Theodore Bunyan "Theo" Davis, the fourth son of Miller and Julia Ann Shepherd Davis, was born Aug. 31, 1874, at Robbinsville, Graham County, North Carolina. He was the first college graduate from Graham County (the county was formed January 30, 1872) and the first to attend seminary.

Theo attended Cullowhee State Normal, now Western Carolina University, taught school at Cheoah, Yellow Creek, and Stecoah in Graham County. Theo received an A.B. degree at Wake Forest College, after which he taught at Orange County Institute at Chapel Hill and Bethel Institute in Person County before entering the Southern Baptist Seminary at Louisville, Ky.

Theo married Bessie Farmer of Farmville, Virginia, on Sept. 10, 1904. Bessie was the sister of Louise, the wife of Theo's brother, Robert Lee. Theo's first church work was assistant pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C. It was from there he returned to Southern Seminary, graduating in 1907. He served churches in Newton and Morehead City for several years. He became the first State Secretary of the Baptist Training Union in N.C., followed by a pastorate at Zebulon, N.C. Subsequently, he served as pastor of a number of rural churches in the Zebulon area, including Wakefield, Hephzibah, Hales Chapel and Union Chapel. He also served as pastor of Kenly Baptist Church until after WWII. At one time he was the superintendent of the Kennedy Home, Kinston, N.C. For 20 years he was clerk of the Johnston Baptist Association.

In 1932, Theo and Bessie purchased The Zebulon Record newspaper from M.F. Grote. Theo served as publisher and editor and Bessie served as city editor and a weekly columnist. Theo continued this work until late 1945 when he sold the newspaper and its printing plant to his sons. The printing plant continued business as Theo. Davis Sons, Inc.

The oldest son of Theo and Bess, Eric F. Davis, was the first World War II casualty from Zebulon, N.C. As editors and journalists at the hometown newspaper, they covered the death of their son in The Zebulon Record.

Susan Elizabeth (Bessie) died in 1952. In 1954, eight days prior to his 80th birthday, Theo married the former Dathan Lamm Strickland. Theo was 90 when he died in Dec. 1964 in a Wake Forest nursing home where he had been a patient. He was survived by 15 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.