BIOGRAPHY: William DAVIS, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 396-8
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WILLIAM DAVIS, who is justly entitled, to rank among the leading young members 
of the Cambria county bar, and whose success in life is directly due to his own 
unaided efforts, is a son of John D. and Mary Ann (Griffith) Davis, and was born 
on, the old homestead, in Barr township, this county, on December 13, 1861. He 
was reared upon the farm, and his opportunities for securing an education were 
such as were afforded by the country schools which he attended during the winter 
months. Having a desire for a broader education than was afforded in the public 
schools, he attended for one term the Huntingdon Normal school, at Huntingdon, 
this State, and also two terms at the Normal school of Ebensburg, and two years 
at the Indiana State Normal school, at Indiana, this State. As he was compelled 
to make his own way through school, he commenced teaching at the age of twenty, 
securing in this way the necessary means with which to pursue his education. He 
taught three terms in Barr township, one term in Reade, and two terms as 
principal of the schools of Summerhill borough, this county. Having decided to 
study law, he, in September, 1890, entered the law department of the University 
of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, from which well-known and popular institution of 
learning he graduated in July, 1892. He immediately entered the law office of 
Alvin Evans, of Ebensburg, and after serving the time required by a rule of the 
bar, was admitted to the bar of this county, April 10, 1893. He, however, 
remained in the office of Mr. Evans until May 1, 1894, since which time he has 
practiced on his own account. Politically Mr. Davis is a firm believer in the 
principles of the Republican party, in the councils of which he takes a 
prominent part and, for the success of which he zealously labors. He frequently 
advocates the measures of the same from the hustings, and is a forcible and 
logical speaker. He is at present solicitor for the board of poor directors of 
the county, and has served as a councilman of his borough. On December 24, 1889, 
he married Annie C., a daughter of D. A. Sipe, of Summerhill. His sketch appears 
elsewhere in this volume.
     John D. Davis, the father of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, is 
a son of Evan and Mary (Jones) Davis, and was born in Cardiganshire, parish of 
Ystrad, Wales, June 28, 1814. His father was a native of Wales, whence he 
emigrated to America with his family in 1844. He located in Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, for a short time, and then removed to the Great Western Iron 
works, at Brady's Bend, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, whence, after a short 
residence, he removed to Ohio; from Ohio he removed to what is now Barr 
township, this county, and from there returned to the Great Western Iron works, 
where he died in 1855. He was a member of the Welsh Congregational church. His 
marriage with Mary Jones resulted in the birth of the following children: Mary, 
died in Wales; Rachel, also died in Wales; Margaret, who came to America with 
her Brother Evan, and married Hugh Evans; she died in 189-; David, deceased; 
Elizabeth, the wife of Evan Watkins, resides in Brady's Bend, Armstrong county; 
John D.; Jane, who died shortly after coming to this country; and Evan, a 
resident of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
     John D. Davis received a common-school education. While in his native 
country he worked in the iron mills, and also engaged to some extent in farming. 
On coming to America he followed the iron business, and was employed in 
Pittsburg for a time as a puddler and later as a heater. He worked for a time in 
the Great Western Iron works, and in the spring of 1850 purchased one hundred 
and sixty acres of land in Carroll township, now Barr township, Cambria county, 
and went to work with characteristic pioneer industry to clear the farm on which 
he still resides, and where he has since been engaged in agriculture. He has 
been a life-long republican, and although he never sought an office has held 
several local offices. He has been a member of the Baptist church since 1838, 
and for a number of years was a deacon in Bethesda Welsh Baptist congregation. 
August 9, 1846, he married Mary Ann Griffith, who was born in Cardiganshire, 
Wales, April 20, 1816. She is a daughter of Evan and Sarah (Davis) Griffith, who 
emigrated to America in 1840, locating first near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 
from there he removed to Indiana county, Pennsylvania, and located on a farm, 
remaining there about five years. He then removed to Cambria county, and located 
on a farm adjoining that of John D. Davis, where he died January 13, 1862. His 
family consisted of the following children: Rachel, now eighty-eight years old, 
the wife of Thomas Michael, deceased, of Ebensburg; Eliza, deceased, who was the 
wife of William Morgan, who lived near Ebensburg; Daniel, who died in 1886; 
Catherine, who died in 1893, was the wife of Jacob Edwards; Mary Ann, the wife 
of the subject of this sketch; John, deceased; David, deceased; Evan, who went 
to California, and engaged in gold mining and became very wealthy; Lewis, died 
in St. Louis, at the age of twenty years; Martha, deceased, who was the wife of 
David Reese; Griffith, who married Jane Jones, and resides in Ebensburg; James, 
deceased; Sarah, who died in 1891, was the wife of Adam Tiger; Gwennie, married 
Daniel Thomas, of Johnstown; and Margaret, the wife of Alexander St. Clair, who 
has been an enterprising farmer in the State of Illinois for many years.
     The marriage of John D. Davis with Miss Mary Ann Griffith resulted in the 
birth of the following children: Evan, born April 22, 1848, was twice married; 
his first marriage was with Veretta Fetzer, and upon her death he married Miss 
Alice Wells; he now lives in Clarion county; Mary Jane, born May 9, 1850, and 
died in Utah September 12, 1891, was the wife of W. W. Duncan, who died in 
Colorado September 14, 1895, leaving to survive them three daughters, namely: 
Mary E., Sarah M. and Annie B.; Sarah, born November 25, 1851, married Evan 
Williams, an enterprising merchant, lumberman and farmer, who died September 16, 
1895. His widow and six children, namely: Henrietta B., Rachel A., Jessie H., 
Daniel W., Hazel J., and Alverda M., reside in Indiana county; Jonathan, born 
July 30, 1853, is now engaged in silver-mining in Colorado; David, born April 6, 
1855, married Margaret Edmiston, and is in the employ of the Cambria Iron 
company, of Johnstown; Daniel, born August 15, 1857, married Mary E. Hart, and 
is also in the employ of the Cambria Iron company; Thomas, born October 15, 
1859, is engaged in silver-mining in Colorado; and William, born December 13, 
1861.