A Salute To A Worthy And Outstanding Brother

Ill. Frank Elwood Davis, 33°, is among the most distinguished Brethren to hold membership in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Southern Jurisdiction, USA. Affiliated with the Valley of Washington, D.C., Ill. Brother Davis was coroneted an Inspector General Honorary, 33°, in 1999, in recognition of his many services to the Capital City, America, Masonry, and the Scottish Rite. He has been particularly helpful, for instance, to Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, and generous to the charities of the Supreme Council.

On December 15, 1915, Ill. Davis, a native son of Washington, D.C., was birthed during a blizzard by his mother, Annie McCarthy Davis, and delivered at the Davis home on 5th Street, NE, by his father, Leonard Henry Davis. Brother Davis was the youngest of three boys, the elder brothers being Leonard Roger Davis and Halford Goodwin Davis.

Ill. Bro. Davis attended Tech High School at Second and T Streets, NE, in Washington, D.C., and then went to work at the Riggs National Bank in 1934. When he did not receive a requested raise in 1937, Ill. Davis decided to quit the bank to go to college. He attended The George Washington University and received his law degree in 1942.

Joining the United States Navy as an Ensign in March of 1942 during World War II, he served in the Office of Purchasing, buying spare parts for Navy aircrafts. He also served with CASHU–22 (Carrier Aircraft Service Unit) at Quonset Point, Rhode Island. He was then shipped out to the Aircraft Carrier Vella Gulf, which was home ported in Seattle, Washington. He was discharged in 1946. Brother Davis was on the Vella Gulf for the repatriation of the Philippines, Okinawa, and Tokyo.

On September 19, 1942, Brother Davis married Eleanor Grunwell of Arlington, Virginia. There are three children from this marriage: Robert Elwood Davis, Anne Louise Davis Spratt, and Lynne Lockwood Davis Whitley. Their primary residence for 43 years was 2301 California Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

After the war, Bro. Davis returned to Riggs Bank and worked in its Trust Department until he and C. Dean Reasoner started their own law firm of Reasoner & Davis. Fred Vinson later became a partner, forming the law firm of Reasoner, Davis, & Vinson.

Enjoying the tremendous growth and prosperity that followed the war, Brother Davis went on to represent such preeminent organizations as Riggs Bank, The George Washington University, Peoples Drug Stores, Capital Film Laboratories, Acacia Mutual Life Insurance Co., Group Hospitalization, Inc., Security Storage Co., the Supreme Court Historical Society, Parsons Paper Co., Equitable Life Insurance Co., Lincoln National Bank, and many other prestigious firms.

Aside from his outstanding business career, Bro. Davis has always been dedicated to community service. He was vital in the leadership of such organizations, among many others, as the Junior Chamber of Commerce (President), the Metropolitan Washington Board of Trade (President), the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (President), the Boys and Girls Club of America, the Republican Party, the National Capital Area Boy Scouts, The Kiwanis Club of Washington, D.C., and National Representation Committee (Chairman). He is properly proud of his work on this committee which resulted in the ratification of the 23rd Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America giving the residents of the District of Columbia the right to vote for the President and the Vice-President of the United States.

Brother Davis has received many awards and belongs to many clubs. Some of the latter include the Chevy Chase Club, Columbia Country Club, Burning Tree Country Club (President), the Metropolitan Club, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick (President), the Alfalfa Club, Kappa Alpha Fraternity, the American Legion, the District of Columbia Bar Association, and the Lawyers Club.

It is difficult to realize the tremendous energy and devotion, which have motivated the life of Ill. Davis and the endless benefits to society that have resulted. We salute this most worthy and outstanding Brother!