Walter Naylor Davis

Davis was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Judge Alexander Davis and Alice (Edwards) Davis. He had two brothers and three sisters. Davis' father had been a Colonel in the 5th Division of the Missouri State Guards during the Civil War.^[3] and later a judge in the Montana Territory before returning to St. Louis and practicing law.^[4] Davis received his secondary education at Smith Academy (St. Louis), graduating in 1894. He received his college degree from Vanderbilt University in 1898, and law degree from Saint Louis University in 1900. In 1901 he married Roberta Randolph Morrison.^[5] Davis practiced law as a partner in the firm of Bates, Blodgett, Williams & Davis. He died September 16, 1951, and is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

Davis made his first foray into elective politics in 1916 by running for a circuit judge position in St. Louis County. However he was soundly defeated by his Republican opponent. He served twice as a commissioner of the Missouri Supreme Court, first in 1923, then again from 1927 to 1931^[2] In 1944 Davis won a narrow victory to become Missouri's 34th Lieutenant Governor.

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