31:
616:
In 1896, Davis married
Margaret Turner Schenck (1875-1971), daughter of Army officer Alexander DuBois Schenck They were married until his death and were the parents of four children, three of whom lived to adulthood: Margaret Brown Davis (1897-1987), William Schenck Davis (1899-1981), Samuel Schenck
588:
Davis retired from the
Organized Reserve Corps upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64 in 1930. In June 1930, Congress passed legislation allowing World War I general officers to retire at the highest rank they had held, and Davis was promoted to brigadier general on the retired list. In
468:
guns that defended San
Francisco Bay. In addition, he oversaw the planning and execution of an effort to employ underwater mines outside the mouth of the bay as an additional protective measure. Davis also experimented with the design and implementation of portable searchlights for use with coast
520:
Artillery, which included his own brigade, two battalions of French field artillery, a battalion of French heavy artillery, and four separate French field artillery batteries. Davis led this command until the end of the war and was recommended for promotion to
589:
1942, Congress enacted a law permitting general officers from World War I to be advanced one grade on the retired list if they had been recommended during the war for a promotion they did not receive, and if they had received the
1073:
1068:
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386:, Davis was assigned to depot quartermaster duties, and assumed responsibility for purchasing, inspecting, and shipping large quantities of supplies and equipment to Army units serving in
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469:
artillery guns, and his designs and procedures were adopted by coast artillery units at other U.S. ports. He subsequently carried out similar coast artillery assignments for the
1098:
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301:
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1103:
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on May 11, 1866, the son of Samuel Davis and
Roxanna (Brown) Davis. He was raised on his parents' farm in Solon and attended the Baker District School and
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324:
161:
875:
725:
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461:
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336:
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284:. Davis was most notable for his First World War command of the 31st Heavy Artillery Brigade, 32nd Heavy Artillery Brigade, and the
133:
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343:. He remained with the 5th Artillery until 1894, and was with his regiment when it took part in the response to labor unrest in
638:
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86:
526:
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and assigned to command of the 32nd Heavy
Artillery Brigade. After arriving in France, Davis' brigade completed training at
312:
421:
in recognition of his noteworthy accomplishments. While serving in the
Philippines, Davis also traveled to China during the
522:
454:
277:
140:
510:
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in Manila, making Davis responsible for coordinating the train and ship movement of troops and supplies throughout the
398:
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30:
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894:
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968:"Letter to Joseph W. Martin, Jr., Speaker of the House, Retiring Boards to Consider Cases of Certain Officers"
917:
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542:
517:
285:
183:
445:. From 1904 to 1907, he was again stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco, this time as engineer of the
506:
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367:
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and treasurer of the Army Relief
Society's Pacific Coast branch. In 1948, Davis became a member of the
406:
825:. West Point, NY: Association of Graduates, U.S.M.A. p. 79 – via West Point Digital Library.
573:. He authored extensive genealogies on the families of both his parents, and was the organizer of the
509:. He was subsequently assigned to command of the 31st Heavy Artillery Brigade, which took part in the
1038:
1033:
570:
438:
74:
748:"Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970, Entry for William Church Davis"
402:
967:
578:
553:, where he reorganized the 31st Heavy Artillery Brigade to perform coast artillery duties on the
550:
257:
243:
109:
557:. In 1921, he requested retirement. Later that year he was appointed a brigadier general in the
946:
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577:'s Post 7 in Berkeley. Davis also served as director of the Berkeley chapter of the
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601:. Davis met these criteria, and was advanced to major general on the retired list.
379:
715:
414:
352:
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927:. Washington, DC: Sons of the American Revolution. January 1949. p. 146.
460:
While serving as district artillery engineer, Davis designed and installed a
529:
ended the war. His wartime achievements were recognized with award of the
319:. He graduated in 1890 ranked 15th of 54. He received his commission as a
974:. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 4 – via
425:
to coordinate the withdrawal and transportation of U.S. service members.
356:
951:. West Point, NY: West Point Alumni Foundation. p. 283 – via
502:
394:
175:
617:
Davis (1906-1982), and
Alexander DuBois Schenck Davis (1910-1911).
