Fred Nathan Napoleon Davis

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

The DAVIS family has been prominent at Port Morris practically throughout the existence and development of that flourishing little village. The father of the gentleman named at the beginning of this article was one of the creators of the town, and for many years a very prominent railroad contractor in this and other sections of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New England. The essential facts in the career of that well remembered citizen and railroad contractor are given in the following paragraphs and also appropriate mention of his two sons, both of whom have lived at Port Morris upward of fifty years, have been identified with railroad service for a great many years, while Fred N. N., since leaving railroading service has given his attention to the management of the Port Morris Hotel.

The late Nathan DAVIS, father of the two sons just mentioned, was born at Boston, Massachusetts, 1818, and subsequently resided for a number of years at East Brookfield, Vermont. As a young man he was educated above the ordinary, taught school for a time, and an interesting fact remembered by the family and here recorded is that he received his certificate for teaching by answering just one question, that being: "What is the science of all sciences?" His answer was "Mathematics." No doubt he was skilled in several branches of mathematics, and that qualification not only enabled him to enter the teaching profession, but also proved useful when he got into construction work. For many years he was engaged in grading and other forms of railway construction in different sections of the country. Some of his early work was on the Vermont Central and the Hartford, Fishkill & Providence railroads. He was employed on the Hartford & New Haven and on the Warren Railroad from Poultney to Eagle Bridge. In 1854 he moved from New York state to Washington, New Jersey. There he was employed on the Warren Road from Delaware Station to Hampton junction for three years. Later he was engaged in the digging of basins for the Canal Company at Washington, New Jersey. Some of his construction was in connection with the Belvidere & Delaware Railroad from Belvidere to Mauch Chunk, and in that enterprise his son, Frank Iago DAVIS, mentioned later, was his assistant, although the latter was then only sixteen years of age. The Belvidere and Mauch Chunk Line is now part of the Pennsylvania system. Nathan DAVIS was a man of exceptional; ability, and understood every detail of his business, and was very capable in the handling of both men and material resources.

During 1863 and 1864 he began work on the extension of the Morris Railroad, from Hackettstown to Phillipsburg. In 1864-65 he did other work for the same company. He first came to Port Morris in 1867, but prior to that time had some teams on the work from Branchville to Newton. His coming to Port Morris in the winter of 1867 was for the purpose of grading for the double track. At that time only two houses stood on the site of the present little city of Port Morris. Later returning to Washington, he took a contract for the grading of the double track from Washington to Broadway under Superintendent BETHUNE. He also did grading for the double track between Shippingport and Drakesville station, had charge of the grading for the third track in Port Morris yards, laid the double track between Bundletown and Chatham in 1867, and in 1869 and 1870 did grading for the railroad at East Dover. In 1870 Nathan DAVIS constructed the line from Kenvil to Dickerson Mines for the CANFIELD Brothers. In 1872 his resources were employed in grading section two for the Essex county public board. In the meantime in 1867, Nathan DAVIS had bought land and laid out a number of lots in Port Morris. About 1873 he retired from active business, and thereafter was one of the highly esteemed and prosperous citizens of Port Morris. Nathan DAVIS married Fannie B. HIBBARD, of Vermont, daughter of Gordon HIBBARD, of East Brookfield, in Orange county of that State. To the marriage of Nathan and Fannie DAVIS were born five children. The oldest and the youngest, one of whom was named Caroline, are both deceased. The only daughter living is Josephine J. DAVIS, an artist by profession.

Frank Iago DAVIS, the older of the two sons of Nathan DAVIS and wife, has for many years been a resident of Port Morris in Rockdale township. He was born near White River Junction in Vermont, January 27, 1847. His early schooling was received at Washington, New Jersey, and after reaching the age of sixteen, as already mentioned, became associated with his father in the contracting business at the various places already mentioned. He continued with his father until the latter’s retirement, in 1873, and during a portion of this time was a partner in the extensive operation. During the succeeding thirty-two years, Frank I. DAVIS was in the same service on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. For twenty years of that time he was conductor, his run for a number of years being between Port Morris and Hoboken, and later from Port Morris to Sussex. Finally in 1909, after a career exceptional in length and in fidelity to his duties, he was retired on a pension. Mr. DAVIS is a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, and of the Order of Railway Conductors. He is also affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Improved Order of the Red Men. On May 19, 1870, Frank I. DAVIS married Malvina HEATON, daughter of Joseph and Sarah HEATON. Joseph HEATON was a carpenter by trade and lived at Stanhope in Sussex county. Frank I. DAVIS and wife have one daughter, Fannie Heaton DAVIS, who was born at Irvington, was educated in the public schools and the State Normal at Trenton, and is now vice-principal of the Port Morris public schools. Mrs. DAVIS and Miss DAVIS are Methodists. Now living retired at Port Morris. Mr. DAVIS owns a beautiful home in that city, having erected it in 1912. He also still owns the old house in which he and his family lived for thirty-eight years. His residence at Port Morris dates from March 8, 1861. He is a member of the Rockbury township board.

Fred Nathan Napoleon DAVIS, son of the late Nathan DAVIS, and proprietor of the Port Morris Hotel, was born in Granville, Washington county, New York, September 1, 1851. His early rearing was at Washington, New Jersey, where he attended school until about 1865 or 1866. Since April of one of those years his residence has been continuous at Port Morris. In 1873 he erected a home in this town, and has at various times added to the building until it now contains twenty-eight rooms, and for a number of years past has conducted the Port Morris Hotel, which he also owns. Up until 1902 Mr. DAVIS was active in the employ of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad as a machinist. He entered the service of that road in 1871, and continued for a period of thirty years. For nineteen years of this time he was foreman in the round house at Port Morris under Waters B. DAY. Mr. DAVIS is affiliated with Muscogna Lodge No. 151, F. and A. M., of Stanhope, and is a charter member of the Improved Order of Red Men. In politics he is an independent.

On October 29, 1871, Mr. DAVIS married Lottie BROWN, daughter of Rankin and Sarah (YOUNG) BROWN. Her father was for many years, up to 1856, connected with the old Morris canal. Rankin BROWN died twenty-nine years ago in his seventy-eighth year, while his wife died about 1890, at the age of sixty-four. Mr. BROWN was reared in Morris county. Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. DAVIS, only two are now living, the children being noted as follows: Charles, born May 16, 1873, married Carrie BOWLBY, died March 15, 1910, and left two children, Freda, aged thirteen and Carl, aged twelve; Ed, born July, 1875, died July 30, 1875, George Nathan, born May 7, 1880, died February 4, 1882; Guy Rankin, born in July, 1884, married Jennie VON TASSEL, who had previously been a teacher, and they are the parents of one son, Fred Davis; Roy Hibbard, born July 28, 1890, died April 28, 1899; Eva Josephine, born August 13, 1892, lives at home with her parents in Port Morris.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)