Ventura County Biographies

F. C. DAVIS

Submitted by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

F. C. DAVIS, one of the prominent business men of Santa Paula, was born in the town of 
Derby, Orange County, Vermont, May 12, 1857, the son of Dudley M. Davis, a native of 
Canada, who came to the United States in 1838, settling upon a farm in Vermont, where 
he brought up his family and still resides. He has been selectman of his town for many 
years. His grandfather, Enoch Davis, was a Canadian, and lived to be ninety-four years 
of age. Mr. Davis's mother (name before marriage Lydia Blake) was born in Canada, a 
daughter of Rev. Isaac Blake, a Methodist minister, who was also a native of the 
Dominion. His grandfather was Daniel Blake, and the Blake family trace their ancestry 
back to the Normans of England, and their forefathers have been of more or less historical 
note. Mr. Davis has an uncle, Isaac Elder Blake, now living in Denver, Colorado, who made 
a vast fortune in the oil regions in Pennsylvania, but lost it all in speculation; yet he has 
regained another fortune and is immensely rich. He is a fine musician and organist; has 
donated to the Methodist Church a magnificent pipe organ, equal to six common organs 
combined, at a cost of $30,000, and he himself is the performer upon this instrument. He 
is still Superintendent of the Continental Oil Company. His youthful resolution never to 
drink tea or coffee or any strong drink, he has faithfully kept. 

Mr. Davis, our subject, next to the youngest of four children, completed his school 
education at Derby Academy, Orleans County, Vermont, at the age of sixteen years. He 
obtained his certificate and taught school in the winter seasons for seven terms. In 1879 
he visited the oil fields of Pennsylvania, where his father and uncle had made money, 
but decided to come to California, where his uncle had come two years previously, to 
introduce the shipping of oil on a car he had invented. On arriving in San Francisco his 
uncle met him at the station and offered him $100 per month to run the Sacramento station 
of the oil business, which position he declined because he did not feel competent. He finally 
went to the warehouse without his uncle's knowledge and told the keepers that he was a 
young man from the East wishing to learn the oil business. They permitted him to commence 
work, at $7.50 per week, and in two years he became one of the salesmen. During the first 
year in his new situation he and four others were each to receive $100 per month if they 
sold 300 gallons each a day; but if less than that, $75 per month. At the end of the year it 
was found that his sales nearly equaled all four of the others, and he was given the position 
of superintendent and general manager of the business in San Francisco. 

In 1873 he came with his uncle to Santa Paula on a prospecting tour, and while here 
organized the Mission Transfer Company, for the purpose of transferring oil by pipe-lines 
and marketing it. Leasing the territory they obtained a royalty on the oil produced. He 
and his uncle held fifty -one shares of the stock, and two years ago sold out their entire 
interest; but Mr. Davis has revived his interest in the company, and has also stock in the 
Oil Company of California. He also has a large stock ranch and considerable real estate in 
Santa Paula. He is one of the owners of the Champion Livery Stable, is interested in the 
driving park, being secretary of the association, which has eighteen or twenty fine blooded 
horses in training. He has a neat home in the town. He is a Master Mason, being now Senior 
Deacon of his lodge; is also an Odd Fellow; at San Francisco he was Vice-Grand of the lodge. 
In his political views he is a Republican, and as a business man he is one of Santa Paula's best 
citizens. He was married in 1884, to Miss Miriam Garrison, a native of San Francisco and 
daughter of Lewis B. Garrison, of New York ; she was born April 27, 1864, of Scotch ancestry. 
Mr. and Mrs. Davis have had two children; the first born, a daughter, died; and their son, 
Walter Elmer, was born April 1, 1888. 

History of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties, California  - by 
C.M. Gidney, Benjamin Brooks, Edwin M. Sheridan, Vol I, II.  -Lewis Publ. Co., 
Chicago, 1917.