Davis, John E. (John Edward), 1913-1990

LC control no.	no2011114967
Descriptive conventions	rda
Personal name heading	Davis, John E. (John Edward), 1913-1990 *Browse this term in* LC Authorities or the LC Catalog
Biography/History note	Governor of North Dakota, graduate of UND "John Edward Davis was born on April 18, 1913, to James and Helen Davis, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Although his family was from Goodrich, North Dakota, Davis was born in Minneapolis. After attending several years of high school in Fargo, Davis graduated from Bismarck High School in 1931. Davis enrolled at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. While at the University, Davis pledged for Beta Theta Pi, and was active in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). He was the ranking officer in Scabbard and Blade, an organization of select Senior ROTC cadet officers. He graduated from UND with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce in 1935. Davis returned to Goodrich and took over management of his family's ranch and farm. In May 1941, he was drafted into the United States Army. He became commander of Company C, 134th Infantry, First Battalion. He saw extensive combat duty in the European Theater, and was awarded a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Silver Star. He separated from the United States Army on July 31, 1945, from Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. In 1946, Davis was elected mayor of McClusky, North Dakota, serving until 1952. That year, he successfully ran for a position in the North Dakota State Senate. He served in the Senate until 1956, when he was nominated for Governor on the Republican ticket. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Wally Warner, in the fall election. He was re-elected in 1958, and served until 1960. He was a candidate for the United States Senate in 1960, bu was defeated by Quentin Burdick. He was again a candidate for the Republican nomination in 1964, but lost to Tom Kleppe. In 1966, Davis was honored with the Sioux Award, the University of North Dakota Alumni Association's highest honor. Davis was elected the American Legion national commander from 1967-1968, and was appointed Director of the Office of Civil Defense by President Richard Nixon in 1969. The agency was renamed in 1972 as the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency. Following his retirement in 1976, he was awarded the Department of Defense Service Medal. In 1977, Davis returned to North Dakota to operate the family ranch and resume presidency of the First National Bank of McClusky. In 1978, he received the Greater North Dakota Award from the Greater North Dakota Association. He was active in many organizations, including the Elks, Masons, and the Scottish Rite and the Shrine. John Davis married Pauline Huntley in 1938. The couple had three children: John, Jr., Richard, and Kathleen. The couple divorced after forty years of marriage in 1978, after which he married Marilyn R. Westlie in 1980. John E. Davis died on May 12, 1990, in Rancho Mirage, California."
Associated country	U.S.
Located	Goodrich, N.D. Fargo, N.D. Bismarck, N.D. McClusky, N.D.
Birth date	19130418
Death date	19900512
Place of birth	Minneapolis, Minn.
Place of death	Rancho Mirage, Cal.
Field of activity	Politics
Affiliation	University of North Dakota
Profession or occupation	Mayors Legislators Governors
Found in	Papers, 1957-1960 (John E. Davis)
Associated language	eng