USMA Class of 1900. Cullum No. 3956.
Sixty-Seventh Annual Report of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy at New York June 11, 1936, published by The Moore Printing Company, Inc., Newburgh, New York.
Edwin Griffith Davis
No. 3956. Class of 1900.
Died July 24, 1934, at Atlanta, Georgia, aged 60 years.
Cadet, M.A. June 15, 1896.
2nd Lieutenant of infantry June 13, 1900.
Transferred to Artillery Corps May 7, 1901.
1st Lieutenant July 1, 1901.
Captain, Coast Artillery Corps January 25, 1907.
Retired for disability in line of duty, (Section 1251, Revised Statutes) February 28, 1910.
Active Duty Status November 20, 1910.
Relieved from active duty December 31, 1910.
Active Duty Status March 3, 1911.
Relieved from active duty January 7, 1916.
Major, Judge Advocate General's Section, O.R.C. May 14, 1917.
Active Duty Status May 17, 1917.
Lieutenant Colonel, Judge Advocate General, N.A. February 13, 1918.
Colonel July 19, 1918.
Honorably discharged from emergency commission October 5, 1919.
Relieved from active duty October 5, 1919.
Colonel, Retired (Act of June 21, 1930) June 21, 1930.
Died at Atlanta, Georgia July 24, 1934.
Colonel Edwin G. Davis, former Assistant General Counsel and Solicitor of the National Surety Company of New York and one-time Federal District Attorney for Idaho, died suddenly in a Federal court room in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 24, 1934.
A heart attack struck Colonel Davis as he was leaving the witness stand after testifying in connection with a real estate receivership in which he was serving as trustee. He fell to the floor in front of the judge's bench and was dead before a doctor arrived.
Edwin Griffith Davis, son of John W. and Elizabeth Davis, was horn at Samaria, Idaho, July 9, 1874. His early education was obtained in the public schools and he was appointed to West Point in June 1896 from his native state in time to enter the Academy with the Class of 1900. Four days younger than Jimmy Prentice, he had the distinction of being the oldest member of the class when the latter was turned hack to 1901 at the end of his. plebe year. Cadet Davis was affectionately known to his classmates as Dad.
He never sought popularity nor curried favor, but was universally regarded as one of the solid, substantial men of the class, whose opinions were often sought and whose judgment was always good. He unconsciously lived up to his nickname and role, as the Dad of the class.
Cadet Davis was a hardworking student and maintained an excellent standing in his. academic work, holding the respect of his instructors as well as the affection of his classmates. In the battalion organization he was a Cadet Corporal in his yearling year, the senior duty sergeant of D Company as a second classman and a Cadet Lieutenant in C Company, until, with others of the class, he lost his chevrons in First Class Camp, one of the victims of the class protest against rigorous orders that were. issued to break up hazing and which threatened some of the post cherished traditions of the Corps.
Following graduation Lieutenant Davis was commissioned in the infantry arm and assigned to the 5th Infantry, then stationed in the Philippine Islands. His, first station as an officer was at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, but within three weeks of the time of joining he departed for the Orient, arriving at Manila on September 17, 1900. He was in command of M Company of his regiment from December until the following May, when he transferred to the newly formed Artillery Corps and was promoted first lieutenant on July 1, 1901.
He served on the staff of Brigadier General J. Franklin Bell as Assistant to the Adjutant General and in charge of civil affairs in the 1st District of Northern Luzon, from July to September of 1901 and left the islands for the United States the following December.
Assigned to a light battery, he served at Fort Walla Walla, Washington, from March 1902 until July 1903, when he was· detailed for duty as an instructor in the Department of Law and History at West Point. He was at West Point for four years, during which period he found time for personal study of law and was admitted to the Bar of the District of Columbia in December 1905. He also wrote and published in 1906 A Text Book of Constitutional Law, which became the prescribed text book in the West Point course, in 1907 he wrote a series of articles on distinguished graduates of West Point in civil life, which appeared in Army and Navy Life.
On the completion of his tour of duty at West Point Captain Davis was assigned to station at Fort Baker, California, where he served from October 1907 until December 1908 when he was detailed as District Adjutant of the then Artillery District of San Francisco, with station at the Presidio. In October 1909 he went on sick report, followed by a leave of absence and appearance before a Retiring Board: On February 28, 1910 he was retired from active service on account of physical disability contracted in the line of duty.
