Homer E. Davis
A Guide to his papers, MS 2001-051
Hand-tinted ambrotype of Robert E. Lee from the Memorabilia series. Click on image for larger view. |
Prepared by Encoded by 2002 |
Collection Summary | Administrative Information | Biographical Note | Scope and Content Note | Description of Series | Container List|
Collection Summary
Title: Homer E. Davis Papers Span Dates: c.1861-2000 (bulk 1967-1982) Creator: Davis, Homer E. Size: 35 containers; 16 linear feet Repository: Digital Library and Archives, University Libraries,Virginia Polytechnic Institute &State University Abstract: A collection of photographs resulting from an effort to record the gravesites of Civil War generals. Also represented are the gravesites of other prominent personalities in U. S. military, political, legal, business, entertainment, art and literary history--together with research files on cemeteries and individuals. Materials related to historical organizations (particularly District of Columbia area Civil War roundtables); Civil War printed materials and memorabilia; and personal materials.
Administrative Information
Provenance: The Davis papers were donated to Special Collections at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University in August 2001.
Processing History: The processing, arrangement and description of this collection commenced in April 2002 and was completed in July 2002.
Transfers: The following materials were transferred from the collection to the Digital Library and Archives' Historical Map Collection:
- The Known Globe - drawn by Pieter Goos, 1667 (reproduction)
- New France - by Reiner Ottens, 1745 (reproduction)
- The New Netherlands and New England - by Willem Janszoon Blaeu, 1635 (reproduction)
- The New World - by Juan de la Cosa, 1500 (reproduction)
- Plan of the City of Washington - J. Stockdale, 1794
Preferred citation: Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Homer E. Davis Papers, Ms 2001-051, Digital Library and Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Biographical Note
Homer Ellis Davis, a realtor, stockbroker and Civil War history enthusiast, was born in Livingston, Montana on 28 October 1922, the son of Ellis Davis and May Beach. During World War II, Davis joined the Army Air Corps and served in the Panama Canal Zone and Caribbean. Returning to Montana in 1946, Davis attended Montana State University for a year before transferring to Georgetown University, graduating from the School of Foreign Service in 1951. Davis married Margaret Ernestine "Peggy" Smith on 12 June 1952. Soon thereafter he went to work for the Central Intelligence Agency and remained there until 1957, when he joined a realty company in Lansing, Michigan. In 1959, Davis returned to Washington, D. C. and worked as a stockbroker until his health forced him into retirement in 1971. Davis devoted his retirement years largely to his interest in American history--particularly the Civil War. He was an active member in both the American Revolution and Civil War roundtables of Washington, D. C., as well as the Civil War Roundtable of Alexandria, Virginia. Davis' main interest, however, lay in photographing cemetery monuments. The cemetery project was apparently initiated as a means to document and preserve the gravesites of Civil War generals, but Davis also photographed the gravesites of politicians, judges, entertainers, authors and others. While photographing cemeteries in Michigan, Davis was involved in a car accident and died on 6 August 1982 as a result of his injuries. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains the papers of Homer E. Davis, a Civil War enthusiast whose hobby was documenting and photographing the gravesites of Civil War generals and other historical figures and celebrities. The collection is divided among the following series: Cemeteries and Gravesites, Historical Organizations, Printed Material, Memorabilia, Personal Materials and Oversize Materials.
The Cemeteries and Gravesites series represents the core of the collection and is arranged in two subseries. The Gravesite Research subseries contains materials gathered by Davis during his research on various cemeteries and other historic sites (homes, battlefields, monuments, etc.) as well as individuals. The files provide details--including maps and brochures--on cemeteries throughout the United States and often contain biographical information on the interred. Also included are a few files of correspondence with other cemetery researchers and files on cemetery topics that are not location-specific. The Gravesite Images subseries contains more than 12,000 black-and-white gravesite photos. Nearly every photo includes brief biographical information on its verso. The photographs are complemented by approximately 800 color slides. Negatives are included as well.
The Historical Organizations series contains materials accumulated by Davis during his membership in various organizations and includes such materials as correspondence, memoranda, rosters, notes and printed materials (newsletters). The series is arranged in four subseries: American Revolution Roundtable of the District of Columbia; Civil War Roundtable of Alexandria, Virginia; Civil War Roundtable of the District of Columbia; and Other Historical Organizations.
The Printed Materials series contains such items as booklets and magazine articles (including items related to Civil War topics but not to research for the cemetery project or the roundtables) and catalogs from dealers in Civil War publications and memorabilia.
