Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-07
FUNERAL PLANS MADE
Tribute to Memory of Lewis
Johnson Davis.
EXPRESSIONS OF ESTEEM
Family Visited by Many Sympathiz-
ing Friends.
INCIDENTS OF MIR. DAVIS LIFE
Man of Charity, Ever Ready to Aid
the Distressed-His Bust
meas Career.
OF MIR. DAVIS LIFE

Arrangements were concluded this morn
ing for the funeral OF the late Lewis John
son Davis. dean Of Washington bankers.
whose death yesterday forenoon was noted
in The Star. According to the wishes of
Mrs. Davis and the other relatives the obse-
qufes win be held at the family residence.
1411 Massachusetts avenue northwest. at
o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Rev. Randolph
H. McKim, rector Of the Church Of the
Epiphany. will be the officiating clergyman.
and the pallbearers will be selected from
the vestry Of that church. The interment
will be private. at Rock Creek cemetery.
and will be in charge Of Mr.. Joseph Gawler.
There were many callers at the Davis
home today. and heartfelt tributes were
paid to the memory of the deceased finan-
cier and his many splendid traits of char
acter by those who knew him best In both
business and social circles. One of the first
callers this morning was DIR. Fowler. dis
bursting officer of the Columbia Institute
for the Deaf and Dumb, who informed the
members Of the family that DR.. E. NJ. Gal
1audet. president of that institution who Is
on his vacation at the seashore, had sent
his sincere sympathy to the afflicted widow
and other relatives Of the late Mr. Davis
Rev. Randolph H. McKfm also called to
extend his sympathy and to assist in max
ing final arrangements for the funeral. A
number Of pretty and expressive floral
tributes were sent to the Davis home today.
A member Of the family. who was with
the late banker to the end, said to a
Star reporter today that death came sud-
denly and quietly yesterday morning. He
said Mr.. Davis passed away just as IL he
had sunk into deep and peaceful sfum-
Der. During his long and painful illness
he had been patient and thoughtful of
those about him
Besides his wife. the only immediate
relatives who survive the late financier are
II e -hn lie
travelling in Europe, and five nieces and
nephews.
Native Of Washington.
Mr.. Davis was born in Washington July
q. 1884. and was the son OF George Madf-
son and Georgeanna Davis. His father was
teller Of the Bank of the Metropolis for
more than thirty years. He was educated
IN the school Of Arnold and Girault. from
which Institution he graduated in Decem-
Der. 184S, and soon thereafter entered the
employ of r. w. Latham & Co.. remaining
with that firm until September. 1880. when
he resigned because OF i'll health and went
to Belair and resumed his studies under
the tutelage Of DR.. Edwin Arnold
He returned to this city with his health
restored tn August. 1881, and entered the
service Of the Washington City Savings
Bank, then conducted by his grandfather,
Lewis johnson. for whom he was named.
This institution was dissolved in 1858. and
the firm Of Lewis Johnson & Co. was
formed in which Mr.. Davis was one Of the
partners and Of which firm he was for
many years the senior member. p.
MRS. Ryan, niece Of the deceased. stated,
today that Mr.: Davis was not in the army
during the civil war. but his younger
brother. Capt. Duport Davis. served as An
officer Of one of the District Of Columbia
companies in the struggle Of the sixties.
Mr.. Davis was union man during the
civil war and had always been a repub-
lican in his sympathies. He was formerly
vice president OF the Garfield Hospital and
was one of the incorporators Of the Chill
dren's Hospital. He had been a member
Of the stock exchange since 1883. and was
its president in 1895. He retired from active
business life about two years ago.
His Charitable Work.
Those who knew Mr.. Davis best say his
charities were bounteous, but he never fol-
lowed any given channel in assisting the
worthy and needy. He dispensed financial
assistance as his judgment dictated and
never turned a deaf ear to an honest appeal
for aid when he felt that the applicant de-
served 1t.
One of his friends today recalled the case
Of an old lady, the widow of a Washington
merchant, who became needy soon after
the business failure and death Of her hus-
band one event succeeding the other after
q few weeks interval. The widow was
Ioath to ask any of the friends OF her late
duced to sore straits Of poverty. when her
condition was brought to the attention OF
the late banker. 1t is said Mr.. Davis Wis
tied the humble abode Of the widow and
found that her condition had not been mis-
represented to him. He provided imme-
date assistance for the elderly woman. and
is said to have so arranged that her rent
was paid and she was given sufficient food
supplies until her death some time later.
This case was cited as one Of many in
which Mr.. Davis went quietly about his.
charitable missions.
In the comments that are heard relative
to the career of Mr.. Davis 1t Is noted that
emphasis is placed on his usefulness as
citizen He was a good business man. as
siduous in his attention to the exacting
duties of q bankers hfe but he also found
In the church. in charitable work and In the
directions that enlist the attention Of good
citizens.
High Ideals In Business.
There was no man who stood for higher
ideal Of business than Mr.. Davis. He had
the entire confidence Of those who came in
contact with him, and during his long ca
reer as a banker extending over an I'M
usual period there never was a change In
that respect There were times Of stress
and storm in the financial world, when
regulations suffered and substantial houses
went down, but the banking firm with
which Mr. Davis was connected, and of
which he was the senior member for 50
many years, passed through these trying
periods with no loss of confidence on the
part Of the public.
In the various activities outside Of his
business, Mr.. Davis voice and influence
were always potent. and for the best ends
that could be attained. His services on
sinking fund commission during the period
when the state Of the finances of the Dis
trict was the one absorbing question in To-
cal affairs, cannot be too highly estimated.
To his diligence at that time. as well as to
the ability he had in money matters. can
be attributed much of the change for the
better that took place.
AS a resident Of the city all his life and
as the place where the greater portion OF
the active life of his father had been spent.
Mr.. Davis was naturally much interested
in Washington, both In its past as well as
In It's future AS soon as the Columbia His
torical Society was organized he at once