Going to Malad, Idaho, Captain Davis entered the practice of law and in November 1910; removed to Boise. At the same time, he entered actively into Republican politics and was elected in November 1910 a member of the Legislature of Idaho. He served during the regular and special sessions as the majority floor leader.
During the presidential campaign of 1912 he served as secretary of the Idaho State Republican Committee and in 1913 was Private Secretary to the Governor. In 1914 and 1915 he was Assistant Attorney General of Idaho and the first Attorney for the Public Utilities Commission of that State.
Captain Davis was a candidate in the primary election for Governor of Idaho, but was not successful in obtaining the nomination.
For two periods during his residence in Boise, Captain Davis was placed by the War Department on an active duty status, as Inspector Instructor of the National Guard of Idaho from November 20th to December 31, 1910 and from March 3, 1911 until January 7, 1916.
Upon the declaration of war in 1917, he returned to active military service as a major in the Judge. Advocate General's Department and within a year was promoted successively to the grades of lieutenant. colonel and colonel. During 1917 and 1918 he was Chief of the Military Justice Division and in 1918 and 1919, was the representative of the Judge Advocate General's Department on the War Department General Staff.
Colonel Davis was co-author with Dean Wigmore of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Rights Act and drafted much of the war legislation passed by Congress. He received the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service. As chief of the disciplinary division of the office of the Judge Advocate General of the Army he contributed a most helpful means of avoiding serious errors in the administration of military justice during the war.
In October 1919 Colonel Davis was relieved, at his own request, from further active duty and resumed the practice of law at Boise, Idaho. He argued many cases in the Supreme Court of that State.
In January 1922 he was appointed United States Attorney for Idaho and served as such until June, 1925. In this capacity he investigated and successfully prosecuted several cases of large importance, particularly mail fraud cases and cases involving violation of the National Bankruptcy Act.
Colonel Davis resigned his office in order to accept the position of Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the United States for the handling of war fraud cases. In this capacity he settled and adjusted many questions growing out of war contracts and won the only conviction secured by the Department of Justice in a criminal case growing out of war frauds. This case was tried in New York City in 1926, the trial lasting a month.
Colonel Davis later represented the Department of Justice in appellate work in tax cases.
From Washington Colonel Davis went to New York in 1929 and became identified with the legal department of the National Surety Company, of which, until his death, he was one of the Board of Directors. This company was forced into a receivership by the prevailing economic depression and when reorganized in January 1933, Colonel Davis was made Receiver and in May 1934, Trustee for the Greyling Realty Corporation, a branch of the National Surety Company. He was serving in this capacity when he passed away suddenly on July 24, 1934. He had just finished arguing a case, for the Company before the United States District Court of the Northern District of Georgia, when he collapsed in the court room and died before medical attention could be secured.
Judge Underwood, before whom the case was tried, wrote: He impressed me not only as being a very able lawyer, but as a gentleman of the very highest type of character, culture and refinement.
Colonel Davis was married at Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 23, 1900 to Elsie Poll, daughter of F.R. and Rose Ann Poll, nee Pennock. Colonel and Mrs. Davis had two children, Rozanne Elizabeth Davis, born March 29, 1914 and Edwin Griffith Davis, Jr., born September 1, 1916. The daughter died in infancy, on June 8, 1914 and the son is now in his sophomore year at Harvard, where he is specializing in chemistry. Mrs. Davis, in order to be near her son, is making her home for the present at 9 Chauncey Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Colonel Davis' career both in the army and in civil life was characterized by earnestness of purpose in whatever he undertook and was eminently successful. In his death at the age of sixty, his usefulness was suddenly cut off at a time when it seemed he still had much to live for. His family, his brother officers in the Army, his associates in business and in the legal profession and his surviving classmates, all feel keenly the loss of a man who was ever a loyal friend and who was outstanding in his personal and professional attainments.
The funeral was held at his late home, 240 81st Street, Brooklyn, New York City, on July 26, 1934, the Reverend John H. Fitzgerald, Rector of Christ Church, Bay Ridge, officiating and at West Point, where he was laid to rest on Friday, July 27, 1934.
