WILLIAM H. DAVEY,
FORMER MINING CITY MAYOR,
DIES FROM ATTACK OF PENUMONIA
William H. (Bill Davey, 73-year-old former Butte mayor and alderman, famous bettor on Mining city weather, prominent restaurant owner and one of the most widely known and generally like residents of this section of the state, died last evening at the family home, 518 West Park street, following a short illness. Death was due to pneumonia.
It was as mayor of the lusty, thriving mining camp of Butte, from 1901 to 1903, that Mr. Davey—“Bill” to thousands of his constituents—attained most prominence. Three decades after his administration he was still known as one of the most business like and most efficient mayors the city ever had.
But Mr. Davey’s fame outside of Butte spread through his unique standing offer to bet all comers on the number of days of summertime rain that Butte would experience. His favorite bet was that there would be rain in Butte 26 days in June, and he thought nothing of wagering $1000 at a time on that basis.
Another common bet for him was that there would be 45 days of rain during May, June and July. He received much newspaper publicity not only in Butte, but throughout the United States, on his wagering “system”—particularly because he so steadily won. After a decade or so of losses to the “the rainmaker” Butte resident grew wary of the offer and only visitors to the city would take on the proposition.
Mr. Davey was born in Louisville, St. Lawrence County, New York, August 1, 1862, the only child of Thomas Davey, New York hotelman whose ancestors had been residents of that state since colonial times, and Elizabeth (Gilmore) Davey, whose grandparents settled in New York just after the Revolution.
On November 13, 1893, Mr. Davey was married to Sophia Kogler, a native of Germany who came to the United States as a baby. He is survived in addition to his widow, by a sister, Miss M. Davey, Massena, N.Y., and a brother-in-law, Peter Kogler, of Springfield, Long Island, N.Y.
Mr. Davey was a member of several Masonic orders, was of the Thirty-second degree of Scottish Rite, a member of the Bagdad Temple of the Mystic Shrine, and belonged to the Odd Fellows and Elks.
The house in which he died was one he had built, one of the first to be erected on the west side. The body is at the White funeral home. Funeral arrangements have not yet been decided upon.
The Montana Standard
Butte, Montana
January 21, 1936 - Page 1
FORMER MINING CITY MAYOR,
DIES FROM ATTACK OF PENUMONIA
William H. (Bill Davey, 73-year-old former Butte mayor and alderman, famous bettor on Mining city weather, prominent restaurant owner and one of the most widely known and generally like residents of this section of the state, died last evening at the family home, 518 West Park street, following a short illness. Death was due to pneumonia.
It was as mayor of the lusty, thriving mining camp of Butte, from 1901 to 1903, that Mr. Davey—“Bill” to thousands of his constituents—attained most prominence. Three decades after his administration he was still known as one of the most business like and most efficient mayors the city ever had.
But Mr. Davey’s fame outside of Butte spread through his unique standing offer to bet all comers on the number of days of summertime rain that Butte would experience. His favorite bet was that there would be rain in Butte 26 days in June, and he thought nothing of wagering $1000 at a time on that basis.
Another common bet for him was that there would be 45 days of rain during May, June and July. He received much newspaper publicity not only in Butte, but throughout the United States, on his wagering “system”—particularly because he so steadily won. After a decade or so of losses to the “the rainmaker” Butte resident grew wary of the offer and only visitors to the city would take on the proposition.
Mr. Davey was born in Louisville, St. Lawrence County, New York, August 1, 1862, the only child of Thomas Davey, New York hotelman whose ancestors had been residents of that state since colonial times, and Elizabeth (Gilmore) Davey, whose grandparents settled in New York just after the Revolution.
On November 13, 1893, Mr. Davey was married to Sophia Kogler, a native of Germany who came to the United States as a baby. He is survived in addition to his widow, by a sister, Miss M. Davey, Massena, N.Y., and a brother-in-law, Peter Kogler, of Springfield, Long Island, N.Y.
Mr. Davey was a member of several Masonic orders, was of the Thirty-second degree of Scottish Rite, a member of the Bagdad Temple of the Mystic Shrine, and belonged to the Odd Fellows and Elks.
The house in which he died was one he had built, one of the first to be erected on the west side. The body is at the White funeral home. Funeral arrangements have not yet been decided upon.
