Guide to the the Robert H. Davis Papers 1940-2014
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- The Robert H. Davis Papers
- Creator
- Davis family
- Collection Number
- MSS 0607
- Extent
- 2.75 linear feet (3 boxes)
- Date
- 1940-2014
- Abstract
- Robert H. Davis served as president of Davis Super Markets, Inc., of Greensburg, Pa., a family business began by his father, William Davis, in 1922, for nearly 50 years. Davis was a distinguished community leader, having earned numerous civic and professional awards during his life. The Robert H. Davis Papers contain materials focused on those awards, including an official citation of excellence from the Pennsylvania Senate, along with a signed letter from Governor Dick Thornburgh. The papers also contains a large number of clippings from newspapers and other sources from the mid-twentieth century, scrapbooks chronicling Robert H. Davis' achievements and Davis Super Market marketing campaigns, photographs, correspondence, a disc of audio from Davis funeral in 2015 and a video created for a Congregation Emanu-El Israel and National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education event honoring Davis in 1993.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This collection has been made accessible as part of an NHPRC-funded Basic Processing grant.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
Robert H. Davis was the son of William Davis, who started in the family grocery business in 1914. William Davis opened the first Davis grocery store in Jeannette, Pa., in 1922. The family established themselves in Greensburg, Pa., marked by the success of their store located at 136 South Pennsylvania Avenue. A second store was opened in Greensburg in 1958, only to be destroyed by a fire in May of 1962. A new, modern Davis supermarket reopened in 1963 at 730 East Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg. Davis Super Markets, Inc., operated three grocery stores in Greensburg into the mid-1990s.
Robert H. Davis was a graduate of Jeannette High School, received a bachelors degree from the University of Pittsburgh in the 1930s, and served with the U.S. Naval Amphibious Force in Europe, including the invasion of Normandy, during the World War II. After returning from the war, Robert H. Davis soon became president of Davis Super Markets, Inc., a position he held for nearly fifty years. Davis was repeatedly recognized as an outstanding business man and community leader.
In 1966, he and Davis Super Markets, Inc., earned Brand Names' Outstanding Food Retailer-of-the-Year, as recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce office, one of the food industry's most prestigious awards. He received the seventh annual Humanitarian Award from the Westmoreland County Conference for Economic Opportunity (W.C.C.E.O.) in 1977, an honor acknowledged by the Pennsylvania State legislature and Governor Dick Thornburgh. He was named the first Man of the Year by the congregation of Emanu-El Israel of Westmoreland County, Pa., in 1979, of which he and his family are members. Robert Davis also served on the board of several civic committees, including the Pennsylvania Society for Crippled Children and Adults, Inc., Westmoreland County Health and Welfare Council, the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, and the Westmoreland County Industrial Development Authority. Davis and his wife, Phyllis Levine, had four children.
Scope and Content Notes
The Robert H. Davis Papers contain a substantial number of clippings from newspapers and other sources focused on Davis Super Markets, Inc. Most of these are from the Greensburg Tribune-Review and regional trade papers, like The Tri-State Food Trade Paper. Among other topics, the newspapers cover the new store opening in 1958; the fire which destroyed the Davis store in 1962; its subsequent re-opening on 750 East Pittsburgh Street soon after; and a Davis Super market grand opening event in 1981. The materials concentrate heavily on Robert H. Davis' civic awards and honors. An event program sponsored by the congregation of Temple Emanu-El Israel highlights "A Celebration of Bob Davis' 50 years of Community Service." Official Pennsylvania House and Senate citations, a signed letter from Governor Thornburgh, and an official county proclamation recognize Davis' Humanitarian Award from the W.C.C.E.O. in 1979. Two large scrapbooks also focus on the award, containing congratulatory letters and photographs from the dinner at which he was honored. Materials focused on Davis Super Markets, Inc., 1965 Brand Names' Outstanding Food Retailer-of-the-Year award include a plaque and scrapbook with news clippings and photographs, as well as a scrapbook of congratulatory letters from companies including Proctor and Gamble, Pillsbury, General Mills, and local businesses. A folder contains interior and exterior photographs of a Davis store, while another holds correspondence and papers.
2015 additions to the Robert H. Davis Papers include an oversize scrapbook entitled "Davis Super Market in Greensburg, Pennsylvania Proudly Presents It's 1965 "Brand Name Story." The scrapbook, which contains original sketches and hand lettering commissioned by the store, includes photographs, clippings, and correspondence documenting Davis Super Markets' 1965 marketing campaign. The scrapbook was entered into the Brand Names Foundation Retailer of the Year competition in 1965 in the division of Food Stores Class II, which the store won the following year. Clippings, programs and ephemera also included in the accession document Davis Super Markets and Robert H. Davis, including Davis' reception of the 1979 Westmoreland County Conference for Economic Opportunity Humanitarian Award and the celebration of his second bar mitzvah at the age of eighty-three. The first of two discs in the collection contains audio from Davis' funeral on December 17, 2014. A second disc contains digitized video created by Davis' friend Hank Baughman that was shown when Davis was honored by Congregation Emanu-El Israel and Seton Hill College National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education Israel on November 30, 1993. The video includes interviews with Davis, his wife and chidlren, and footage of him in a Davis Super Market location.
Conditions Governing Access
None.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift from Robert Davis in 1997.
Archives accession 1997.0376
Gift from Carole Davis in 2015.
Archives accession 2015.030068
Preferred Citation
The Robert H. Davis Papers, 1940-2014, MSS 607, Rauh Jewish Archives, Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Alex J. Toner on 10/11/11.
Additions processed by Carly Lough on 9/15/15.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Related Materials
The Rauh Jewish Archives maintains materials related to Congregation Emanu-El Israel located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. The library holds a book titled, "Celebrating 50 years of worship and service: Congregation Emanu-El Israel's building, 1949-1999," BM225 .G7 E5 1999 q c.2. Within the Archives is the Congregation Emanu-El Israel (Greensburg Pa.) Records, accession # 2002.0224.
Subjects
- Davis Supermarkets (Greensburg, Pa.)
- Congregation Emanu-El Israel (Greensburg, Pa.)
- Greensburg (Pa.)
- Grocery Trade--Pennsylvania--Greensburg
- Civic Leaders--Pennsylvania
- Jews--Pennsylvania--Greensburg