A.P.S.H.
Sixty-Seventh Annual Report of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy at New York June 11, 1936, published by The Moore Printing Company, Inc., Newburgh, New York.
Edwin Griffith Davis
No. 3956. Class of 1900.
Died July 24, 1934, at Atlanta, Georgia, aged 60 years.
Cadet, M.A. June 15, 1896.
2nd Lieutenant of infantry June 13, 1900.
Transferred to Artillery Corps May 7, 1901.
1st Lieutenant July 1, 1901.
Captain, Coast Artillery Corps January 25, 1907.
Retired for disability in line of duty, (Section 1251, Revised Statutes) February 28, 1910.
Active Duty Status November 20, 1910.
Relieved from active duty December 31, 1910.
Active Duty Status March 3, 1911.
Relieved from active duty January 7, 1916.
Major, Judge Advocate General's Section, O.R.C. May 14, 1917.
Active Duty Status May 17, 1917.
Lieutenant Colonel, Judge Advocate General, N.A. February 13, 1918.
Colonel July 19, 1918.
Honorably discharged from emergency commission October 5, 1919.
Relieved from active duty October 5, 1919.
Colonel, Retired (Act of June 21, 1930) June 21, 1930.
Died at Atlanta, Georgia July 24, 1934.
Colonel Edwin G. Davis, former Assistant General Counsel and Solicitor of the National Surety Company of New York and one-time Federal District Attorney for Idaho, died suddenly in a Federal court room in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 24, 1934.
A heart attack struck Colonel Davis as he was leaving the witness stand after testifying in connection with a real estate receivership in which he was serving as trustee. He fell to the floor in front of the judge's bench and was dead before a doctor arrived.
Edwin Griffith Davis, son of John W. and Elizabeth Davis, was horn at Samaria, Idaho, July 9, 1874. His early education was obtained in the public schools and he was appointed to West Point in June 1896 from his native state in time to enter the Academy with the Class of 1900. Four days younger than Jimmy Prentice, he had the distinction of being the oldest member of the class when the latter was turned hack to 1901 at the end of his. plebe year. Cadet Davis was affectionately known to his classmates as Dad.
He never sought popularity nor curried favor, but was universally regarded as one of the solid, substantial men of the class, whose opinions were often sought and whose judgment was always good. He unconsciously lived up to his nickname and role, as the Dad of the class.
Cadet Davis was a hardworking student and maintained an excellent standing in his. academic work, holding the respect of his instructors as well as the affection of his classmates. In the battalion organization he was a Cadet Corporal in his yearling year, the senior duty sergeant of D Company as a second classman and a Cadet Lieutenant in C Company, until, with others of the class, he lost his chevrons in First Class Camp, one of the victims of the class protest against rigorous orders that were. issued to break up hazing and which threatened some of the post cherished traditions of the Corps.
Following graduation Lieutenant Davis was commissioned in the infantry arm and assigned to the 5th Infantry, then stationed in the Philippine Islands. His, first station as an officer was at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, but within three weeks of the time of joining he departed for the Orient, arriving at Manila on September 17, 1900. He was in command of M Company of his regiment from December until the following May, when he transferred to the newly formed Artillery Corps and was promoted first lieutenant on July 1, 1901.
He served on the staff of Brigadier General J. Franklin Bell as Assistant to the Adjutant General and in charge of civil affairs in the 1st District of Northern Luzon, from July to September of 1901 and left the islands for the United States the following December.
Assigned to a light battery, he served at Fort Walla Walla, Washington, from March 1902 until July 1903, when he was· detailed for duty as an instructor in the Department of Law and History at West Point. He was at West Point for four years, during which period he found time for personal study of law and was admitted to the Bar of the District of Columbia in December 1905. He also wrote and published in 1906 A Text Book of Constitutional Law, which became the prescribed text book in the West Point course, in 1907 he wrote a series of articles on distinguished graduates of West Point in civil life, which appeared in Army and Navy Life.
On the completion of his tour of duty at West Point Captain Davis was assigned to station at Fort Baker, California, where he served from October 1907 until December 1908 when he was detailed as District Adjutant of the then Artillery District of San Francisco, with station at the Presidio. In October 1909 he went on sick report, followed by a leave of absence and appearance before a Retiring Board: On February 28, 1910 he was retired from active service on account of physical disability contracted in the line of duty.