658:
The School of
Submarine Defense provided instruction on the use of
474:
387:
256:(May 11, 1866 – September 23, 1958) was a career officer in the
604:
Davis died in
Berkeley on September 23, 1958. He was buried at
867:
Controlled Mines: A History of Their Use by the United States
747:
1074:
American military personnel of the Philippine–American War
525:, but the recommendation had not been acted on before the
351:. Davis attended the Field Artillery Officers' Course at
505:, then moved to the front in time to participate in the
1094:
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
1069:
American military personnel of the Spanish–American War
541:
After the war, Davis reverted to his permanent rank of
998:. Oakland, CA. August 5, 1942. p. 12 – via
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From 1897 to 1898, Davis was commandant of cadets at
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Treasurer, Pacific Coast branch, Army Relief Society
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212:
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147:
129:
115:
103:
93:
81:
64:
44:
21:
1079:American military personnel of the Boxer Rebellion
746:
497:In December 1917, Davis was promoted to temporary
870:. Bennington, VT: Merriam Press. pp. 18–19.
417:. During this assignment, Otis promoted Davis to
226:Margaret Turner Schenck (m. 1896-1958, his death)
1054:State University of New York at Cortland alumni
849:(Third ed.). pp. 385–386 – via
311:In 1886, Davis received an appointment to the
633:Many sources indicate that Davis was born in
8:
948:Official Register of the Officers and Cadets
906:31st Heavy Artillery Brigade at rootsweb.com
895:32nd Heavy Artillery Brigade at rootsweb.com
409:subsequently appointed Davis as head of the
812:
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802:
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637:. In his application for membership in the
1099:Burials at San Francisco National Cemetery
1084:United States Army generals of World War I
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938:
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788:
786:
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782:
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397:with his regiment and participated in the
29:
18:
1109:19th-century United States Army personnel
972:House Reports, 80th Congress, 1st Session
838:
836:
834:
832:
745:Bordwell, George O. (November 29, 1948).
925:Sons of the American Revolution Magazine
709:
707:
705:
703:
701:
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242:Director, Berkeley, California chapter,
755:. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com LLC. p. 2
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569:In retirement, Davis was a resident of
453:. He took part in the response to the
1059:United States Military Academy alumni
1044:People from Cortland County, New York
990:"Berkeley General Receives Promotion"
7:
966:Sullivan, John L. (April 21, 1947).
846:Who's Who In New York City and State
335:Davis was initially assigned to the
393:In April 1899, Davis was posted to
364:Colorado State Agricultural College
1104:Military personnel from California
817:Brady, Brookner W. (Winter 1959).
433:In 1903, Davis graduated from the
14:
1064:Colorado State University faculty
945:Branham, Charles N., ed. (1969).
296:William Church Davis was born in
1049:People from Berkeley, California
819:"Obituary, William Church Davis"
714:Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998).
641:, Davis states that he was born
599:Army Distinguished Service Medal
531:Army Distinguished Service Medal
282:Army Distinguished Service Medal
217:Army Distinguished Service Medal
720:. Raleigh, NC: Pentland Press.
639:Sons of the American Revolution
606:San Francisco National Cemetery
583:Sons of the American Revolution
87:San Francisco National Cemetery
843:Leonard, John W., ed. (1907).
662:for the protection of harbors.
527:Armistice of November 11, 1918
370:. In 1898, he was promoted to
313:United States Military Academy
35:From the Winter 1959 issue of
1:
455:1906 San Francisco earthquake
304:. He was an 1886 graduate of
918:"Records of 300 New Members"
181:31st Heavy Artillery Brigade
179:32nd Heavy Artillery Brigade
1089:United States Army generals
864:Bogart, Charles H. (2003).
