Complex sentence: Davis believed a town closer to the waterfront would prosper and recruited José Antonio Aguirre, Miguel Pedrorena, Lt. Andrew B. Gray, and William C. Ferrell as partners in the venture.
Split into simpler sentences: Davis believed a town closer to the waterfront would prosper. He recruited José Antonio Aguirre, Miguel Pedrorena, Lt. Andrew B. Gray, and William C. Ferrell as partners in the venture.