Colonel William A. Phillips

Ralph K. Davies (1897 – September 19, 1971) was an American businessman and political appointee. He began his career in oil and later moved into shipping. He was married to Louise Davies.

Early life

Davies was a native of Cherrydale, Virginia, a neighborhood in Arlington, but moved at a young age to San Francisco, California.^[1] At 15 he became an office boy.^[2]

Career

Oil

He was a director of Standard Oil Company of California in the 1920s–30s. He was the youngest person to become a director in Standard Oil's history. At 33, he became vice president of Standard Oil.^[3][2]

Shipping

From 1946 until 1971, when he died, he was chairman of the shipping company American President Lines. Under his leadership, the company went from almost bankrupt to a shipping empire. During his term at American President Lines, he became a millionaire.^[4]

Politics

Under Franklin Delano Roosevelt he served as Deputy Petroleum Administrator of the Petroleum Administration for War, in the Department of the Interior, Davies reported directly to Harold Ickes, and sometimes President Roosevelt. He served in this post from 1942 to 1946, though the administration was inactive for the final year of his term. Davies was designated as Deputy Administrator in 1941 but did not take office until the following year.^[5] He was awarded with a medal of merit by Harry S. Truman.^[6]

Philanthropy

Ralph Davies Medical Center was founded and named after him. It closed in the 1980s. The medical center was involved in a 1975 court case.^[7][8] His wife Louise was the patron of the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

He was married to Louise Davies.^{[citation needed]} The couple had three daughters Ellen Rush, Maryon Davies Lewis and Alice Davies.^[9] Ellen Davies went on to marry Stockton Rush Jr., a descendant of Benjamin Rush, the couple had a son Stockton Rush III who died in the Titan submersible implosion.^[10] Davies died in 1971 in San Francisco, he was 74.

References