Nevada Genealogy Trails Lyon County Captain Herman Davis Biography

CAPTAIN HERMAN DAVIS is one of Nevada's most prominent mining men, being president, superintendent, and owner of the control of the Nevada Reduction Works at Dayton. He is a native son of the Golden state, for his birth occurred at Isleton, in Sacramento county, California, on the 22nd of January, 1865; and he is of Scotch-English ancestry, who were settlers in Virginia and New York, and active participants in the early historv of the country. Representatives of this family were also found as soldiers in the war of the Revolution.

Hugh Davis, his father, was born in the then territory of Michigan, in 1828; and immediately after the Mexican war, in which he was an active participant, started on the long and arduous journey to California, from the Rio Grande river, arriving in the Golden state as early as 1847. He at once became engaged in stock-raising in the Sacramento valley, in which he met with marked success, and also became the owner of vessels on the bay and Sacramento river. While a resident of that commonwealth, Mr. Hugh Davis was united in marriage to Miss Rosena F. Smith, a native of Tennessee and a representative of an old Virginian family. When the Civil war was inaugurated, Mr. Davis returned to Michigan and enlisted, with his brothers, in one of the first formed regiments in the state, serving until the close of the struggle, and fighting in many battles. During his military career he was twice wounded, but was in the hospital only a short time, and after the close of hostilities returned to California and resumed his business operations, where he prospered in his undertakings, and became the owner of a farm on the Sacramento river. His political support was given to the Republican party. In 1870, when forty-two years of age, he was called from this life, leaving his widow and five children, three sons and two daughters, four of whom are still living, three being residents of California. Mrs. Hugh Davis, who has reached the age of seventy years, is a faithful member of the Methodist church, and is one of California's noble pioneer women.

Herman Davis received but limited educational advantages in his youth, circumstances preventing his attendance at school for more than eleven months, all before his eighth year; but throughout his life he has been at all times a close student, and has earned the reputation of being one of the most practical and best informed metallurgists in the country. When a young man he served his time at the machinist's trade in the Risdon Iron Works of San Francisco; then obtained a knowledge of marine engineering at San Francisco, and from the government has received captain's papers and engineer's papers, of bay and river vessels and steamers. Mr. Davis also built and operated several dredging machines, and has had many years' experience in work of this class. In 1881-2 he was engaged in mining and milling in New Mexico and Arizona, and was a volunteer with Captain Lawton in his pursuit of Chief Geronimo for four months, when he saw active and trying service against the Apaches.

He came to Nevada in 1893 to operate a dredge for the Carson River Dredging Company at Dayton, and has ever since been engaged in mining and in the reduction of ore. Mr. Davis and J. C. Pierson purchased the old twenty-stamp Rock Point mill from the Union Mill and Mining Company in 1898, which they rebuilt and remodeled, making it one of the most complete mills in the state. Their cyanide plant was built in 1897, and in 1899 Mr. Davis purchased Mr. Picrson's interest in the business, Mr. Gignoux subsequently purchasing an interest, and they now own the entire stock. They do their own mining, hauling ore, refining and assaying, build their own wagons, and do their own blacksmithing, and give employment continually to about fifty men. Mr. Davis has patented two improvements in the cyanide process for the extraction of metals from their ores, which makes success possible with the class and grade of ore they are treating. They have an abundant water supply with which to run their mill, and they are numbered among the public benefactors of Dayton.

In September, 1888, Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Christina Orth, a native of San Francisco and of German ancestry. Six children have been born of this union, four daughters and two sons, namely: Hazel Etta, Freda Margarite, Phyllis Adele, Eileen Gertrude, Stanley Charles and Herman Pickard. The family are of the Protestant Episcopal faith, and they reside in a commodious and pleasant residence in Dayton. Mr. Davis is a Republican in his political affiliations, but is independent in action, and fraternally is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is past master of Valley Lodge No. 9, F. & A. M. of Dayton. He still retains interests in California, and both as a business man and citizen his record is of the highest.