Personal Life
Davis married Elnora Dickerson in 1902—the two had known each other as neighbors for many years. Their first child was born in 1905: daughter Olive Davis. A son was born in 1912: Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. In early 1916 a second daughter was born, but Davis's wife died a few days later from complications of childbirth. The daughter was named for her: Elnora Davis. Without a mother for the children, Davis relied upon the grandparents in Washington, D.C., for childcare while he was serving a tour of duty in the Philippines. In 1919 Davis married Sarah "Sadie" Overton, an English teacher at Wilberforce University. They were married 47 years, the partnership ending at Sadie's death on October 25, 1966.
Davis's son became the first black general officer of the United States Air Force in October 1954.
Read more about this topic: Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
Famous quotes containing the words personal life, personal and/or life:
“A man lives not only his personal life, as an individual, but also, consciously or unconsciously, the life of his epoch and his contemporaries.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“Because one has little fear of shocking vanity in Italy, people adopt an intimate tone very quickly and discuss personal things.”
—Stendhal [Marie Henri Beyle] (1783–1842)
“Yet they that know all things but know
That all this life can give us is
A child’s laughter, a woman’s kiss.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)