The Memorabilia series includes Civil War commemorative items as well as relics from the Civil War era.
The few materials in the collection which relate to Davis' personal life may be found in the Personal Materials series. The series contains such things as correspondence, invitations and biographical information.
The Oversize Materials series consists of items pulled from the other series because they were too large to be inter-filed with other items in those series.
Description of Series
| Box | Folder | Series |
| 1-25 | Cemeteries and Gravesites, 1972-1982, n.d. This collection of materials related to Davis' cemetery research and photography is divided between two subseries:
Gravesite Research |
|
| 16-29 | Historical Organizations, 1951-1981, n.d. The papers and other materials arising from Davis' involvement with various historical organizations are arranged in four subseries:
American Revolution Roundtable of the District of Columbia |
|
| 30-31 | Printed Materials, 1929-2000, n.d. Arranged in two subseries:
Articles and booklets |
|
| 32-33 | Memorabilia, 1952-1976, n.d. This series includes modern Civil War commemorative items as well as relics from the Civil War era. The materials are arranged by type, with the commemorative items preceding the relics. |
|
| 34 | Personal Materials, 1929-1981, n.d. This small collection of materials related to Davis' personal life is arranged by document type, then chronologically. |
|
| 35 | Oversize Materials, 1863-1978, n.d. This series contains items which were too large to be inter-filed with materials in the other series. Items in this series are arranged according to the order in which they would have been filed had they remained with their respective series.
|
Container List
CEMETERIES AND GRAVESITES : GRAVESITE RESEARCH| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 1 | 1 | Alabama |
| 2 | Alaska | |
| 3 | Arizona | |
| 4 | Arkansas (2 folders) | |
| 5 | California | |
| 6 | Colorado | |
| 7 | Connecticut (2 folders) | |
| 8 | Delaware | |
| 9 | District of Columbia (3 folders) | |
| 10 | Florida | |
| 2 | 1 | Georgia (3 folders) |
| 2 | Hawaii | |
| 3 | Idaho | |
| 4 | Illinois (3 folders) | |
| 5 | Indiana (2 folders) | |
| 6 | Iowa (2 folders) | |
| 3 | 1 | Kansas |
| 2 | Kentucky | |
| 3 | Louisiana (2 folders) | |
| 4 | Maine | |
| 5 | Maryland (5 folders) | |
| 6 | Massachusetts A-K (3 folders) | |
| 4 | 1 | Massachusetts L-Z (3 folders) |
| 2 | Michigan (2 folders) | |
| 3 | Minnesota | |
| 4 | Mississippi (2 folders) | |
| 5 | Missouri | |
| 6 | Montana | |
| 7 | Nebraska | |
| 8 | Nevada | |
| 9 | New Hampshire | |
| 5 | 1 | New Jersey (2 folders) |
| 2 | New Mexico | |
| 3 | New York (except New York City area) (5 folders) | |
| 4-7 | New York City | |
|
The Bronx (2 folders) Brooklyn
Manhattan
Queens and Staten Island |
||
| 8 | North Carolina | |
| 9 | North Dakota | |
| 6 | 1 | Ohio (4 folders) |
| 2 | Oklahoma | |
| 3 | Oregon | |
| 4 | Pennsylvania (7 folders) | |
| 7 | 1 | Rhode Island |
| 2 | South Carolina | |
| 3 | South Dakota | |
| 4 | Tennessee | |
| 5 | Texas | |
| 6 | Utah | |
| 7 | Vermont | |
| 8 | Virginia A-E (5 folders) | |
| 8 | 1 | Virginia F-Z (6 folders) |
| 2 | Washington | |
| 3 | West Virginia | |
| 4 | Wisconsin | |
| 5 | Wyoming | |
| 6 | Foreign Countries (3 folders) | |
| 9 | 1-3 | Correspondence: Jack Brown
1975-1977
1978-1979
1980-1982, n.d.
|
| 4 | Other correspondents, 1972-1981, n.d (3 folders) | |
| 5-6 | Notes on cemetery trips
1979
1980
|
|
| 7 | General cemetery research materials, 1978-1981, n.d. |
CEMETERIES AND GRAVESITES : GRAVESITE IMAGES
| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 10-11 | Slides
A-K
L-Z
|
|
| 12-24 | Photos
A-Bld
Ble-Chd
Che-De Z
Dea-Fq
Fr-Har
Has-Joq
Jor-Mam
Man-Nek
Nel-Rd
Re-Smh
Smi-Tos
Tot-Will
Wilm-Z
|
|
| 25 | Negatives |
HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS : AMERICAN REVOLUTION ROUNDTABLE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 26 | 1 | Newsletters, 1975-1981 |
| 2-3 | General materials
1974-1979
1980, n.d.
|
HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS : CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE OF ALEXANDRIA
| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 26 | 4-8 | Field trips (includes maps,itineraries, notes, printed material, etc.)