Going to Malad, Idaho, Captain Davis entered the practice of law and in November 1910; removed to Boise. At the same time, he entered actively into Republican politics and was elected in November 1910 a member of the Legislature of Idaho. He served during the regular and special sessions as the majority floor leader.
During the presidential campaign of 1912 he served as secretary of the Idaho State Republican Committee and in 1913 was Private Secretary to the Governor. In 1914 and 1915 he was Assistant Attorney General of Idaho and the first Attorney for the Public Utilities Commission of that State.
Captain Davis was a candidate in the primary election for Governor of Idaho, but was not successful in obtaining the nomination.
For two periods during his residence in Boise, Captain Davis was placed by the War Department on an active duty status, as Inspector Instructor of the National Guard of Idaho from November 20th to December 31, 1910 and from March 3, 1911 until January 7, 1916.
Upon the declaration of war in 1917, he returned to active military service as a major in the Judge. Advocate General's Department and within a year was promoted successively to the grades of lieutenant. colonel and colonel. During 1917 and 1918 he was Chief of the Military Justice Division and in 1918 and 1919, was the representative of the Judge Advocate General's Department on the War Department General Staff.
Colonel Davis was co-author with Dean Wigmore of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Rights Act and drafted much of the war legislation passed by Congress. He received the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service. As chief of the disciplinary division of the office of the Judge Advocate General of the Army he contributed a most helpful means of avoiding serious errors in the administration of military justice during the war.
In October 1919 Colonel Davis was relieved, at his own request, from further active duty and resumed the practice of law at Boise, Idaho. He argued many cases in the Supreme Court of that State.
In January 1922 he was appointed United States Attorney for Idaho and served as such until June, 1925. In this capacity he investigated and successfully prosecuted several cases of large importance, particularly mail fraud cases and cases involving violation of the National Bankruptcy Act.
Colonel Davis resigned his office in order to accept the position of Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the United States for the handling of war fraud cases. In this capacity he settled and adjusted many questions growing out of war contracts and won the only conviction secured by the Department of Justice in a criminal case growing out of war frauds. This case was tried in New York City in 1926, the trial lasting a month.
Colonel Davis later represented the Department of Justice in appellate work in tax cases.
From Washington Colonel Davis went to New York in 1929 and became identified with the legal department of the National Surety Company, of which, until his death, he was one of the Board of Directors. This company was forced into a receivership by the prevailing economic depression and when reorganized in January 1933, Colonel Davis was made Receiver and in May 1934, Trustee for the Greyling Realty Corporation, a branch of the National Surety Company. He was serving in this capacity when he passed away suddenly on July 24, 1934. He had just finished arguing a case, for the Company before the United States District Court of the Northern District of Georgia, when he collapsed in the court room and died before medical attention could be secured.
Judge Underwood, before whom the case was tried, wrote: He impressed me not only as being a very able lawyer, but as a gentleman of the very highest type of character, culture and refinement.
Colonel Davis was married at Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 23, 1900 to Elsie Poll, daughter of F.R. and Rose Ann Poll, nee Pennock. Colonel and Mrs. Davis had two children, Rozanne Elizabeth Davis, born March 29, 1914 and Edwin Griffith Davis, Jr., born September 1, 1916. The daughter died in infancy, on June 8, 1914 and the son is now in his sophomore year at Harvard, where he is specializing in chemistry. Mrs. Davis, in order to be near her son, is making her home for the present at 9 Chauncey Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Colonel Davis' career both in the army and in civil life was characterized by earnestness of purpose in whatever he undertook and was eminently successful. In his death at the age of sixty, his usefulness was suddenly cut off at a time when it seemed he still had much to live for. His family, his brother officers in the Army, his associates in business and in the legal profession and his surviving classmates, all feel keenly the loss of a man who was ever a loyal friend and who was outstanding in his personal and professional attainments.
The funeral was held at his late home, 240 81st Street, Brooklyn, New York City, on July 26, 1934, the Reverend John H. Fitzgerald, Rector of Christ Church, Bay Ridge, officiating and at West Point, where he was laid to rest on Friday, July 27, 1934.
