William H. Davis, familiarly known as “Kinney” Davis, was born in the Flint District, April 8, 1838, the son of William A. Davis, M. D., a Virginian of Welsh and Irish descent, and Mary Burns, daughter of Arthur Burns, who married a Lowry. Dr. Wm. A. Davis was one of the delegates that made the Ridge treaty, and happened to be present at the killing of John Ridge, being called upon in his professional capacity to attend Mrs. Ridge, who was then in bad health. Kinney’s father settled in Flint district in 1838, where the subject of this sketch attended public school until fourteen years of age, when he entered the Tahlequah Male Seminary, and graduated with Chief Mayes and Dr. William Campbell, they being the only survivors of the graduating class of that season. Mr. Davis commenced teaching after he left college, and continued until the outbreak of the war, when he enlisted in Stand Watie’s Cherokee Regiment and served until the end of 1861. He next joined Bryant’s Battalion, and afterwards was transferred to the Second Cherokee Regiment under Co. W. P. Adair, where he served as commissary of the regiment. He was recommended for brigade commissary, but the war closed before he received his commission. After the campaign Mr. Davis was recommended by Chief Thompson and elected by council as member of the Board of Education. He was re-elected December 1877, and in June 1881 was again elected under Chief Bushyhead. In January 1888, he was once more called upon under the Mayes administration to fill the office of member of the Board of Education, which office expired in 1890. He was then appointed principal teacher in the Cherokee Orphan Asylum, and held that position until the fall of 1890. In 1870 Mr. Davis married Eliza Lowry, daughter of Anderson Lowry, who was a son of Greorge Lowry, for many years second chief of the Cherokees, and the only national celebrity whom the Cherokees have ever honored with a monument, which is located in Tahlequah, the capital. Mr. Davis has six children: Lowry, Percy, Kinney, Eugene, Mary and Andrew Jeff Davis. Mr. Davis has been four times on the Board of Education, and has been each time chairman. He is a modest, unassuming gentleman, whose knowledge, nevertheless, is extensive and varied, being deeply read on many subjects. His reputation for honesty of purpose and action stands high, while his goodness of nature endears him to all of his acquaintances. Mr. Davis resides close to Manard Post Office, Tahlequah district.
