University of Virginia Library

LAWRENCE S. DAVIS

Lawrence S. Davis, the subject of this sketch, is at
present Treasurer of the city of Roanoke. He was
born in Fluvanna County, Virginia, December 1st,
1871, and is the eldest
son of Dr. J. Waddy and
Anne Elizabeth (Apperson)
Davis. His parents
now reside near Cave
Spring in Roanoke
County. Dr. J. Waddy
Davis was an assistant
surgeon in the Confederate
Army and had
charge of Richmond
Hospital during the Civil
War. For many years
he was connected with
the Roanoke Times and
with the Evening World
as city editor and editor,
preferring journalism to
the practice of medicine.

After the war, Dr. Davis removed to St. Charles,
Missouri, and it was there that Lawrence S. Davis
received his early education. Leaving the State of
Missouri, the family located in Roanoke, where young
Davis attended Alleghany Institute. He later accepted
a position with the Roanoke Times, which he relinquished
to accept a place with the late P. L. Terry in
the banking business. This position he held for ten
years, when he purchased the insurance business of
the Roanoke Trust, Loan and Safe Deposit Company,
and soon afterwards associated with him Mr. W. C.
Stephenson, under the firm name of Davis & Stephenson,
writers of general insurance. Mr. Davis is president
of the firm, which is now erecting a $10,000 office
building on Kirk Avenue.

In November, 1905, he was elected City Treasurer,
and was again reölected in November, 1909, for a
term of four years.

On November 19th, 1901, he was married to Blanche
Rorer, daughter of P. H. Rorer, and a niece of the late
Ferdinand Rorer and Elijah McClanahan.

He is a director in the Colonial Bank and Trust
Company, and socially is a Knight Templar, Shriner,
Elk and Red Man, beside being identified with several
other organizations. Politically, he is a Democrat.