Davis, Willard Albert “Podunk”
Mrs. F.L. Nelson
Willard (Podunk) Davis was born on November 21, 1859 in Louisville, Kentucky. He died on October 27, 1943 in Princeton, BC.
Davis drove cattle on the California Trail 1879. He came to Princeton in 1887.
In January 1901, he applied for a license to prospect for coal 2 miles above Princeton on Tulameen River. (dated January 1, 1901).
In September 1926, he and Fred Doherty found Nurse Mary Warburton who was lost on the Hope-Princeton trail. Royal Human Society’s medal presented at a Princeton Board of Trade luncheon by Premier John Oliver (see pic 1949).
Podunk had a string of cabins and had a still (in Princeton Museum) and made backwoods gin. Even the chickens not too steady on their feet.
In 1943, he was in hospital, visited by his brother GOP Pete from Victoria.
It was reported that W.A. Davies married Mrs. F.L. Nelson in 1913.
Princeton 100 Years , page 31; Princeton Our Valley, page 190; Princeton BC (1979) – Laurie Currie, page 31, 36; See Pictures P. 975. 47 Green Album, Princeton Pioneer Days; Dave Taylor’s Album Page D2 -3 9 photos of 1 himself standing in front of cabin. See Subject File. See Pics museum archives; Death registration (BC Archives); The Islander – The Daily Colonist Magazine, October 19th 1969, page 3; Similkameen Star, April 14, 1927, page 1, October 7(?), 1943; October 28, 1943, page 1 (obituary)