, Dr. Samuel King 1863 - 1939
DAVIS, BERRAY, RATCLIFF, RODGERS, LINN, HEWITT, SWANSON
Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 3/7/2006 at 22:02:53
"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Monday, May 29, 1939
Front Page, Column 3DR. S. K. DAVIS, LIBERTYVILLE, PASSES AWAY
Services Wednesday for well-known physician; was 75 years of ageDr. Samuel K. DAVIS, 75, well known Jefferson county physician, died Sunday morning at 7 a. m. at his home in Libertyville where he had been in practice for the past 51 years. He had been in ailing health the last several months.
Dr. DAVIS was born Sept. 30, 1863 at West Newton, Penn., and was one of this county's best-known physicians.
He was a graduate of the Keokuk Medical school.
Funeral services will be held at the Methodist Church in Libertyville Wednesday morning, May 31 at 10 a. m. in charge of the Rev. A. M. Smith of Libertyville. He will be assisted by Dr. H. C. Whiting of Fairfield. Interment will be in Evergreen cemetery.
Dr. DAVIS is survived by his wife, Mrs. Nellie DAVIS, and one son, Dr. A. C. DAVIS of the Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minn., and four grandchildren.
There are also three sisters, Mrs. Ella BERRAY, Mrs. Margaret RATCLIFF and Mrs. Elizabeth RODGERS, all of Fairfield, and one brother H. D. DAVIS of Marshalltown.
He was preceded in death by a son, Dr. Wyndon H. DAVIS in 1920.
Friends may call at the Murray funeral home.
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"The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger"
Monday, May 29, 1939
Page FIVE, Column 2LOCALS
... --Dr. Clifford DAVIS of Rochester, Minn., arrived in Libertyville last evening having been called there by the death of his father, Dr. S. K. DAVIS. ...
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"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Thursday, June 1, 1939
Page FOUR, Columns 6 and 7Tribute To Dr. S. K. DAVIS, Distinguished Citizen
Dr. J. F. Clarke praised friend at anniversary in 1938The death of Dr. S. K. DAVIS of Libertyville recalls the fact that an interesting meeting was held about a year ago commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of his beginning the practice of medicine. At the banquet in Dr. DAVIS' honor Dr. J. Fred Clarke of Fairfield paid the following tribute to Dr. DAVIS:
Southeast and southwest of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania lie side by side, two counties, Westmoreland and Washington by name. These counties were inhabited by a very superior people. When Iowa was to be settled there came to Jefferson county quite a group of these Pennsylvania emigrants and they became the aristocracy of this new Iowa county. I mean aristocracy in the best sense of that term.
One of these, Elliott DAVIS, settled on a farm in Buchanan township. With this Elliott DAVIS came a three year old son to Jefferson county in the year 1866. This boy, born not far from the battle field soon after the Battle of Gettysburg had turned the tide of the great Civil war, has lived ever since in our community. We have often met to do honor to this Westmoreland County Pennsylvania boy who has give fifty years of his life in service as a physician to the people of Jefferson county Iowa. This son of Elliott DAVIS and Mary LINN DAVIS has lived here an ideal life.
One of the Casears, I think it was Julius, said that it is better to be first in a village than second in Rome. I always think of these words of Caesar in contemplating Dr. DAVIS for he has certainly been first in this home township of Jefferson county.
History says that Dr. DAVIS was educated in the Pleasant Plain Academy, Parsons college, the University of Iowa and the College of Physicians of Keokuk, from which latter institution he graduated as a Doctor of Medicine in 1888. But I know that this graduation in 1888 was a "Commencement." His education had then but begun. It has continued to this day. It takes but a look at his library and an hour's conversation with him to confirm the current movie title "Life Begins in College". Education begins at college commencement.
Back in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania lived D. DAVIS' grandfather. He was a nursery man. He made trees better. The fruits of the orchards and the shade and beauty of the countryside there in Pennsylvania are better because this grandfather lived there. He belonged to that profession of Burbank that improves our earth. I think so much of this profession that when in search of a wife I hunted up the daughter of a nursery man--a grafter--a grafter of trees.
