John E. Davis (North Dakota politician)
Encyclopedia
John Edward Davis was a North Dakota
politician who served as the 25th Governor of North Dakota
. He was elected in 1956, and served one term before losing the election to William L. Guy
in 1960. Davis died in 1990 at the age of 77.
. After attending several years of high school in Fargo, Davis graduated from Bismarck High School in 1931. Later that fall, Davis enrolled at the University of North Dakota
in Grand Forks. While at the University, Davis pledged for Beta Theta Pi
, and was active in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). He was the ranking officer in Scabbard and Blade
, an organization of select Senior ROTC cadet officers. He graduated from UND with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce in 1935. Davis returned to Goodrich and took over management of his family's ranch and farm.
into the United States Army
. He reported first to Fort Snelling, Minnesota
, before being sent to Camp Robinson, Arkansas
, where he became commander of Company C, 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry. He saw extensive combat duty in the European Theater, and was awarded a Purple Heart
, Bronze Star, and Silver Star
. He separated from the United States Army on July 31, 1945, from Camp McCoy, Wisconsin
.
, serving until 1952. That year, he successfully ran for a position in the North Dakota State Senate. He served in the Senate until 1956, when he was nominated for Governor on the Republican ticket. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Wally Warner, in the fall election. He was re-elected in 1958, and served until 1960.
He was a candidate for the United States Senate in 1960, but was narrowly defeated by Quentin N. Burdick
. He was again a candidate in 1964, but lost the Republican primary to Tom Kleppe.
In 1966, Davis was honored with the Sioux Award, the University of North Dakota Alumni Association's highest honor.
Davis was elected the American Legion
national commander from 1967 to 1968, and was appointed Director of the Office of Civil Defense by President Richard Nixon
in 1969. The agency was renamed in 1972 as the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency. Following his retirement in 1976, he was awarded the Department of Defense Service Medal.
and resume presidency of the First National Bank of McClusky. In 1978, he received the Greater North Dakota Award from the Greater North Dakota Association. He was active in many organizations, including the Elks, Masons, and the Scottish Rite and the Shrine.
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
politician who served as the 25th Governor of North Dakota
Governor of North Dakota
The Governor of North Dakota is the chief executive of North Dakota. The current Governor is Jack Dalrymple. The Governor has the right to sign and laws, and to call the Legislative Assembly, into emergency session. The Governor is also chairman of the North Dakota Industrial Commission. The...
. He was elected in 1956, and served one term before losing the election to William L. Guy
William L. Guy
William Lewis Guy was the governor of the U.S. state of North Dakota from 1961 to 1973. At , he is the oldest of the six living current or past governors of North Dakota.-Biography:...
in 1960. Davis died in 1990 at the age of 77.
Early life
John E. Davis was born in Goodrich, North DakotaGoodrich, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 163 people, 81 households, and 45 families residing in the city. The population density was 582.8 people per square mile . There were 113 housing units at an average density of 404.1 per square mile...
. After attending several years of high school in Fargo, Davis graduated from Bismarck High School in 1931. Later that fall, Davis enrolled at the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
in Grand Forks. While at the University, Davis pledged for Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
, and was active in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). He was the ranking officer in Scabbard and Blade
Scabbard and Blade
Scabbard and Blade is a college military honor society founded at the University of Wisconsin in 1904. Although membership is open to R.O.T.C. cadets and midshipmen of all military services, the society is modeled after the U.S. Army and its chapters are called companies and are organized into...
, an organization of select Senior ROTC cadet officers. He graduated from UND with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce in 1935. Davis returned to Goodrich and took over management of his family's ranch and farm.
Military service
In May 1941, he was draftedConscription in the United States
Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War...
into the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He reported first to Fort Snelling, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, before being sent to Camp Robinson, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, where he became commander of Company C, 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry. He saw extensive combat duty in the European Theater, and was awarded a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, Bronze Star, and Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
. He separated from the United States Army on July 31, 1945, from Camp McCoy, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Political career
In 1946, Davis was elected mayor of McClusky, North DakotaMcClusky, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 415 people, 205 households, and 110 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,072.9 people per square mile . There were 247 housing units at an average density of 638.6 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.28% White and 0.72%...
, serving until 1952. That year, he successfully ran for a position in the North Dakota State Senate. He served in the Senate until 1956, when he was nominated for Governor on the Republican ticket. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Wally Warner, in the fall election. He was re-elected in 1958, and served until 1960.
He was a candidate for the United States Senate in 1960, but was narrowly defeated by Quentin N. Burdick
Quentin N. Burdick
Quentin Northrup Burdick was a United States Senator from North Dakota from August 8, 1960 until his death in 1992. Prior to that he had served in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1959 to August 8, 1960. He was the son of NPL North Dakota Congressman Usher L...
. He was again a candidate in 1964, but lost the Republican primary to Tom Kleppe.
In 1966, Davis was honored with the Sioux Award, the University of North Dakota Alumni Association's highest honor.
Davis was elected the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
national commander from 1967 to 1968, and was appointed Director of the Office of Civil Defense by President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
in 1969. The agency was renamed in 1972 as the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency. Following his retirement in 1976, he was awarded the Department of Defense Service Medal.
Later life
In 1977, Davis returned to North Dakota to operate the family ranchRanch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
and resume presidency of the First National Bank of McClusky. In 1978, he received the Greater North Dakota Award from the Greater North Dakota Association. He was active in many organizations, including the Elks, Masons, and the Scottish Rite and the Shrine.
Personal life
John Davis married Pauline Huntley in 1938. The couple had three children: John, Jr., Richard, and Kathleen. The couple divorced after forty years of marriage in 1978, after which he married Marilyn R. Westlie in 1980.External links
- John E. Davis Papers at The University of North Dakota