Courtesy Photo
Vic Hollingsworth of Sherman purchased this picture in 1971 for $5 at a garage sale.

Vic Hollingsworth of Sherman picked up a picture for $5 in about 1971 at a garage sale. It might not have monetary value, but it sure has sentimental value to history lovers like me and I'm sure others in Denison.

Vic grew up in Denison and was to graduate with the class of 1960, but a few months before then, he quit school and joined the Army. He has an interest in Denison's early history, and during "Spring Fling" this year at Loy Park he told me about the picture and said he was trying to decide when and where it was taken. Any ideas would be welcome.

Vic was so proud of his find that he framed it himself in a very nice wooden frame.

Davis was credited with making the transition from horse to horse drawn carriage to horseless carriage in Denison and was among the earliest in North Texas to become interested in the automobile.

He was born in Maine and packed up his family in the late 1890s and headed to Texas where his father, Charles, had come soon after 1873. He established a livery stable, then later a car dealership on the site of a wagon yard that his father operated before his death. His business prospered and his stable was stocked with fine animals.

E. E. Davis Stable
Chestnut Street at corner of South Rusk Avenue, view looking southeast from 331 West Main (Leeper/Security Building).
Source: Art Work of Grayson County (1895)

Denison Herald
Sunday, March 28, 1999
"Looking Back"

By 1915 Davis' Livery and Motor Car Co. was providing vehicles for North Texas and Southern Oklahoma residents, giving them a choice of a Cole, Studebaker, Metz, Reo and Dart automobile and Chase trucks. Chalmers, Okland and Maxwell autos also made their way onto his showroom. As automobiles gained wider use more stalls were removed with the space given to cars until the last horse was sold and the firm became the Davis Motor Car Company.
The front of the building was changed and other improvements made and the company continued to operate at the corner of Rusk and Chestnut. The company had the first telephone on the south side of town.

But it was a double-seated Pope-Hartford that was propelled by a 15-horsepower gasoline motor that almost did Davis in before he had begun in the automobile business.
He, Dr. H.W. James and J.T. Suggs and wives, along with an infant Tommy Suggs, who grew up to become president of the Texas & Pacific Railroad, were all injured when Dr. James' vehicle plunged off an eight-foot embankment and overturned.
The accident took place on the road to the Rod and Gun Club and Davis, Dr. James and Mrs. James were trapped under the car while the others jumped to safety. Davis suffered a back and hip injury.
A newspaper reported noted that "Dr. James displayed the presence of mind while on his back, with his legs and body fastened under the machine, when he cut off the connections and stopped the engine, making it utterly impossible for the gasoline to catch fire."
It was a coincidence that the county registration number on the vehicle was No. 13.

Davis ended his career as street commissioner in fine form with the announcement that the city's streets and fire equipment, including a new hook and ladder truck had arrived in the city. A parade was held in his honor on April 4, 1916, with all the equipment on exhibit.

Corner of West Chestnut Street at South Rusk Avenue, looking west.
Davis Motor Car Company.
You can see Mosse & Company in the building they took over in 1920 when the Rialto took over their historic site.

I feel sure he had something to do with all five of the vehicles in this little caravan that possibly lined up in the 200 block of South Rusk, between Chestnut and Crawford streets. The small sign "Hotel" on the far left of the picture possibly was the Parks Hotel that burned here a few months ago, and the two-story brick building on the right could possibly be Davis' $12,000 two-story brick building that he built after the fire.

From left to right, Vic and I determined that it was a Davis motor vehicle in the back with a funeral hearse next, possibly an ambulance in the middle with the attendant's dog by his side, then firemen in a convertible and the police chief in front leading the caravan.

Mr. Wood, who was secretary and treasurer of the Davis Motor Car Company, purchased the company in 1930 and moved to the present location at 508-510 West Main, changing the name to Wood Motor Company. Besides his garage which as a large display room for new cars, well equipped repair shop, and body and fender and painting shop, Mr. Wood has a used car department and lot on Main Street.

Sherrard Motors
Near the southeast corner of South Rusk Avenue at West Chestnut Street.
Formerly Davis Auto

Sources:
The Denison Press, Wednesday, July 27, 1938
Donna Hunt. "Old Photo Leads to Research of Motor Company". Herald Democrat, May 26, 2013