1925 Biography - Jesse A. Davis

Jesse Alexander Davis. The educational interests of Greensburg, Louisiana, are carefully looked after and perhaps no one deserves more credit for the high standards maintained by its educators than Prof. Jesse Alexander Davis, an overseas veteran of the World War, who is the hard-working principal of the Greensburg High School. Thoroughly equipped educationally for the responsibilities of this position, his record as a patriot and soldier in the of his country's need is an influence not to be overlooked in the training of American youth.

Jesse Alexander Davis was born near Ethel, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, February 21, 1890, a son of Jasper Alexander and Susan (Pigott) Davis, and a grandson of Jesse Crawford and Mary (Stovall) Davis. The Davis family traces a far back ancestry to Scotland, thence across the sea to South Carolina, and then to Mississippi, in Professor Davis' great-grandfather's time. His grandfather, Jesse Crawford Davis, was born in 1838, near China Grove, Mississippi, and spent the greater part of his life as a farmer in what is now Walthall County. He served all through the war between the states as a soldier in the Confederate army, and participated at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge and other great battles.

Jasper Alexander Davis was born near Darbun, Pike County, Mississippi, April 6, 1861, and spent his boyhood and youth on a farm there, removing then to near Zachary, Louisiana, where he married and was a railroad employe for three years. He then returned to Mississippi and followed farming near Darbun until 1909, where he removed to Goss, in Marion County, where he owns and operates a valuable farm of 300 acres. He has always been a democrat in politics and a consistent member of the Baptist Church. To his marriage with Susan Pigott, born in 1864 two miles north of where Bogalusa, Louisiana, now stands, the following children were born: Florence, who is the wife of Rev. William T. Graves, of the Baptist Church, who is principal of the high school at Collins, Mississippi; Jesse Alexander; Eula, who is a teacher in the high school at Hub, Mississippi; John Andrew, who is an overseas veteran of the World war, a survivor of the Argonne Forest offensive, is a soldier in the United States Army stationed in California; William H., who is a Veteran of the World war, has been a sailor in the United States Navy for six years and is now attached to the United States cruiser "Relief"; Thomas E., who is a mechanic in the Illinois Central Railroad shops at McComb, Mississippi; Oscar, who died, at the age of twenty years; Warren F., who lives on the home farm with his parents; Lottie, who died when five months old; and Wilbur, who is a student in the Greensburg High School.

Jesse Alexander Davis received his early educational training in the public schools of Darbun, Mississippi, and in 1916 was graduated from the Forrest County Agricultural High School, at Brooklyn, Mississippi, and served one year as principal of a public school at Brooklyn. In the meantime the cloud of war from across the sea had east its shadow over his own country, and August 9, 1917, he volunteered for military service. He was sent to Camp Pike, Arkansas, where for nine months he served with the Three Hundred and Forty-fifth Ambulance Corps, then was transferred to Camp Dix, New Jersey, and from there three months later, and with the same outfit, sailed to England, thence to Cherbourg, France and to other points as the necessities of war demanded the last of these being Savarny, France, until April 20, 1919, his military rating being a private of the first class. He returned then to the United States and was honorably discharged May 21, 1919, at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.

In preparation for the teacher's profession, Mr. Davis had spent three summer terms in the Mississippi State Teachers' College at Hattiesburg, and after his return to civil life was a student there during the entire school year of 1920-1921 and was graduated in the latter year with his educational diploma. He served for a the as principal of the high school at Agnes, Mississippi, as principal of the high school at Hawthorn, Mississippi, and from 1921 to 1922 was principal of the high school at Eatonville, Mississippi. He taught four months in the high school at Salina, Tennessee, and also found the to give nine months of specializing study on education in Peabody College, Nashville, Tennessee. On July 13, 1923, he came to Greensburg as principal of the Greensburg High School, and, taking charge with his customary energy, has proved the right man in the right place, system and efficiency marking the even step of the schools advancement. He is a member of the Louisiana State Teachers' Association and has other educational connections.

Professor Davis was married at Jackson, Tennessee, June 6, 1921, to Miss Gay Manton, daughter of Hardy and Ophelia (Robins) Manton. Mr. Manton is a substantial farmer near Goss, Mississippi. Mrs. Davis attended Peabody College, Nashville, Tennessee, for nine months, and is a graduate of the Mississippi College for Teachers. One little daughter, Mildred Louisiana, was born to Professor and Mrs. Davis, September 29, 1923. They are members of the Baptist Church.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from A History of Louisiana, by Henry E. Chambers, published in 1925, volume 2, page 315.