The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-09-25
REV. WILLIAM c. DAVIS
Death of Well Known and Greatly
Beloved Methodist
rlinister.
WAS SON OF REV. AND MRS N. DAVIS
Typhoid Fever the Cause of Death, With
Which He Suffered About One Week.
His Funeral Took Place Yesterday at
Morgantown, w. Va.


intelligence that Rev. William Craft
Davis, son of Rey. and Mrs. John NJ.
Davis, was dangerously ill with ty-
phoid fever at Kittanning, Pa, sup
plemented later that he had passed
away at 70. Is o'clock Sunday morning.
Less than two weeks before his
death he had visited his old home
here and was on our streets shaking
hands in his characteristic, jolly and
good natured manner with his many
friends, apparently in the best of
health and a perfect specimen of ply
steal manhood.
While here on this visit he preach
ed to large audience in st. Paul's
NJ. E. church, on the spot where he
had been baptized, converted and re-
ceived into the church, and where
from his childhood until he entered
college he had attended Sunday school
and church services. This sermon
proved to be his last ministerial act,
as he was stricken down almost i'm
mediately on reaching his home in
Kittanning, and relapsed into uncon-
seriousness in which state he remained
until he died.
Born of God-fearing and God-loving
parents, reared in home of prayer,
he developed into a model boy and
youth and very early in life evidenced
an inclination to hearken to the call
and command of his God, and devote
his life work in His service and for
the salvation of others; later he en-
tered the ministry Of the Methodist
Epispoeal church, connecting himself
with the Pittsburg Conference.
He was born on the promised Land
Farm" six miles West of Oakland,
March 23rd, 1862. His education be-
gan in the public schools here and in
1878 he entered the West Virginia
University where he remained two
years. He then took a course at Ale
gheny College, Meadville, Pa, and
then a four year course at the Ohio
Wesleyan University at Delaware,
Ohio, where he graduated with high
honors in the class of 1886. He then
Immediately applied for admission
and was received into the ministry of
the church of his choice. His minis
terial work extended over a period of
16 years, and was wonderfully success
full.
He was first assigned to mission
work at Reynoldton, Pa, where he
found an uncultivated and neglected
field; by industry and faithfulness
he rallied around him a good strong
congregation and before he left the
work the same was, by the Confer
ence, made a station. His second ap-
polntment was circuit work on the
Boston, Pa, circuit, where he re-
manned five years, at the end of which
time tn, membership and work of the
church had so increased that the cir
cult was divided and two ministers
were sent to look after and care for
what he had built up. From Boston
he was sent to Brownsville, Pa,
where he accomplished a great deal
OF good in the building up of the
church and gathering in those who
were without a church home. His
fourth appointment was at Beuna
Vista church, Allegheny, Pa, where
he found a church debt of S15. 200.
Before he left the charge the debt
had been paid in full and the church
placed upon firm and substantial
basis. His last appointment was at
Kittanning, Pa. But a year had
elapsed since he entered upon this
work and during the brief period he
had accomplished much good, and
had perfected arrangements for the
immediate erection of $4,000 church
at that place.
He was of a kind and affectionate
disposition, winning in his manner,
of deep piety, and when he left his
congregations to attend the Annual
Conference of his church request
from the official board to the presid-
ing Bishop invariably preceded him,
asking that he be returned.
He was the second son of John
M. and Eleanor J. Philson Davis. In
October 1888, he was united in mar
riage at Morgantown, w. Va, to Miss
Jessie Blanche Coombs, daughter of
DIR. Hoff Coombs, from which union
two children were born, one of whom
died in infancy. He is survived by
his widow and daughter, Marguerite,
now 10 years of age.
The funeral of the deceased took