This page is dedicated to my Great Grand Uncle Ory Thomas Davis. I inherited many of his photographs from my father. After my grandfather's passing, when my dad was only 2 years old, Uncle Ory helped my grandmother raise my dad and uncle. I hope to share these photographs and the history behind them, as well as insight into this amazing man that I've heard about for most my life. - Debbie Davis Tr
autmann
THE ALAMOSA DAILY COURIER SEP 24, 1945 V.18 #103 FRONT PAGE
O.T. DAVIS, 86, CITY PIONEER, DIES SATURDAY (Sept 22, 1945)
O.T Davis, 86 well known photographer in Alamosa since the year 1906, died at the Worth home at 403 Eighth street at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Recently retired from active life as a photographer, Davis has been in ill health for some time. He was a former U.S. district commissioner for about 14 years. Davis was born in Decatur County, Iowa in 1859 and later lived in Nebraska where his father homesteaded starting a farm with three yoke of oxen and a cow. His mother became one of the first school teachers in the state of Nebraska. As a young man Davis became interested in mining and as a member of a mining company force was sent to Colorado. In this state he and several others of the company operated the Pass Creek copper mine. When the mine failed, Davis took up a ranch at the head of Pass Creek and ran a small herd of cattle. Because of dry weather he gave up the ranch and entered photography in 1888 in Walsenburg. For a number of years Davis worked as a photographer in the coal mines at Hastings. Hearing of an opening in this line of work in Alamosa he came here and started in business above the old American National bank. He later removed his site to the Empertus building and from there moved to his present location on Fourth Street. THE LA VETA ADVERTISER FRIDAY OCT 12, 1945
EARLY DAY RESIDENT HERE DIES AT ALAMOSA
O.T. Davis, early day photographer and miner of La Veta, died last month at the age of 86 at the Worth home in Alamosa. Most of the pictures were taken by Mr. Davis, who operated a business here, some of the time in a tent pitched where the Hall filing station now stands.