A.P.S.H.
USMA Class of 1900. Cullum No. 3956.
Sixty-Seventh Annual Report of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy at New York June 11, 1936, published by The Moore Printing Company, Inc., Newburgh, New York.
Edwin Griffith Davis
No. 3956. Class of 1900.
Died July 24, 1934, at Atlanta, Georgia, aged 60 years.
Cadet, M.A. June 15, 1896.
2nd Lieutenant of infantry June 13, 1900.
Transferred to Artillery Corps May 7, 1901.
1st Lieutenant July 1, 1901.
Captain, Coast Artillery Corps January 25, 1907.
Retired for disability in line of duty, (Section 1251, Revised Statutes) February 28, 1910.
Active Duty Status November 20, 1910.
Relieved from active duty December 31, 1910.
Active Duty Status March 3, 1911.
Relieved from active duty January 7, 1916.
Major, Judge Advocate General's Section, O.R.C. May 14, 1917.
Active Duty Status May 17, 1917.
Lieutenant Colonel, Judge Advocate General, N.A. February 13, 1918.
Colonel July 19, 1918.
Honorably discharged from emergency commission October 5, 1919.
Relieved from active duty October 5, 1919.
Colonel, Retired (Act of June 21, 1930) June 21, 1930.
Died at Atlanta, Georgia July 24, 1934.
Colonel Edwin G. Davis, former Assistant General Counsel and Solicitor of the National Surety Company of New York and one-time Federal District Attorney for Idaho, died suddenly in a Federal court room in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 24, 1934.
A heart attack struck Colonel Davis as he was leaving the witness stand after testifying in connection with a real estate receivership in which he was serving as trustee. He fell to the floor in front of the judge's bench and was dead before a doctor arrived.
Edwin Griffith Davis, son of John W. and Elizabeth Davis, was horn at Samaria, Idaho, July 9, 1874. His early education was obtained in the public schools and he was appointed to West Point in June 1896 from his native state in time to enter the Academy with the Class of 1900. Four days younger than Jimmy Prentice, he had the distinction of being the oldest member of the class when the latter was turned hack to 1901 at the end of his. plebe year. Cadet Davis was affectionately known to his classmates as Dad.
He never sought popularity nor curried favor, but was universally regarded as one of the solid, substantial men of the class, whose opinions were often sought and whose judgment was always good. He unconsciously lived up to his nickname and role, as the Dad of the class.
Cadet Davis was a hardworking student and maintained an excellent standing in his. academic work, holding the respect of his instructors as well as the affection of his classmates. In the battalion organization he was a Cadet Corporal in his yearling year, the senior duty sergeant of D Company as a second classman and a Cadet Lieutenant in C Company, until, with others of the class, he lost his chevrons in First Class Camp, one of the victims of the class protest against rigorous orders that were. issued to break up hazing and which threatened some of the post cherished traditions of the Corps.
Following graduation Lieutenant Davis was commissioned in the infantry arm and assigned to the 5th Infantry, then stationed in the Philippine Islands. His, first station as an officer was at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, but within three weeks of the time of joining he departed for the Orient, arriving at Manila on September 17, 1900. He was in command of M Company of his regiment from December until the following May, when he transferred to the newly formed Artillery Corps and was promoted first lieutenant on July 1, 1901.
He served on the staff of Brigadier General J. Franklin Bell as Assistant to the Adjutant General and in charge of civil affairs in the 1st District of Northern Luzon, from July to September of 1901 and left the islands for the United States the following December.
Assigned to a light battery, he served at Fort Walla Walla, Washington, from March 1902 until July 1903, when he was· detailed for duty as an instructor in the Department of Law and History at West Point. He was at West Point for four years, during which period he found time for personal study of law and was admitted to the Bar of the District of Columbia in December 1905. He also wrote and published in 1906 A Text Book of Constitutional Law, which became the prescribed text book in the West Point course, in 1907 he wrote a series of articles on distinguished graduates of West Point in civil life, which appeared in Army and Navy Life.
On the completion of his tour of duty at West Point Captain Davis was assigned to station at Fort Baker, California, where he served from October 1907 until December 1908 when he was detailed as District Adjutant of the then Artillery District of San Francisco, with station at the Presidio. In October 1909 he went on sick report, followed by a leave of absence and appearance before a Retiring Board: On February 28, 1910 he was retired from active service on account of physical disability contracted in the line of duty.
