Miles Dewey Davis Jr.
Miles Dewey Davis Jr. (March 1, 1898[1] – May 21, 1962[2]) was an American dentist and father of jazz trumpeter Miles Davis.
Biography
Davis was born on March 1, 1898, in Noble Lake, Arkansas. He was a son of Miles Dewey Davis Sr. and Mary (Luster) Davis. He was educated at the Arkansas State Normal School (now University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff) in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and received his Bachelor of Science degree at Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock in 1919. His studies continued at Lincoln University in Chester County, Pennsylvania. In 1924, Davis graduated from Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago, Illinois and began his practice the same year. He was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and the National Medical Association.[1]
On June 16, 1924, he married Cloots Mae (or Cleota) Henry. This union produced three children:[1]
- Dorothy Mae Davis (Mrs. Vincent Wilburn[3]), born May 10, 1925[1][4] – July 5, 1996[4]
- Miles Dewey Davis III, May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991[1]
- Vernon Napoleon Davis, November 3, 1929[1][5] – December 15, 1999[5]
Davis moved the family to Alton, Illinois and then to East St. Louis, Illinois, where he served as State Educational Director of the Elks Club. Very active socially and politically, he was also a member of the Prince Hall Freemasonry, Knights of Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, American Woodsmen, and the N.A.A.C.P.[1]
At one time, Davis made an unsuccessful bid for a seat on the Illinois State Legislature.
Later years
In 1946, after his first marriage ended, Davis married his second wife, Josephine, who was an assistant principal. This union produced a son, Joseph, who was born in 1959.[3]
In the late 1940s, Davis purchased a 160-acre (65 ha) estate in Millstadt, Illinois. He began raising imported Landrace hogs, the first African American to do so. Although he began breeding hogs as a hobby, he would raise over 300 on his estate at a time. He would sell between $14,000 and $21,000 worth of swine at a single auction. His hogs would also win numerous awards at state fairs in Missouri and Illinois.[3]
Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State University) president Walter S. Davis (no relation) initiated a program to encourage farmers to raise the superior quality Landrace hogs. He purchased his stock for the program from Miles Davis, who imported his strain from Sir Winston Churchill's farm in England.[6]
In 1962, Davis died in St. Louis of pneumonia following a stroke.[2]
References
- Yenser, Thomas (editor), Who's Who in Colored America: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Persons of African Descent in America, Who's Who in Colored America, Brooklyn, New York, 1930-1931-1932 (Third Edition)
1910 (Thirteenth Census of US)Richland (NE of St Louis) dated 4-29-1910
- ^ a b c d e f g Yenser, Thomas (ed.). Who's Who in Colored America: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Persons of African Descent in America (Third ed.). Brooklyn, New York: Who's Who in Colored America.
- ^ a b Johnson, John H., ed. (June 7, 1962). "Jazzman Miles Davis's father dies in St. Louis". Jet. 22 (7). Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc.: 26.
- ^ a b c Johnson, John H., ed. (November 1959). "Landrace hog breeder:Illinois doctor imports special breeding stock from Europe". Ebony. 15 (1). Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc.: 75–79.
- ^ a b "Social Security Death Index [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
- ^ a b "Social Security Death Index [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. Retrieved 2009-04-30.
- ^ Johnson, John H., ed. (April 12, 1962). "College president launches landrace hog project". Jet. 21 (25). Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc.: 50.
- v
- t
- e
recordings
- Birdland 1951
- Miles Davis at Newport 1955–1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4
- Miles & Coltrane
- Miles Davis Quintet at Peacock Alley
- Amsterdam Concert
- At Newport 1958
- Miles & Monk at Newport
- Jazz at the Plaza Vol. I
- Miles Davis & John Coltrane The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6
- In Person: At the Blackhawk, San Francisco
- Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall
- Miles Davis in Europe
- Live at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival
- My Funny Valentine
- Four & More
- Miles in Tokyo
- Miles in Berlin
- The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965
- Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1
- 1969 Miles – Festiva De Juan Pins
- Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2
- Live at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970: It's About That Time
- Bitches Brew Live
- Black Beauty: Miles Davis at Fillmore West
- Miles Davis at Fillmore
- Miles at the Fillmore – Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3
- The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
- Live-Evil
- In Concert
- Dark Magus
- Agharta
- Pangaea
- Miles! Miles! Miles!
- We Want Miles
- Live Around the World
- Merci Miles! Live at Vienne
- Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux
- Miles Davis and Horns
- Blue Haze
- Birth of the Cool
- Walkin'
- Miles Davis Volume 1
- Miles Davis Volume 2
- Miles Davis' Greatest Hits
- Basic Miles: The Classic Performances of Miles Davis
- Big Fun
- Get Up with It
- Water Babies
- Circle in the Round
- 1958 Miles
- Directions
- The Columbia Years 1955–1985
- Love Songs
- Super Hits
- The Essential Miles Davis
- Miles Davis Quintet: Freedom Jazz Dance: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5
- That’s What Happened 1982-1985: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7
- The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis with John Coltrane
- Miles Davis & Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings
- Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis 1963–1964
- The Complete Studio Recordings of The Miles Davis Quintet 1965–1968
- The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions
- The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions
- The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions
- The Complete On the Corner Sessions
- In Person Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk, Complete
- The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965
- The Complete Miles Davis at Montreux
- The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
- Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection
- The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions
- Chronicle: The Complete Prestige Recordings 1951–1956
- Panthalassa: The Music of Miles Davis 1969–1974
- Panthalassa: The Remixes
- Evolution of the Groove
- "All Blues"
- "Blue in Green"
- "Boplicity"
- "Dig"
- "Donna Lee"
- "Four"
- "Flamenco Sketches"
- "Freddie Freeloader"
- "Joshua"
- "Milestones"
- "Nardis"
- "Seven Steps to Heaven"
- "So What"
- Miles Dewey Davis Jr. (father)
- Miles Davis Quintet
- Miles: The Autobiography
- Miles! The Definitive Miles Davis at Montreux DVD Collection
- That's What Happened: Live in Germany 1987
- Live in Munich (1988)
- Miles from India
- A Different Kind of Blue (2004 documentary)
- Miles Ahead (2015 movie)
- Category