Davis Store

Benjamin A. & Virginia E. (Meier) Davis, of Sligo, owned/operated the Davis Fountain Store, located on Main Street, across from Citizens Phone Co.

Biography of Benjamin A. Davis

CLARION — Benjamin A. Davis of Sligo, chief deputy sheriff of Clarion County,. announced yesterday he will be a Democratic candidate for sheriff in the May primary election.

A native of Clarion, Davis, 51, was graduated from high school in Clarion in 1935 and attended Clarion Stale College. An avid sportsman he played basketball for Clarion High, Clarion College and, at the time, the Owens-Illinois Glass Co. team.

He is a member of the Sligo Sportsman Club and the Allegheny-Clarion Beagle Club and is a past officer of the Pennsylvania Federated Sportsmen's Club. He also is a member of Sligo United Methodist Church.

Davis first was employed by Nick Sideris and William Kalafat, who operated, several years ago, Sweetland and the College Grill in Clarion. He also was employed by Owens-Illinois and Maul's Dairy Store.

In partnership with Kalafat and Sideris, he opened the Texas Lunch in Rimersburg, later selling his part-ownership to his partners. At that time, he returned to Clarion and worked for the old Laughlin-Freas Motor Co. and the Lewis Potato Chip Co., later beginning employment with a freight firm and the Railway Express company.

In addition, the Sligo man worked at Penn Furnace and Iron Co. in Warren before becoming a salesman for the Great American Tea Co. He was serving as assistant manager at the Erie Branch of the firm when he joined the armed forces during World War II.

Davis served two years in the infantry, participating in the Central Europe, Northern France and Rhineland campaigns. Ho was squad leader in his company and also served as Intelligence NCO in Regimental Military Police with a rating of technical sergeant.

He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, the World War II Victory Medal and the European - African – Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

After the war, Davis returned to The Great American Tea Co., managing offices in Fort Wayne, Ind,, and in Youngstown, Ohio. Following 14 years with the firm, he resigned to work for a .wholesale hardware company in Youngstown, and three years later, he returned to Clarion County.

It was then he purchased the business he now operates in Sligo, Davis' Store. He is married to the former Virginia Meier of Sligo, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Meier of Sligo. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Charles Davis of Clarion

Source: Derrick (Oil City, Pa), Friday, Feb 21, 1969. Pg 2 transcription courtesy of Paul Kifer.

Benjamin A. Davis, 87, of 1401 Morris St., Sligo, died at 2:02 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, in the Intensive Care Unit of Clarion Hospital. Born Sept. 27, 1917, in Clarion, he was the son of Charles M. and Minerva McKinley Davis. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II, serving from 1944 to 1946 with the rank of sergeant in the European Theater of Operations. He served in the 80th Infantry Division as a squad leader in combat. He received the Combat Infantry Badge, Good Conduct Medal, ETO Ribbon with three Battle Stars and the Purple Heart. He served with the 102nd Division as provost sergeant over regiment military police. Mr. Davis owned and operated the Davis Fountain Store in Sligo for 15 years. He also worked for the Bureau of Traffic Safety Examiner Office of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Sligo Methodist Church. Mr. Davis was a member of the Parker VFW Post No. 7073 and the Sligo Sportsmen's Club. He enjoyed hunting and golfing. Mr. Davis was married May 26, 1938, to Virginia Meier, who died Nov. 19, 2003. Surviving are a number of nieces and nephews. Mr. Davis was the last surviving member of his immediate family. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, two sisters and three brothers. There will be no public visitation. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Sligo Methodist Church with the Rev. Rick Russell, pastor, officiating. Interment will be in the Sligo Cemetery. Arrangements are in charge of the Varner Funeral Home in Sligo. Source: The Derrick - October 25, 2004. Transcription courtesy of Thelma Kifer.