Going to Malad, Idaho, Captain Davis entered the practice of law and in November 1910; removed to Boise. At the same time, he entered actively into Republican politics and was elected in November 1910 a member of the Legislature of Idaho. He served during the regular and special sessions as the majority floor leader.
During the presidential campaign of 1912 he served as secretary of the Idaho State Republican Committee and in 1913 was Private Secretary to the Governor. In 1914 and 1915 he was Assistant Attorney General of Idaho and the first Attorney for the Public Utilities Commission of that State.
Captain Davis was a candidate in the primary election for Governor of Idaho, but was not successful in obtaining the nomination.
For two periods during his residence in Boise, Captain Davis was placed by the War Department on an active duty status, as Inspector Instructor of the National Guard of Idaho from November 20th to December 31, 1910 and from March 3, 1911 until January 7, 1916.
Upon the declaration of war in 1917, he returned to active military service as a major in the Judge. Advocate General's Department and within a year was promoted successively to the grades of lieutenant. colonel and colonel. During 1917 and 1918 he was Chief of the Military Justice Division and in 1918 and 1919, was the representative of the Judge Advocate General's Department on the War Department General Staff.
Colonel Davis was co-author with Dean Wigmore of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Rights Act and drafted much of the war legislation passed by Congress. He received the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service. As chief of the disciplinary division of the office of the Judge Advocate General of the Army he contributed a most helpful means of avoiding serious errors in the administration of military justice during the war.
In October 1919 Colonel Davis was relieved, at his own request, from further active duty and resumed the practice of law at Boise, Idaho. He argued many cases in the Supreme Court of that State.
In January 1922 he was appointed United States Attorney for Idaho and served as such until June, 1925. In this capacity he investigated and successfully prosecuted several cases of large importance, particularly mail fraud cases and cases involving violation of the National Bankruptcy Act.
Colonel Davis resigned his office in order to accept the position of Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the United States for the handling of war fraud cases. In this capacity he settled and adjusted many questions growing out of war contracts and won the only conviction secured by the Department of Justice in a criminal case growing out of war frauds. This case was tried in New York City in 1926, the trial lasting a month.
Colonel Davis later represented the Department of Justice in appellate work in tax cases.
From Washington Colonel Davis went to New York in 1929 and became identified with the legal department of the National Surety Company, of which, until his death, he was one of the Board of Directors. This company was forced into a receivership by the prevailing economic depression and when reorganized in January 1933, Colonel Davis was made Receiver and in May 1934, Trustee for the Greyling Realty Corporation, a branch of the National Surety Company. He was serving in this capacity when he passed away suddenly on July 24, 1934. He had just finished arguing a case, for the Company before the United States District Court of the Northern District of Georgia, when he collapsed in the court room and died before medical attention could be secured.
Judge Underwood, before whom the case was tried, wrote: He impressed me not only as being a very able lawyer, but as a gentleman of the very highest type of character, culture and refinement.
Colonel Davis was married at Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 23, 1900 to Elsie Poll, daughter of F.R. and Rose Ann Poll, nee Pennock. Colonel and Mrs. Davis had two children, Rozanne Elizabeth Davis, born March 29, 1914 and Edwin Griffith Davis, Jr., born September 1, 1916. The daughter died in infancy, on June 8, 1914 and the son is now in his sophomore year at Harvard, where he is specializing in chemistry. Mrs. Davis, in order to be near her son, is making her home for the present at 9 Chauncey Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Colonel Davis' career both in the army and in civil life was characterized by earnestness of purpose in whatever he undertook and was eminently successful. In his death at the age of sixty, his usefulness was suddenly cut off at a time when it seemed he still had much to live for. His family, his brother officers in the Army, his associates in business and in the legal profession and his surviving classmates, all feel keenly the loss of a man who was ever a loyal friend and who was outstanding in his personal and professional attainments.
The funeral was held at his late home, 240 81st Street, Brooklyn, New York City, on July 26, 1934, the Reverend John H. Fitzgerald, Rector of Christ Church, Bay Ridge, officiating and at West Point, where he was laid to rest on Friday, July 27, 1934.
