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BARBOUR COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
March 18, 2000
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 349-350
Barbour
WILLIAM OSCAR DAVIS has been a pharmacist for over
a quarter of a century, and for the greater part of that
time has been in the drug business at Philippi. His liber-
ality as a citizen and his work in behalf of community
advancement are facts as well known and appreciated as
his business success.
Mr. Davis was born near Uhriehsville, Tuscarawas County,
Ohio, September 6, 1872. Remotely he is of wealthy
ancestry. His grandfather, Gan Davis, spent his life as a
farmer in Tuscarawas County and is buried at Freed
Springs Church in that county. His children were Alexander,
a resident of Uhrichsville, and a veteran Union soldier;
John W.; Jane, wife of Nathan Smith and a resident of
Uhrichsville; Lou, who died at Uhrichsville, wife of J.
Dutton; Sophia, who died in Colorado Springs, Colorado,
was the wife of Charles Long; Marshall, of Uhrichsville;
James, a paint contractor at Canton, Ohio; and Margaret,
widow of Charles Gintz and living at Uhrichsville.
John W. Davis, father of William Oscar Davis, was born
in Tuscarawas County and married Catherine J. Dutton, a
native of the same county. Her father was William Dutton,
who married Miss Burriss. John W. Davis was a farmer
in Tuscarawas County, in later years became a carpenter,
and was a mechanic in the railroad shops at Dennison,
Ohio, when he was accidentally killed February 20, 1907,
at the age of about sixty-three. His widow died at Canton,
Ohio, in 1914. Their children were: Ed. N.; Frank E.;
James O.; William Oscar; Jessie Mabel, wife of C. W.
Lykes, of Canton, Ohio; Verna V., wife of Fred Hall, of
Houston, Texas; and John B., of Houston.
William Oscar Davis lived on his father's farm until
lie was about twelve years of age. He learned his first
spelling and arithmetic lessons in a country school, later
attended the Uhrichsville High School, and in 1894 entered
the College of Pharmacy at Scio, Ohio. This school was
subsequently moved to Pittsburgh and is now the Pittsburgh
College of Pharmacy. After completing his course Mr.
Davis entered actively upon the practice of pharmacy.
In the meantime during vacations, he had worked in drug
stores, and what he calls "the hardest job he ever had"
was selling subscription books and during one summer he
was with a crew of young fellows making and selling views.
After completing his course of pharmacy he was employed
by the Graham Drug Company at Zanesville, Ohio, for one
year, for two years was prescription clerk with a firm at
Mannington, West Virginia, and in March, 1899. came to
Philippi and succeeded to the drug business of D. F. Everett,
for over twenty years he has conducted a high class drug
store and pharmacy, and while that is a business demanding
close personal attention he has not neglected some of the
duties of citizenship.
He was for several terms a member of the City Council,
and was on the council when the sewerage system was
provided and some of the street paving done. He has been
ready with his interest and aid in other community interests,
notably when Broaddus College required extra funds to
carry on its work of higher education. He is a member
of the Kiwanis Club, is a Scottish Rite Mason. He has
done all the work in Philippi Lodge of Odd Fellows, of
which he is a past grand, and he is a member of the
Methodist Church, while Mrs. Davis is a Presbyterian.
At Uhrichsville, Ohio, December 27, 1897, Mr. Davis
married Miss Jessie B. Adrian, a native of the same city
and daughter of William and Agnes (Sterling) Adrian.
Mr. and Mrs. Davis have three children: Adrian P., now
associated with his father in business, who passed the exam-
ination before the draft board, but was not called to
service before the armistice was signed; Margaret Eliz-
abeth, member of the class of 1923 in the Philippi High
School; and Curtis Virginia, in the grammar school.
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