Richard Harding Davis Richard Harding Davis ( April 18 , 1864 – April 11 , 1916 ) was a journalist and writer of fiction and drama , known foremost as the first American war correspondent to cover the Spanish - American War , the Second Boer War , and the First World War . His writing greatly assisted the political career of Theodore Roosevelt and he also played a major role in the evolution of the American magazine . His influence extended to the world of fashion and he is credited with making the clean - shaven look popular among men at the turn of the 20th century . Biography . Davis was born on April 18 , 1864 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . His mother Rebecca Harding Davis was a prominent writer in her day . His father , Lemuel Clarke Davis , was himself a journalist and edited the " Philadelphia Public Ledger " . He attended the Episcopal Academy , and then later Lehigh University and Johns Hopkins University . While at Lehigh , he is credited with establishing the Lehigh Football team and the resulting Lehigh - Lafayette Football Rivalry . He was asked to leave both Lehigh University and Johns Hopkins University for neglecting his studies in favor of his social life . His father found him his first position as a journalist at the " Philadelphia Record " but he was soon dismissed . After another brief position at the " Philadelphia Press " , he accepted a better - paying position at the " New York Evening Sun " where he gained attention for his flamboyant style and his writing on controversial subjects such as abortion , suicide and execution . He first attracted attention in May to June 1889 , by reporting on the devastation of Johnstown , Pennsylvania , following the infamous flood and added to his reputation by reporting on other noteworthy events such as the first electrocution of a criminal ( the execution of William Kemmler in 1890 ) . Davis became a managing editor of " Harper ' s Weekly " , and was one of the world ' s leading war correspondent s at the time of the Second Boer War in South Africa . As an American , he had the opportunity to see the war first - hand from both the British and Boer perspectives . Davis also worked as a reporter for the " New York Herald " , " The Times " , and " Scribner ' s Magazine " . He was popular among a number of leading writers of his time , and is considered the model for illustrator Charles Dana Gibson ' s dashing " Gibson man " , the male equivalent of his famous Gibson Girl . He is also mentioned early in Sinclair Lewis ' s book " Dodsworth " as the example of an exciting , adventure - seeking legitimate hero . During the Spanish - American War , Davis was on a United States Navy warship when he witnessed the shelling of Matanzas , Cuba , a part of the Battle of Santiago de Cuba . Davis ' story made headlines , but as a result , the Navy prohibited reporters from being aboard any American naval vessel for the rest of the war . Davis was a good friend of Theodore Roosevelt , and he helped create the legend surrounding the Rough Riders , for which he was made an honorary member . Some have even gone so far to accuse Davis of involvement in William Randolph Hearst ' s alleged plot to have started the war between Spain and the United States in order to boost newspaper sales ; however , Davis refused to work for Hearst after a dispute over fictionalizing one of his articles . Despite his alleged association with Yellow journalism , his writings of life and travel in Central America , the Caribbean , Rhodesia and South Africa during the Second Boer War were widely published . He was one of many war correspondents who covered the Russo - Japanese War from the perspective of the Japanese forces . Davis had success with his 1897 novel " Soldiers of Fortune " that he turned into a play and was later filmed twice , once in 1914 and in 1919 by Allan Dwan . Davis later reported on the Salonika Front of the First World War where he was arrested by the Germans as a spy but was released . Davis was married twice , first to Cecil Clark , an artist , in 1899 , and then to Bessie McCoy in 1912 , an actress and Vaudeville performer , who is remembered for her signature " Yama Yama Man " routine . Davis and Bessie had a daughter , Hope . He died of a heart attack on April 11 , 1916 , seven days before his 52nd birthday . Legacy . A plaque denoting his boyhood home can be seen at 21st and Chancellor Streets in Philadelphia . Davis ' s " Gallegher and Other Stories " became the series " Gallegher " , starring Roger Mobley , Edmond O ' Brien , and Harvey Korman on Walt Disney ' s Wonderful World of Color on NBC .