The Montana Standard
Butte, Montana
January 21, 1936 - Page 1
WILLIAM H. DAVEY,
FORMER MINING CITY MAYOR,
DIES FROM ATTACK OF PENUMONIA
William H. (Bill Davey, 73-year-old former Butte mayor and alderman, famous bettor on Mining city weather, prominent restaurant owner and one of the most widely known and generally like residents of this section of the state, died last evening at the family home, 518 West Park street, following a short illness. Death was due to pneumonia.
It was as mayor of the lusty, thriving mining camp of Butte, from 1901 to 1903, that Mr. Davey—“Bill” to thousands of his constituents—attained most prominence. Three decades after his administration he was still known as one of the most business like and most efficient mayors the city ever had.
But Mr. Davey’s fame outside of Butte spread through his unique standing offer to bet all comers on the number of days of summertime rain that Butte would experience. His favorite bet was that there would be rain in Butte 26 days in June, and he thought nothing of wagering $1000 at a time on that basis.
Another common bet for him was that there would be 45 days of rain during May, June and July. He received much newspaper publicity not only in Butte, but throughout the United States, on his wagering “system”—particularly because he so steadily won. After a decade or so of losses to the “the rainmaker” Butte resident grew wary of the offer and only visitors to the city would take on the proposition.
Mr. Davey was born in Louisville, St. Lawrence County, New York, August 1, 1862, the only child of Thomas Davey, New York hotelman whose ancestors had been residents of that state since colonial times, and Elizabeth (Gilmore) Davey, whose grandparents settled in New York just after the Revolution.
On November 13, 1893, Mr. Davey was married to Sophia Kogler, a native of Germany who came to the United States as a baby. He is survived in addition to his widow, by a sister, Miss M. Davey, Massena, N.Y., and a brother-in-law, Peter Kogler, of Springfield, Long Island, N.Y.
Mr. Davey was a member of several Masonic orders, was of the Thirty-second degree of Scottish Rite, a member of the Bagdad Temple of the Mystic Shrine, and belonged to the Odd Fellows and Elks.
The house in which he died was one he had built, one of the first to be erected on the west side. The body is at the White funeral home. Funeral arrangements have not yet been decided upon.
The Montana Standard
Butte, Montana
January 21, 1936 - Page 1
FORMER MINING CITY MAYOR,
DIES FROM ATTACK OF PENUMONIA
William H. (Bill Davey, 73-year-old former Butte mayor and alderman, famous bettor on Mining city weather, prominent restaurant owner and one of the most widely known and generally like residents of this section of the state, died last evening at the family home, 518 West Park street, following a short illness. Death was due to pneumonia.
It was as mayor of the lusty, thriving mining camp of Butte, from 1901 to 1903, that Mr. Davey—“Bill” to thousands of his constituents—attained most prominence. Three decades after his administration he was still known as one of the most business like and most efficient mayors the city ever had.
But Mr. Davey’s fame outside of Butte spread through his unique standing offer to bet all comers on the number of days of summertime rain that Butte would experience. His favorite bet was that there would be rain in Butte 26 days in June, and he thought nothing of wagering $1000 at a time on that basis.
Another common bet for him was that there would be 45 days of rain during May, June and July. He received much newspaper publicity not only in Butte, but throughout the United States, on his wagering “system”—particularly because he so steadily won. After a decade or so of losses to the “the rainmaker” Butte resident grew wary of the offer and only visitors to the city would take on the proposition.
Mr. Davey was born in Louisville, St. Lawrence County, New York, August 1, 1862, the only child of Thomas Davey, New York hotelman whose ancestors had been residents of that state since colonial times, and Elizabeth (Gilmore) Davey, whose grandparents settled in New York just after the Revolution.
On November 13, 1893, Mr. Davey was married to Sophia Kogler, a native of Germany who came to the United States as a baby. He is survived in addition to his widow, by a sister, Miss M. Davey, Massena, N.Y., and a brother-in-law, Peter Kogler, of Springfield, Long Island, N.Y.
Mr. Davey was a member of several Masonic orders, was of the Thirty-second degree of Scottish Rite, a member of the Bagdad Temple of the Mystic Shrine, and belonged to the Odd Fellows and Elks.
The house in which he died was one he had built, one of the first to be erected on the west side. The body is at the White funeral home. Funeral arrangements have not yet been decided upon.
The Montana Standard
Butte, Montana
January 21, 1936 - Page 1
Gravesite Details
There is no headstone on his grave.
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