A.P.S.H.
Sixty-Seventh Annual Report of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy at New York June 11, 1936, published by The Moore Printing Company, Inc., Newburgh, New York.
Edwin Griffith Davis
No. 3956. Class of 1900.
Died July 24, 1934, at Atlanta, Georgia, aged 60 years.
Cadet, M.A. June 15, 1896.
2nd Lieutenant of infantry June 13, 1900.
Transferred to Artillery Corps May 7, 1901.
1st Lieutenant July 1, 1901.
Captain, Coast Artillery Corps January 25, 1907.
Retired for disability in line of duty, (Section 1251, Revised Statutes) February 28, 1910.
Active Duty Status November 20, 1910.
Relieved from active duty December 31, 1910.
Active Duty Status March 3, 1911.
Relieved from active duty January 7, 1916.
Major, Judge Advocate General's Section, O.R.C. May 14, 1917.
Active Duty Status May 17, 1917.
Lieutenant Colonel, Judge Advocate General, N.A. February 13, 1918.
Colonel July 19, 1918.
Honorably discharged from emergency commission October 5, 1919.
Relieved from active duty October 5, 1919.
Colonel, Retired (Act of June 21, 1930) June 21, 1930.
Died at Atlanta, Georgia July 24, 1934.
Colonel Edwin G. Davis, former Assistant General Counsel and Solicitor of the National Surety Company of New York and one-time Federal District Attorney for Idaho, died suddenly in a Federal court room in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 24, 1934.
A heart attack struck Colonel Davis as he was leaving the witness stand after testifying in connection with a real estate receivership in which he was serving as trustee. He fell to the floor in front of the judge's bench and was dead before a doctor arrived.
Edwin Griffith Davis, son of John W. and Elizabeth Davis, was horn at Samaria, Idaho, July 9, 1874. His early education was obtained in the public schools and he was appointed to West Point in June 1896 from his native state in time to enter the Academy with the Class of 1900. Four days younger than Jimmy Prentice, he had the distinction of being the oldest member of the class when the latter was turned hack to 1901 at the end of his. plebe year. Cadet Davis was affectionately known to his classmates as Dad.
He never sought popularity nor curried favor, but was universally regarded as one of the solid, substantial men of the class, whose opinions were often sought and whose judgment was always good. He unconsciously lived up to his nickname and role, as the Dad of the class.
Cadet Davis was a hardworking student and maintained an excellent standing in his. academic work, holding the respect of his instructors as well as the affection of his classmates. In the battalion organization he was a Cadet Corporal in his yearling year, the senior duty sergeant of D Company as a second classman and a Cadet Lieutenant in C Company, until, with others of the class, he lost his chevrons in First Class Camp, one of the victims of the class protest against rigorous orders that were. issued to break up hazing and which threatened some of the post cherished traditions of the Corps.
Following graduation Lieutenant Davis was commissioned in the infantry arm and assigned to the 5th Infantry, then stationed in the Philippine Islands. His, first station as an officer was at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, but within three weeks of the time of joining he departed for the Orient, arriving at Manila on September 17, 1900. He was in command of M Company of his regiment from December until the following May, when he transferred to the newly formed Artillery Corps and was promoted first lieutenant on July 1, 1901.
He served on the staff of Brigadier General J. Franklin Bell as Assistant to the Adjutant General and in charge of civil affairs in the 1st District of Northern Luzon, from July to September of 1901 and left the islands for the United States the following December.
Assigned to a light battery, he served at Fort Walla Walla, Washington, from March 1902 until July 1903, when he was· detailed for duty as an instructor in the Department of Law and History at West Point. He was at West Point for four years, during which period he found time for personal study of law and was admitted to the Bar of the District of Columbia in December 1905. He also wrote and published in 1906 A Text Book of Constitutional Law, which became the prescribed text book in the West Point course, in 1907 he wrote a series of articles on distinguished graduates of West Point in civil life, which appeared in Army and Navy Life.
On the completion of his tour of duty at West Point Captain Davis was assigned to station at Fort Baker, California, where he served from October 1907 until December 1908 when he was detailed as District Adjutant of the then Artillery District of San Francisco, with station at the Presidio. In October 1909 he went on sick report, followed by a leave of absence and appearance before a Retiring Board: On February 28, 1910 he was retired from active service on account of physical disability contracted in the line of duty.
