Grady County GaArchives Obituaries.....Davis, Walter November 22, 1919
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Janet Sumner http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002510 February 27, 2005, 5:48 pm

Cairo Messenger, November 28, 1919
Walter Davis Ran Over And Killed By Automobile

All of Cairo and Grady county was shocked last Saturday morning when it was 
learned that Mr. Walter Davis was accidentally run over and killed by an 
automobile driven by Mr. W. J. Ragan.

The accident occurred about fifteen minutes after seven o'clock, as the sun was 
in its annular eclipse, near the home of this estimable gentleman on North 
Broad Street.  Mr. Davis was picked up and rushed to Walker's Sanitarium where 
he passed away thirty minutes later.

Mr. Davis had just left his home, carrying his cow to the pasture when the 
fatal accident occurred.  Mr. Ragan, who is superintendent of Mr. W. B. 
Roddenbery's farm was driving Mr. Roddenbery's car to town after some parts for 
cane mill, and just as he approached T. L. Rushin's residence, blew his horn 
for a wagon that was coming to town.  The wagon turned out to the right while 
Mr. Ragan took the left hand side of the road.  As he passed the wagon, he saw 
Mr. Davis, who was trying to head the cow, who no doubt, had become frightened, 
Ragan turning his automobile a little to the right to avoid hitting Mr. Davis.  
At the same time, Mr. Davis turned the same way, possibly in an effort to keep 
from getting run down.  Both Mr. Ragan and Mr. Davis then began to take a zig 
zag course to get out of the others way, Mr. Davis making his third trip across 
in the east side of the road.  Mr. Ragan turning in the same direction, hitting 
the unfortunate man and running over him.

Eyewitnesses as well as Mr. Ragan state that the driver of the car, immediately 
put on the emergency brakes, throwing the automobile out of gear before the car 
stopped and jumped out going to the assistance of Mr. Davis who lay prostrate 
in the road.  With the assistance of Mr. R. R. Jones, Ragan picked Mr. Davis 
up, placing him in the automobile and carried him at once to Dr. Walker's 
Sanitarium.  

Mr. Jones states that when he was picked up that both he and Mr. Ragan thought 
that Mr. Davis was dead, but upon lifting him in the car, he caught his breath 
and opened his eyes stating at the time "Well, you have run over me."  "Where 
are you carrying me?"  Mr. Jones replied that he was carrying him to Dr. 
Walker's Sanitarium, Mr. Davis replying, "That is right, get me to a doctor as 
quickly as possible, but tell the man who is driving not to run so fast, as the 
jar hurts me and I am dying."

Physicians gave the dying man all medical aid and assistance possible, but 
without avail, he dying in about ten minutes after being carried into the 
hospital.  Upon examination it was found that both legs had been broken besides 
internal injuries which caused his death.  He also had a cut across the 
forehead and a scalp wound down the top of his head.

The last sad rites were conducted by his pastor, Dr. J. A. Wynne, assisted by 
Rev. W. C. Jones.  Interment followed in the Cairo cemetery.  The pall bearers 
were Messrs. G. L. Nicholson, H. J. Poulk, H. W. Lawson, D. D. Perkins, T. L. 
Rushin, F. A. Richter, and Boykin Harrison and W. J. White of Coolidge.

Mr. Davis was born in Jefferson County, Fla., on Nov. 27th, 1855, being 63 
years, 11 months and 22 days of age at the time of his sudden demise.  He was 
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Err Davis, being the last of a family of nine children 
to pass to the Great Beyond.

Mr. Davis was a consistent member of the Cairo Baptist church, having united 
with this denomination nearly 40 years ago.  He and his wife were both baptised 
at the same time by the late Rev. T. A. White.

On May 15, 1878, he was united in marriage to Miss Alice Powell, who survives 
him; besides one son, Mr. O. T. Davis.  He and his wife moved to Cairo about 33 
years ago, Mr. Davis entering the mercantile business shortly after moving 
here, with the late lamented J. L. Poulk.  Several years later he sold his 
interest in the business, opening up another store.  He remained in the 
mercantile business until 1900 when he organized the Cairo Banking Company and 
located where the Cairo Grocery Company now is.  He continued actively in the 
banking business, at the time of his death being President of the Farmers & 
Merchants Bank of Coolidge.  While he had been in feeble health for the past 
several years, he was ever alert and was always out looking after his different 
business interests, as if he was in the best of health and was a man much 
younger.

"Uncle Dick", as he was known by hundreds of his friends, throughout the 
county, was a man well liked and was known to have rendered many a man a 
favor.  While he was classed as a conservative business man yet he organized 
and helped organize many enterprises, most all his ventures proving 
successful.  At the time of his death, he was owner of the Grady Ginning 
Company besides having large farming interests.  He was a continued booster of 
paving, it being said that he was the first man in our town to ever put down a 
paved side walk; also the first to put in a plate glass front.

In the loss of Walter Davis, Cairo and Grady county loses one of her best 
citizens, who will be sorely missed.   

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