New Market, 1974 (2 folders)
Spotsylvania, 1974 (2 folders)
Stuart's Raid on Chambersburg, 1973(?)
The Wilderness, 1976 (3 folders)
General field trip materials
1970-1979
1980-1981, n.d.
|
HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS : CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 27 | 1-9 | Field trips (includes maps,itineraries, notes, printed material, etc.)
Antietam, 1973 (2 folders)
Gettysburg, 1971 (2 folders)
Lee's Retreat from Richmond, 1971
Manassas, First, 1961
Manassas, Second, 1979
Monocacy, 1975
South Mountain, 1972
Stuart's Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign, 1968
General field trip materials, 1967-1979, n.d.
|
| 10-11 | Presentations
Topics A-M
Topics N-Z
|
|
| 28 | 1 | Programs, 1951-1978 |
| 2-3 | Correspondence
1967-1971
1972-1980, n.d.
|
|
| 4 | Membership rosters, 1970-1979, n.d. | |
| 5-7 | Newsletters
1962-1971
1972-1975
1976-1981, n.d.
|
|
| 8 | General Materials, 1961-1979, n.d. |
HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS : OTHER
| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 28 | 9-11 | Organizations
A-Ciu
Civ-Ck
Cl-H
|
| 29 | 1-4 | Organizations
I-L
M-U
V
W-Z, unidentified |
PRINTED MATERIALS : BOOKLETS AND ARTICLES
| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 30 | 1 | The Cairo Story,n.d. "The Civil War" (4 parts) (extracted from American Military History, n.d.) The Civil War and Reconstruction : A Dissertation Bibliography "Civil War Monitor Tecumseh Recovery Planned" (reprinted from Naval Engineers Journal, Feb 1971) |
| 2 | Confederate Veteran, Jul-Aug 1989 Historical Society of Fairfax, Virginia, Inc., 1962-1963 "If the South Had Won the Civil War" (Look, Nov 22 1960) |
|
| 3 | "Lee and Napoleon : Gentleman and Player," n.d. (typescript) (4 folders) | |
| 4 | "Memoranda on the Civil War : Comments on General Grant's 'Chattanooga Campaign'" [Century Magazine(?), n.d.] "Military History and Policy of the United States" (Military History, Sep 1929) Museum of the Confederacy Newsletter, Spring 1979 North and South : the Official Magazine of the Civil War Society, Jun 2000 |
|
| 5 | "Our March Against Pope" [Century Magazine(?), n.d.] "What Happened to Lincoln's Body"(Life, Feb 15 1963) The Valley Dispatch, Sep 1984 |
PRINTED MATERIALS : CATALOGS
| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 30 | 6-8 | Dealer Catalogs
A-Bq
Br-Bz (3 folders)
C-L |
| 31 | 1-4 | Dealer Catalogs
Ma-Mot
Mou-Mz
N-R
S-Z
|
MEMORABILIA
| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 32 | 1 | Abraham Lincoln (images and printed material), n.d. |
| 2 | Photographs:
Robert E. Lee and Lee family, n.d. [11 items]
A. P. Hill carte de visite (reproduction), n.d.
Washington D. C. / Baltimore area scenes, n.d. [20 items]
Monticello, Virginia, n.d.
"Stonewall" Jackson, n.d.
Samuel Eddy (Medal of Honor recipient, 37th Massachusetts Infantry), n.d.
|
|
| 3 | Other images (Civil War personalities, scenes and trains)
John Brown, n.d.
Nathan Bedford Forrest, n.d.
Civil War uniform prints, n.d.
Historic locomotive color-etch prints (Civil War era), n.d.
Composite portrait, Confederate commanders, n.d.
|
|
| 4 | Commemorative coinage (2 folders) | |
| 5 | Other memorabilia
"101 Civil War Battles" slide chart, n.d.
"The Original Red Tape," n.d.
