Biography of Sydney Herbert Davis - Wyoming Co. WV

SYDNEY HERBERT DAVIS. One of the best known men
of Mullens is Sydney Herbert Davis, generally spoken of
and to as Herbert Davis, who not only acts as station agent
at this point for the Virginian Railroad, but is president of
the Wyoming Baking Company and interested in numerous
other enterprises. His career has been one of successful
activity, and while he has been advancing himself in a
material way he has attracted numerous lasting friendships.

Mr. Davis was born at Prospect, Prince Edward County,
Virginia, November 22, 1878, and is a son of S. Baxter and
Nannie B. (Brightwell) Davis. His father, who was born in
1851, learned telegraphy when still a youth, and was one
of the first to develop into a Morse code operator, serving
the Norfolk & Western Railroad for close to half a century.
being at different times agent at Prospect and ticket agent
at Farmville. He is now retired from active affairs, his
home being at Dumbarton, Virginia. When a young man
he utilized a fine voice in teaching singing in the rural
districts. He was always active in church and Sunday
school work, being a devout member of the Methodist
faith. When he had retired from his work with the rail-
road Mr. Davis' energetic nature would not allow him to
remain totally idle, and at the age of sixty-nine years, after
he had applied for and received a life insurance policy on
his own life, he became agent for the Equitable Life In-
surance Company of Richmond, Virginia. He is also
receiving compensation as a member of the retired list of
the Norfolk & Western Railroad. In fraternal matters he
affiliates with the Masons, and has been master of his lodge
several times. He has four sons and a daughter, two of
his sons being railroad men, while a third, Norwood, is
chief clerk of the car allotment commission of Bluefield,
West Virginia.

Sydney Herbert Davis spent his schooldays at Farmville
and Prospect, and at the age of twenty years commenced
his railroad career as an employe of the Norfolk & Western
Railroad Company. Like his father, he had learned teleg-
raphy early, and in addition to serving as an operator also
worked as relief station agent. For two years he was
located at Lynchburg, Virginia, and for a like period at
Suffolk, that state, being in the freight office at both
places. Mr. Davis then transferred his services to the Vir-
ginian Railroad, being agent at Victoria, Virginia, for two
years, and in 1912 was sent to Woodbay, Raleigh County,
where he remained two years, his next location being Maben,
Wyoming County, West Virginia. In 1918 he came to
Mullens, and since then has acted as station agent and has
taken a leading and important part in the public life of the
community, the advancement of which he has aided in many
ways. He has been a member of the city council, where
he has worked constructively and to good effect in securing
civic improvements and other benefits, has helped education
as a member of the board of school directors, and in other
directions hag been a contributor to the general progress
and welfare of the community. As a fraternalist he is a
member of the Masonic Blue Lodge and Chapter at Lynch-
burg, Virginia, the Commandery at Mount Hope, West Vir-
ginia, and the Shrine at Charleston, and is also affiliated
with the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, in both of which he has many friends. His
business connections include the presidency of the Wyom-
ing Baking Company, a successful concern of Mullens, of
which he was one of the founders.

On January 2, 1907, Mr. Davis was united in marriage
to Miss Nan Katharine Poindexter, daughter of John Poin-
dexter, of Bedford County, Virginia, and to this union
there have been born three children: Mildred, Dexter and
William.

Source:  The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 141-142

Submitted by Valerie F. Crook <vfcrook@trellis.net>

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