Elliot (sic) DAVIS continued this trend of his father's thought and work and there was no recession in the mind of Elliott's son Sam DAVIS. The study of the mysteries of plants is his avocation. He watches plants as well as babies -- how they grow. I know better than, before him, to attribute these characters to Lamarkian inheritance but his chromosomes and genes have the ancestral capabilities.
Dr. DAVIS' view as to the destiny of our country and preservation of our civilization were gloomy, but as far as one can see his arguments were unanswerable.
Dr. DAVIS was married in 1890 to Nellie HEWITT. How much of his success and his high standing in the community were due to her, one is unable to tell, probably a large percentage. The two sons both proved an honor to their parents.
Dr. DAVIS has been president of his county medical society of the Southeastern Iowa Medical society, the Des Moines Valley Medical association--in fact of all the medical societies near him. He was made president because he was recognized as a student learned in his profession. He was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Eugenics association.
He was not only a physician, but a philosopher, a poet, a banker, an educator. He was a member of the Methodist church. In reviewing his past life and character some of his friends found only one dark spot -- the fact that he was a Republican even a local boss in the party organization--this waywardness being attributed to constant reading of the Chicago Tribune. In spite of all this we say with sincerity that Dr. DAVIS is considered the ideal citizen of Jefferson county.
This is no idle perfunctory praise such as is considered appropriate to flatteringly give a man at his funeral, or an anniversary or a golden wedding. Few men have served their comunity as faithfully as has Dr. DAVIS.
As a physician serving and relieving hundreds of people during a period of fifty years; as a philosopher, helping all toward a better life; as a banker and councilor teaching honor and integrity; as a poet interpreting for us the beauty of this old world; as a scholar studying the mutations of all life and helping us all to live on an higher plane, Dr. S. K. DAVIS has stood out as the citizen par excellent. We are all proud of the privilege of living near such a man, and of being called his friend.
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"The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger"
Thursday, June 1, 1939
Page SEVEN, Column 8PROBATE OF WILL
State of Iowa, Jefferson County, ss:
To All Whom It May Concern:
Notice is hereby give than an instrument, purporting to be the last Will and Testament of S. K. DAVIS, Deceased, is now on file in the office of the Clerk of the District Court of Jefferson County, and that Monday, June 26, A. D. 1939 at 9:30 o'clock A. M. has been set for proof and final hearing of same.
Witness my hand and the seal of said Court, this 31st day of May, 1939.
W. S. Parkin
Clerk of District Court
By Alfreda Engstrand, Deputy
June 1, 8 and 15~~~~
"The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger"
Saturday, June 3, 1939
Page TWO, Columns 6 and 7Libertyville Community Saddened By Death Of Loved Physician
LIBERTYVILLE, June 3 -- Our community was saddened Sunday morning when the news of the passing of Dr. DAVIS was heard. He had been our loved and trusted physician and friend for over fifty eyars and will surely be missed by all. For several years past he has not been in good health but when at all able to go, no case was ever denied whether day or night. ...
... Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert SWANSON and Mr. and Mrs. H. D. DAVIS of Marshalltown arrived Wednesday evening having been called here by the death of their uncle and brother, Dr. S. K. DAVIS. ...
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"The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger"
Tuesday, June 6, 1939
Page FOUR, Column 6FUNERAL OF DR. S .K. DAVIS
LIBERTYVILLE, Ia. Services, marked with the dignity and simplicity, which typified his life in the community, were held for Dr. DAVIS in the Methodist church in Libertyville, Wednesday morning, May 31.
Bouquets of flowers, arranged naturally in baskets and vases about the altar, were tributes to a nature loving student.
Songs carefully and wisely selected, were sung by Mrs. Armstrong and Mrs. Moss. During the service conducted by Rev. A. M. Smith and Dr. H. C. Whiting, Rev. Smith spoke of the scholarly mind of Dr. DAVIS, his love of nature, expressed in the trees and shrubs planted by the doctor's hands, surrounding the home in Libertyville. The quiet little man was carried to his last resting place by the hands of neighbors and friends.
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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.Note: Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, in Lot 3rd.086. Wife Nellie died in 1947 and is buried there with him.
Jefferson Obituaries maintained by Joey Stark.
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