WILLIAM B. DAVIS, proprietor of the Democrat Message, was born in Lafayette county, Missouri, July 10, 1865. His father, Henry K. Davis, was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, and his father, Samuel H. Davis, was a printer, and at one time published a paper in Wheeling, and later in Peoria, Ill. He spent his last days there. His son was also a printer, and followed his trade many years. He issued the first daily paper ever published in Peoria, and the first ever published in Champaign county, and during the war published the Lexington Union at Lexington, Missouri. It was a strong Union paper, and there his life was fraught with much danger. Later he established the Daily Advertiser at Kansas City, and it is now known as the Kansas City Times. Among the other places where he published papers were Paris, Texas, and Warrensburg, Missouri.

In December, 1874, he came to Mount Sterling and bought the Mount Sterling Democrat and continued its publication until his death, April 6, 1886. His wife's name was Mary Davis, of Cumberland, Maryland, a daughter of John Davis. She now resides at Mount Sterling, where she has reared six children.

William was ten years old when he came to Mount Sterling, and at the age of eighteen he began to learn the trade of printing in the office of the Democrat. In 1886 he bought the office and good will of the Message and consolidated it with the Democrat under the name of the Democrat Message. His mother still retains a half interest in the paper.

He married, in 1888, Laura G. Givens, of Mount Sterling, Illinois, daughter of John and Maria Putman Givens. They have one child, Catherine Maria. Mrs. Davis belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr. Davis is a Democrat in politics, and belongs to the Cincinnatis, No. 287, K.P.