Husband James K. Davis 1
Born: 22 Nov 1815 - Chapman Twp, Snyder Co, PA 1
Christened:
Died: 4 Sep 1894 2
Buried:
Father: James Keemer Davis, Sr. ( - ) 3
Mother: Agnes Selin ( - ) 1
Marriage: 31 Jan 1843 2
Wife Agnes D. Swineford 2
Born: 23 Oct 1821 - Middleburg, Snyder Co, PA 2
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Jacob Swineford ( -1826) 2
Mother: Susan Sailor ( - ) 2
Children
1 M Harry Eyer Davis 4
Born: 7 Jun 1845 - Selinsgrove, Snyder Co, PA 4
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Kate C. Haas ( - ) 5
Marr: 13 Oct 1869 5
General Notes: Husband - James K. Davis
He received but a limited education, attending only the district schools, and then not more than two months each year. He remained at home until nearly twenty years of age assisting his father about the hotel, attending to the stable and making himself generally useful. He often said that the first money he ever made was earned by blacking boots. On leaving home he went to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where for some years he was a clerk for a stage line which was operated between Williamsport and Harrisburg. On his return from Harrisburg he was employed in the post office at Selins Grove, and later became the postmaster. Then for a time he clerked in the store of George Schnure. Later on, in 1845, he began a business career as partner with his employer under the firm name of Davis & Schnure. He was saving, and lived economically, so that in 1848, when he was married, he had some $600. The firm had a general store at Selins Grove, and in connection with it carried on a grain business until in 1858 when they sold the business to Capt. Charles S. Davis, a half-brother of one of the firm, and Louis R. Hummel, who was later the postmaster of Selins Grove. Prior to and at this time Selins Grove was a great shipping point, and for years James K. Davis, in connection with his partner, did a large business and made money. He accumulated considerable means, at the time of his death owning four fine farms. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Selins Grove in 1870, holding stock in the same, and was its president from November 6, 1889, until January, 1894, when, owing to poor health, he resigned this position. Politically he was first a Democrat, but when the war issue arose he became a Republican, and an active and earnest one.
He was United States deputy provost marshal for Snyder County in 1864 and 1865; member of the board of revenue commissioners for the State of Pennsylvania in the winter of 1859-60; was appointed postmaster of Selins Grove by Amos Kendall, Postmaster-General, November 7, 1836, and served four years, succeeding Mathew Coan, Esq. He had some complimentary offices, being correspondent of Snyder County under the Department of Agriculture, Frederick Watts being the commissioner. In religious faith he was a Lutheran.
The following are resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the First National Bank of Selins Grove on the death of Mr. Davis:
But few, perhaps, had better opportunities of knowing him than his colleagues at the board and to know his great worth. He always took a deep interest in the affairs of this bank and an active part in all that related to its welfare and prosperity. He aimed always to be just through his conscientious convictions of duty and right, and by this rule gauged the conduct of his life. Therefore, Resolved-that in the death of James K. Davis our board has lost one of its best members, and the community a citizen endeared to them by a life of usefulness, from youth to old age, spent in their midst. Second, That we tender to the family of our deceased friend our warmest sympathy in their bereavement, knowing that the struggle to be up under it cometh from Him who is too wise to err. Third, That we bow to the irrevocable mandates of an all-wise Providence, and in view of the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death we should be aroused to a sense of our true condition and at all times be prepared, for "in such an hour as we think not the Son of Man cometh." Fourth, That a copy of these resolutions be furnished to the family of our deceased friend.
The following is from resolutions prepared by a committee from the board of directors of the First National Bank of Sunbury:
The board of directors of the First National Bank of Sunbury has learned with profound regret and deepest sorrow of the death of James K. Davis, Esq., one of their oldest and most honored members; our loss is the more marked because of his close personal relation with each one of us, and our admiration, for many years, of his exalted virtues. The board, therefore, meets to express their deep sense of this affliction and to make appropriate record of the life and standing of the deceased, and to tender to the family their heartfelt sympathy. Bound to us as he was by every tie of friendship and personal business relations of the board, covering a very long period of years, we find it difficult to prop-erly express the sorrow we all deeply feel at his taking away. His wide financial policy, his sound reasoning, his ability to look far into the future, in many of his business matters coming before the board, gave his opinion the highest respect from us all. He was entirely worthy of our highest esteem while he was a member of the board, and now that in course of nature he has paid the debt, which each one must in time pay, and has entered into the life beyond the grave, it is fitting that we, his fellow-members of the board, whose relations here were so pleasant, should perhaps more than others record his conscientious performance of every duty that devolved upon him. Saddened that we shall see his face no longer among us; sorrowing that it is no longer our pleasure to meet with him in our board, we know that he has left to us a valuable inheritance; ever kind and considerate, pure and conscientious, upright and dignified; the record of a long and useful life is before us when we examine the minutes of the board-the pleasant recollections of the past, together with his useful life and most excellent example, comfort us. [CBRCP-CCUS, 1040]
He and his wife had four children; only one was still alive in 1898.