Going to Malad, Idaho, Captain Davis entered the practice of law and in November 1910; removed to Boise. At the same time, he entered actively into Republican politics and was elected in November 1910 a member of the Legislature of Idaho. He served during the regular and special sessions as the majority floor leader.
During the presidential campaign of 1912 he served as secretary of the Idaho State Republican Committee and in 1913 was Private Secretary to the Governor. In 1914 and 1915 he was Assistant Attorney General of Idaho and the first Attorney for the Public Utilities Commission of that State.
Captain Davis was a candidate in the primary election for Governor of Idaho, but was not successful in obtaining the nomination.
For two periods during his residence in Boise, Captain Davis was placed by the War Department on an active duty status, as Inspector Instructor of the National Guard of Idaho from November 20th to December 31, 1910 and from March 3, 1911 until January 7, 1916.
Upon the declaration of war in 1917, he returned to active military service as a major in the Judge. Advocate General's Department and within a year was promoted successively to the grades of lieutenant. colonel and colonel. During 1917 and 1918 he was Chief of the Military Justice Division and in 1918 and 1919, was the representative of the Judge Advocate General's Department on the War Department General Staff.
Colonel Davis was co-author with Dean Wigmore of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Rights Act and drafted much of the war legislation passed by Congress. He received the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service. As chief of the disciplinary division of the office of the Judge Advocate General of the Army he contributed a most helpful means of avoiding serious errors in the administration of military justice during the war.
In October 1919 Colonel Davis was relieved, at his own request, from further active duty and resumed the practice of law at Boise, Idaho. He argued many cases in the Supreme Court of that State.
In January 1922 he was appointed United States Attorney for Idaho and served as such until June, 1925. In this capacity he investigated and successfully prosecuted several cases of large importance, particularly mail fraud cases and cases involving violation of the National Bankruptcy Act.
Colonel Davis resigned his office in order to accept the position of Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the United States for the handling of war fraud cases. In this capacity he settled and adjusted many questions growing out of war contracts and won the only conviction secured by the Department of Justice in a criminal case growing out of war frauds. This case was tried in New York City in 1926, the trial lasting a month.
Colonel Davis later represented the Department of Justice in appellate work in tax cases.
From Washington Colonel Davis went to New York in 1929 and became identified with the legal department of the National Surety Company, of which, until his death, he was one of the Board of Directors. This company was forced into a receivership by the prevailing economic depression and when reorganized in January 1933, Colonel Davis was made Receiver and in May 1934, Trustee for the Greyling Realty Corporation, a branch of the National Surety Company. He was serving in this capacity when he passed away suddenly on July 24, 1934. He had just finished arguing a case, for the Company before the United States District Court of the Northern District of Georgia, when he collapsed in the court room and died before medical attention could be secured.
Judge Underwood, before whom the case was tried, wrote: He impressed me not only as being a very able lawyer, but as a gentleman of the very highest type of character, culture and refinement.
Colonel Davis was married at Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 23, 1900 to Elsie Poll, daughter of F.R. and Rose Ann Poll, nee Pennock. Colonel and Mrs. Davis had two children, Rozanne Elizabeth Davis, born March 29, 1914 and Edwin Griffith Davis, Jr., born September 1, 1916. The daughter died in infancy, on June 8, 1914 and the son is now in his sophomore year at Harvard, where he is specializing in chemistry. Mrs. Davis, in order to be near her son, is making her home for the present at 9 Chauncey Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Colonel Davis' career both in the army and in civil life was characterized by earnestness of purpose in whatever he undertook and was eminently successful. In his death at the age of sixty, his usefulness was suddenly cut off at a time when it seemed he still had much to live for. His family, his brother officers in the Army, his associates in business and in the legal profession and his surviving classmates, all feel keenly the loss of a man who was ever a loyal friend and who was outstanding in his personal and professional attainments.
The funeral was held at his late home, 240 81st Street, Brooklyn, New York City, on July 26, 1934, the Reverend John H. Fitzgerald, Rector of Christ Church, Bay Ridge, officiating and at West Point, where he was laid to rest on Friday, July 27, 1934.
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