Civil War collectors' stamps, n.d.
|
|
| 33 | Other memorabilia
Last meeting of Lee and Jackson - stained glass, n.d.
Kepi (reproduction) - 33rd Virginia CSA Regiment, n.d.
Miniature "Flags of the Confederacy" set, n.d.
Metal bookends (Union and Confederate soldiers), n.d.
Bust of Lincoln - Presented to Davis by Chicago Roundtable, 1976
Core sample of rock beneath National Tower in Gettysburg, 1972 Confederate trivet, 1952
Paperweight - American Revolution Roundtable of the District of Columbia, n.d.
Paperweight - Civil War Roundtable of the District of Columbia, n.d.
Civil War playing cards, 1961
Union uniform buttons (reproductions), n.d. [4 items]
Salt and pepper shakers (Union and Confederate hats), n.d.
|
|
| Relics
Piece of brick from the Garret House (Port Royal, Virginia), where John Wilkes Booth was shot, n.d.
Confederate officer uniform buttons, n.d. [7 items]
Metal spikes, n.d. [2 items]
Grand Army of the Republic (in wooden box labeled "Thos. P. Ward, Cohasset, Mass, G.A.R., 98," n.d.
Uniform buttons, n.d. [3 items]
Hat emblem(?), n.d.
Veteran's badge and ribbon, n.d.
Ambrotypes
Unidentified Union soldiers, n.d. [2 items]
Robert E. Lee (hand-tinted), n.d. |
PERSONAL MATERIALS
| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 34 | 1 | Correspondence, 1929-1981, n.d. |
| 2 | Biographical materials, 1945-1981, n.d. | |
| 3 | Invitations and color slides, 1966-1980, n.d. | |
| 4 | General materials, 1980, n.d. |
OVERSIZE MATERIALS
| Box | Folder | Contents |
| 35 | Laurel Hill Cemetery map (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), n.d. [4 items] (from Box 6, Folder 4E) Spotsylvania map, n.d. (from Box 26, Folder 2) The Wilderness map, n.d. [5 items] (from Box 26, Folder 4) Chancellorsville map, n.d. (from Box 26, Folder 5) Topographical map: Berryville, Virginia, n.d. (from Box 26, Folder 5) Gettysburg map, n.d. (from Box 27, Folder 2) Overview of forces at Gettysburg, n.d. (from Box 27, Folder 2) Second Manassas map, 1972 (from Box 27, Folder 5) Brandy Station map, n.d. (from Box 27, Folder 8) Environs of Richmond map, n.d. (from Box 27, Folder 9) Fredericksburg map, n.d. [5 items] (from Box 27, Folder 9) Civil War Times, 1958 [re: Battle of Gettysburg] (from Box 30, Folder 1) Civil War Times supplement, 1961 [re: Battle of First Manassas] (from Box 30, Folder 1) Southern Illustrated News, Jan 17 1863 (reproduction) (from Box 30, Folder 5) Jefferson Davis pencil portrait, 1971 (from Box 32, Folder 3) Poster: "Memorial to the Loyal Sons of the South" portrait composite, n.d. (from Box 32, Folder 3) Views of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, n.d. [2 items] (from Box 32, Folder 3) Battle of Stone River lithograph (reproduction), 1978 (from Box 32, Folder 3) Confederate soldier prints: artillery, cavalry and infantry, n.d. (from Box 32, Folder 3) Painting of Confederate soldiers stacking arms at Appomattox by Hurley, 1951 (from Box 32, Folder 3) American history scenes print set, n.d. [8 items] (from Box 32, Folder 5) "The U.S. Army in Action" - color prints, 1953 [14 items] (from Box 32, Folder 5) Extract of Military Map of N. E. Virginia, 1865 (1951 reproduction) (from Box 32, Folder 5) Strangers Guide to Washington, D. C.: The City as Mr. Lincoln Knew It, 1968 (from Box 32, Folder 5) Battle of Gettysburg raised relief map, n.d. (from Box 32, Folder 5) Map of Atlanta as of 1938, showing the field and fortified lines of the Confederate forces, together with those of the Federal armies, 1938 (from Box 32, Folder 5) Civil War maps - U. S. Coast Survey (reproductions), n.d. [20 items] (from Box 32, Folder 5) Civil War recruiting poster (reproduction on linen), n.d. (from Box 32, Folder 5) Confederate bond, 1864 (from Box 33) Portrait photograph of Davis wearing Confederate re-enactor's uniform, n.d. (from Box 34, Folder 2) |