595:Distinguished Service Cross
471:Harbor Defenses of Portland
435:School of Submarine Defense
337:5th U.S. Artillery Regiment
280:and was a recipient of the
138:Brigadier General (Reserve)
1125:
516:Davis later commanded the
276:, he attained the rank of
16:United States Army general
479:Harbor Defenses of Boston
341:Presidio of San Francisco
28:
559:Organized Reserve Corps
511:Meuse–Argonne offensive
399:Philippine–American War
382:, Maryland. During the
266:Philippine–American War
199:Philippine–American War
123:Organized Reserve Corps
507:Battle of Saint-Mihiel
411:Army Transport Service
368:Fort Collins, Colorado
302:Cortland Normal School
172:Army Transport Service
162:Field Artillery Branch
407:Philippine Department
116:Years of service
1016:William Church Davis
571:Berkeley, California
565:Retirement and death
545:and was assigned to
384:Spanish–American War
374:and assigned to the
347:during the 1894 the
262:Spanish–American War
195:Spanish–American War
75:Berkeley, California
23:William Church Davis
462:fire control system
405:, commander of the
403:Elwell Stephen Otis
359:from 1895 to 1896.
579:American Red Cross
447:artillery district
376:6th U.S. Artillery
258:United States Army
244:American Red Cross
110:United States Army
68:September 23, 1958
877:978-1-5763-8036-9
727:978-1-5719-7088-6
717:Generals in Khaki
499:brigadier general
451:San Francisco Bay
321:second lieutenant
315:from Congressman
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134:Brigadier General
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660:underwater mines
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635:McGraw, New York
631:
429:Continued career
401:. Major General
372:first lieutenant
254:William C. Davis
119:1890-1921 (Army)
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995:Oakland Tribune
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575:American Legion
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466:coast artillery
431:
423:Boxer Rebellion
390:and elsewhere.
333:
331:Start of career
298:Solon, New York
294:
270:Boxer Rebellion
260:. A veteran of
246:
239:Other work
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203:Boxer Rebellion
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58:Solon, New York
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1000:Newspapers.com
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591:Medal of Honor
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449:that included
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349:Pullman Strike
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149:Service number
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143:(Retired list)
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72:(aged 92)
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555:Pacific coast
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523:major general
519:
514:
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487:Pensacola Bay
484:
483:San Diego Bay
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345:San Francisco
342:
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328:
326:
322:
318:
317:Frank Hiscock
314:
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299:
291:
289:
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278:major general
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141:Major General
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98:United States
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27:
20:
1020:Find a Grave
1014:
993:
984:
976:Google Books
971:
961:
953:Google Books
947:
924:
912:
901:
890:
882:Google Books
880:– via
866:
859:
851:Google Books
845:
822:
757:. Retrieved
753:Ancestry.com
752:
740:
732:Google Books
730:– via
716:
654:
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642:
629:
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587:
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540:
537:Later career
515:
496:
459:
432:
392:
380:Fort McHenry
361:
334:
310:
295:
253:
252:
191:Battles/wars
70:(1958-09-23)
55:May 11, 1866
36:
1039:1958 deaths
1034:1866 births
493:World War I
439:Fort Totten
415:Philippines
353:Fort Monroe
288:Artillery.
274:World War I
207:World War I
121:1921-1930 (
1028:Categories
670:References
551:Washington
547:Camp Lewis
292:Early life
94:Allegiance
51:1866-05-11
325:artillery
308:Academy.
223:Spouse(s)
186:Artillery
823:Assembly
464:for the
443:New York
357:Virginia
231:Children
168:Commands
104:Service/
39:magazine
37:Assembly
759:July 9,
649:McGraw.
645:Solon,
543:colonel
518:V Corps
503:Limoges
419:captain
339:at the
306:Spencer
286:V Corps
184:V Corps
153:0-13519
874:
724:
612:Family
485:, and
395:Manila
213:Awards
176:Manila
136:(Army)
106:branch
82:Buried
77:, U.S.
60:, U.S.
921:(PDF)
621:Notes
597:, or
475:Maine
872:ISBN
761:2021
722:ISBN
647:near
388:Cuba
158:Unit
130:Rank
65:Died
45:Born
1018:at
437:at
378:at
366:in
323:of
1030::
992:.
970:.
933:^
923:.
831:^
821:.
769:^
751:.
678:^
643:in
608:.
593:,
585:.
561:.
549:,
533:.
513:.
489:.
481:,
477:,
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355:,
327:.
272:,
268:,
264:,
174:,
1002:.
978:.
955:.
884:.
853:.
763:.
734:.
234:4
125:)
53:)
49:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.