Stephen Josephus Davies papers

Collection

Identifier: SC-Cent. Misc. Mss. 124

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Stephen Josephus Davies papers primarily consist of material related to Davies attending Centenary College of Louisiana. It includes his Franklin Institute ornamental pin (1882), Franklin Institute certificate (1882), and Centenary College of Louisiana diploma (1882). Two photographs (circa 1882) depict Davies with other Centenary students. A photocopy facsimile of a manuscript written in 1882 by Davies describes the history of Centenary’s two literary societies, the Franklin Institute and the Union Literary Society. Envelope stationery (1882) from Centenary addressed to Davies contains a printed image of the college as well as details about the institution. A high school diploma (1910) from Bastrop, Louisiana, is likely for Davies’s son, Stephen E. Davies.

Dates

1882 - 1910

Creator

Davies, Stephen Josephus, 1857-1937 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Physical rights are retained by the Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Biographical / Historical

Stephen Josephus Davies (1857-1937) is the son of Stephen Josephus Davies (1812-1864) and Julia Ann Muggah (1826-1903). He enrolled at Centenary College of Louisiana in 1877 and graduated in 1882. In 1883, Davies became a preacher in the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He served as a pastor for churches within the Louisiana Conference for the remainder of his life. From approximately 1893 to 1895, he served as the Alexandria District Superintendent. Davies also worked as an educator. In 1887, he was a professor at Mansfield Female College (Mansfield, La.). From 1887 to 1889 he managed Pierce and Paine College (Pleasant Hill, La.). In 1910, he worked at Centenary College of Louisiana (Shreveport, La.) where he served as Professor of French and a teacher in Centenary’s grammar school. Davies first married Ada Pylant (1858-1886). He later married Margaret Hobbs Thompson (1868-1954); they had three children.

Extent

3 Folders

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Collection donated by Mary Davies Spessard in multiple accessions beginning in 1978. Pin (acc. no. 1978-082), certificates and diplomas (acc. no. 1985-112), photographs and literary society history (1986-114), envelope (1988-085).