WILLIAM D. DAVIS.
William D. Davis is the proprietor of a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Exira township, Audubon county, Iowa. He began life for himself after having reached his majority by starting on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which he purchased at that time. In 1912 he purchased the old home place of his father, W. E. Davis, in Exira township, and immediately moved to this farm. Altogether he has invested about five thousand dollars in permanent improvements on the farm. The farm itself is an indication of the vocational zeal which has characterized all of Mr. Davis's
efforts.
William D. Davis was born on January 1, 1869, in Henry county, Illinois, the son of William E. and Martha J. (Davis) Davis, both natives of Wales. They were both formerly married, William E. Davis was five years old when he came to America with his parents. They located first in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but only remained in that city a short time, removing to Ohio, and there William E. Davis received his education and grew to manhood. He served in the Civil War. From Ohio the family moved to Illinois, where Mr. Davis farmed for a number of years, and in 1874 came to Audubon county, Iowa, and purchased a farm of eighty acres in Exira township, and continued to add to this farm until he owned four hundred and eighty acres of land. He was engaged in general farming, and was also extensively engaged in stock raising. By his first marriage he had one son, David E., living at Collinsville, Illinois. Mrs. William E. Davis died on March 14, 1912, after having reared a family of children to lives of honor and usefulness. Two of her six children died in infancy, and Lucy, a third child, is deceased. William D., Frank and Leona are still living. Frank is living in Audubon township. Leona is the wife of Fred Kline, a farmer of Audubon township. She also leaves one daughter by her first marriage, Mrs. H. A. Hill, living near Exira.
William D. Davis was educated in the schools of Henry county. Illinois, attending the district schools during the winter months, and assisting his father on the farm during the summer seasons. After leaving school he farmed in partnership until he purchased a farm of his own.
William D. Davis was married on September 14, 1892, to Blanche Martin, the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Goforth) Martin, and to this union have been born four children, Schuyler A., Wayne Denzil, Ai, and Zilpha, all of whom are living at home with their parents. Mrs. Davis was born in Audubon county, her father was born in Virginia and her mother was a native of Kentucky.
Mr. and Mrs. Davis are active and influential members of the Christian church, to the support of which they are liberal contributors. Mr. Davis is a Republican, and has served as a school director in his township. Throughout his life he has been interested in educational affairs, and has done what he could to raise the educational standard of the country schools. Mr. Davis has believed that these schools are the hope of the country, since upon them depends the education of the next generation.
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Transcribed from History of Audubon County, Iowa Its People, Industries and Institutions With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, by H. F. Andrews, editor, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1915, pp. 678-679.
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