Clark, Robert Carlton, Ph.D. "History of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Vol. 3.
Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1927. p. 164.

P. F. DAVIS

     When P. F. Davis died, in 1919, Lane county lost one of its most highly
respected citizens, a man who through the years not only conducted his business
affairs in a wise and judicious manner, realizing a fine measure of success, but
who also so lived among his fellow citizens as to gain their confidence and
esteem to a marked degree. Mr. Davis was a native of Indiana and a son of Joseph
and Matilda (Rawlston) Davis, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of
Indiana. In 1846 the family crossed the plains to California and in 1847 came to
Lane county, Oregon, locating about three miles below Eugene, where the father
took up a donation claim. The family lived there about sixteen years, when the
father sold the property and bought a tract of land across the road from where
P. F. Davis later established his home. The latter was a boy of four years when
he came to Oregon and he was reared on his father's farm, securing his education
in the district schools. He remained with his father until his marriage, in
1868, when he located on a tract comprising three hundred and twenty acres of
land belonging to his father and there raised some grain, but gave his chief
attention to the raising of cattle, sheep and hogs. He lived there until the
home was destroyed by fire, when he moved across the road to his own farm,
comprising about one hundred and sixty acres, which has since been the family
home. During all the years of his farm operations, he was primarily a stock
raiser, in which he exercised sound judgment and realized very gratifying
success, being regarded as one of the energetic and up-to-date farmers of his
section of the county.
     In 1868 Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Jane Wingard,
who was born in Cass county, Indiana, a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Bactle)
Wingard. In 1853, when she was about five years old, her family came across the
plains to Oregon, her father locating on a donation claim at Coyote, about nine
miles west of Eugene, where they remained until 1861, when they moved to the
present Wingard farm. Mrs. Davis secured her education in the school at Coyote
and at the Sinclair school, near Lorane. Mrs. Davis is the last survivor of the
eight children who were born to her parents. To Mr. and Mrs. Davis were born
five children, namely: Bertha, who lives with her mother; Ida, who is the wife
of P. A. Rogers and has a daughter, Ethel; Francis, who lives in Lorane and is
married and has three children, Alva, Mrs. Gladys Sutherland, who has two
children, and Mrs. Maty E. Lindsley, who has one child; Chancy, who lived across
the road from his mother, is married and has three children, Raymond, Clyde and
Teddie; and Ora, of Cottage Grove, this county, who is married and has two
children, Velma D. and Ruby, the latter of whom makes her home with her
grandmother, Mrs. Davis. There is also an adopted child, Lelliela, who lives
with Mrs. Davis.
     Politically Mr. Davis was a lifelong republican and took an interest in the
welfare of his community, having served many terms as a member of the school
board and a number of years as road supervisor. He was a member of the Grange
and was a Baptist in his religious faith. Kindly and generous he not only gave
liberally to his church, but supported all worthy benevolent causes, and
heartily cooperated with his fellow men in all measures for the betterment of
the community. Sincerity of purpose and integrity of action marked his life and
in all respects he was well worthy of the confidence accorded him by his fellow
men, his death being regarded as a distinct loss to his community.

     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2011 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.