John Moore Kelso Davis, II

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John Moore Kelso Davis, II, 94, was born August 18, 1908 on Washington Street in Hartford, the son of Edith Brainard Davis and J.H. Kelso Davis. He died in Bloomfield on Thursday (November 28, 2002).

His forebears included Thomas Lord, who came to Hartford with Thomas Hooker, the Reverend Peter Bulkeley, who founded Concord, MA, and Theophilus Eaton, the chief magistrate and first governor of New Haven Colony.

He was educated at Miss Wheeler's School, a fresh air school, Kingswood, Kent '25, and Yale '29.

For 43 years he worked for the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., later Connecticut Printers, Inc., of which he was President from 1952-1973. He was also Vice President of the Prospect Press and Chairman of Cardovan Press which included the Limited Editions Club and the Heritage Press. He was a Board member of Printing Industry of America.

Mr. Davis was elected Alderman of Hartford, 1933-35. He served on the Boards of the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Connecticut Historical Society, of which he was President, the Old State House Association, the Greater Hartford Community Chest and Council, the Manufacturers' Association of Hartford County, and was President, the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Connecticut State Prison Board and the State Building Program Commission. An original member of the Distribution Committee of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, he was Chairman for 17 years. He was Vice President of the Council on Foundations for 12 years. He was a Director of Hartford National Bank & Trust Co., Aetna Fire Insurance Co., Smyth Manufacturing Co., Taylor and Fenn Co. and National Blank Book Co. He was President of the Trustees of the Colt Bequest, a Director of the Visiting Nurse Association, a Trustee of Renbrook School and of St. Margaret's School, a Regent of the University of Hartford, and Senior Warden of St. James Church, Farmington.

He received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Trinity College, the Charter Oak Leadership Medal from the Chamber of Commerce, the Medal for Distinguished Service from the University of Hartford, the United Way of Greater Hartford Annual Award and the Greater Hartford Community Council Annual Award.

In 1929 Mr. Davis was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of Field Artillery in the Officers Reserve Corps. In World War II he was on active duty for four years, three in the European Theater of Operations. He retired as a Lt. Colonel with a Bronze Star Medal and La Medaille de Reconnaissance, Francaise.

At Yale Mr. Davis was on the polo team and later played for ten years on the team of the Farmington Valley Polo Club. He was a member of the Acorn Club, the Twilight Club and the Columbiad Club.

In May, 1939, he married Mignon Estabrook Foerderer of Bryn Mawr, PA, who died on April 28, 2002. For 35 years, Mr. and Mrs. Davis lived in Avon, on the west side of Avon Mountain, and at their summer residence in Fenwick. They moved to Duncaster in 1984, where Mr. Davis was Executive Vice President of the Board that brought Duncaster into being.

He is survived by his daughter, Ethel Foerderer Davis; his granddaughter, Patricia Kelso Pendergrast; his sister, Martha Davis Soper of Old Saybrook; and his brother, Leverett B. Davis of Damariscotta, ME.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, December 2, at 11:30 a.m. at Old Saint Andrew's Church, 59 Tariffville Rd., Bloomfield, followed by a reception at Duncaster. The James T. Pratt Co. is assisting with arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, 85 Gillett Street, Hartford, CT 06105, and St. Mary's-by-the-Sea, P.O. Box 126, Old Saybrook, CT 06475.

Published in The Hartford Courant on Dec. 1, 2002 John Moore Kelso Davis, II, 94, was born August 18, 1908 on Washington Street in Hartford, the son of Edith Brainard Davis and J.H. Kelso Davis. He died in Bloomfield on Thursday (November 28, 2002).

His forebears included Thomas Lord, who came to Hartford with Thomas Hooker, the Reverend Peter Bulkeley, who founded Concord, MA, and Theophilus Eaton, the chief magistrate and first governor of New Haven Colony.

He was educated at Miss Wheeler's School, a fresh air school, Kingswood, Kent '25, and Yale '29.

For 43 years he worked for the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., later Connecticut Printers, Inc., of which he was President from 1952-1973. He was also Vice President of the Prospect Press and Chairman of Cardovan Press which included the Limited Editions Club and the Heritage Press. He was a Board member of Printing Industry of America.

Mr. Davis was elected Alderman of Hartford, 1933-35. He served on the Boards of the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Connecticut Historical Society, of which he was President, the Old State House Association, the Greater Hartford Community Chest and Council, the Manufacturers' Association of Hartford County, and was President, the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Connecticut State Prison Board and the State Building Program Commission. An original member of the Distribution Committee of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, he was Chairman for 17 years. He was Vice President of the Council on Foundations for 12 years. He was a Director of Hartford National Bank & Trust Co., Aetna Fire Insurance Co., Smyth Manufacturing Co., Taylor and Fenn Co. and National Blank Book Co. He was President of the Trustees of the Colt Bequest, a Director of the Visiting Nurse Association, a Trustee of Renbrook School and of St. Margaret's School, a Regent of the University of Hartford, and Senior Warden of St. James Church, Farmington.

He received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Trinity College, the Charter Oak Leadership Medal from the Chamber of Commerce, the Medal for Distinguished Service from the University of Hartford, the United Way of Greater Hartford Annual Award and the Greater Hartford Community Council Annual Award.

In 1929 Mr. Davis was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of Field Artillery in the Officers Reserve Corps. In World War II he was on active duty for four years, three in the European Theater of Operations. He retired as a Lt. Colonel with a Bronze Star Medal and La Medaille de Reconnaissance, Francaise.

At Yale Mr. Davis was on the polo team and later played for ten years on the team of the Farmington Valley Polo Club. He was a member of the Acorn Club, the Twilight Club and the Columbiad Club.

In May, 1939, he married Mignon Estabrook Foerderer of Bryn Mawr, PA, who died on April 28, 2002. For 35 years, Mr. and Mrs. Davis lived in Avon, on the west side of Avon Mountain, and at their summer residence in Fenwick. They moved to Duncaster in 1984, where Mr. Davis was Executive Vice President of the Board that brought Duncaster into being.

He is survived by his daughter, Ethel Foerderer Davis; his granddaughter, Patricia Kelso Pendergrast; his sister, Martha Davis Soper of Old Saybrook; and his brother, Leverett B. Davis of Damariscotta, ME.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, December 2, at 11:30 a.m. at Old Saint Andrew's Church, 59 Tariffville Rd., Bloomfield, followed by a reception at Duncaster. The James T. Pratt Co. is assisting with arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, 85 Gillett Street, Hartford, CT 06105, and St. Mary's-by-the-Sea, P.O. Box 126, Old Saybrook, CT 06475.

Published in The Hartford Courant on Dec. 1, 2002

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