Person:Herman Davis (5)

About Herman Davis

Herman Davis was born 15 September 1917 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, the eldest child of Abraham "Abe" Davis (b. abt. 1896 in England) and his wife Goldie Cohen (b. abt. 1899 in Russia [or England]) [Source: 1920 & 1930 U.S. Census Records]. Herman took his first job when only 15 years old - working in a picture frame factory 70 hours a week for $11. However, the depression-born National Industry Recovery Act (NIRA) program later raised his wages to $16 per week, and eventually he became a foreman in the assembly department. Because of his father's poor health, the family moved to Los Angeles, California in 1938. Here his father, an electrical contractor, was employed by the movie industry as an electrician. Herman became a cutter for an auto seat cover manufacturer.

The following year in 1939, Herman's father decided to go into business for himself and bought the service deli concession in Lloyd's Market at 3rd and Catalina in Los Angeles, California. This market, incidentally, generated some well-known names in the Los Angeles food business. Mark Schulman, who originated Clark's Markets, ran the meat concession, and Phil Harris, who started Hiram's Markets, owned the grocery. Herman Davis immediately joined his father in the new enterprise. It was here that he got his basic training in deli operations, and taught himself by simply "getting in and doing".

At the break of World War II, Herman Davis served his country in the United States Army, enlisting on 28 December 1942. He was stationed at Camp Callen, San Diego, where he became - not surprisingly - a cook, and later a Mess Sergeant. He was then assigned to a training cadre at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he spent three years teaching field cooking to men bound for overseas duty. Herman was released from active duty on 28 January 1946. [Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, BIRLS Death File]

Returning to Los Angeles in 1946, Herman re-joined his father's business. But shortly afterwards they lost their lease, so the father-son pair of entrepreneurs opened a restaurant-deli at 3rd and Kenmore, that they named "The Davis Deli". Their deli seated 50 people and was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Herman was in charge of the kitchen and did all of the cooking himself. Business boomed for three years, but in 1952, due to increased competition and his father's failing health, the two sold out. The day after the business was sold, Herman went down to the Retail Clerks Union to seek employment. He was sent to Harry Schneider, the Deli Buyer for The Boys Market at the time, who hired him for the service deli at the Highland Park store. Within three months, he was running the service deli, served as manager of the various service deli's until 1954, when he was put in charge of The Boys deli kitchen in San Gabriel, California. Here the company made their own salads, cut cheese and wrapped meats for their [then] seven stores.

In 1956, Herman Davis became Deli Manager at the Crenshaw-Rodeo store. He advanced to Deli Supervisor a year later with nine stores under his wing. After Harry Schneider left the firm in 1959, Herman was eventually promoted to Deli Buyer for The Boys Markets , under the tutelage of Eddie Goldstein, one of its co-founders. Herman was in charge of Boys Markets deli operations and was responsible for the buying decisions, new items, merchandising, writing the weekly ads and re-ordering of authorized items for the various stores.

During his career with The Boys Markets, Herman Davis was active in a local Southern California food-industry trade association (he joined in 1962), the Dairy/Deli/Bakery Council (DDBC), an organization that still exists today. Ralph was recognized by the Deli Council in May 1968, when he received its "Big Cheese" Award. He ran for a position on the Deli Council's Board of Directors and was elected and served on the Board for three years from 1970-1972. A life-long bachelor, Herman lived with his mother and married sister Doris (b. 1922) and her family in an apartment in the late 1960's. Herman Davis passed away 11 November 2008 in Porter Ranch, Northridge, Los Angeles County, California.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Cook County, Illinois Birth Certificates 1871-1922.

   Name: Herman Davis
   Birth Date: 15 Sep 1917
   Birth Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
   Gender: Male
   Father Name: Abraham Davis
   Father's Age: 22
   Mother Name: Goldie Cohen
   Mother's Age: 21
   FHL Film Number: 1308784

2.   Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index: Death Master File, database. (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service).

   Name: Herman Davis
   Last Residence: 91326 Northridge, Los Angeles, California, USA
   BORN: 15 Sep 1917
   Died: 11 Dec 2008
   State (Year) SSN issued: Illinois (Before 1951)

3.   Tributes.com.

   Herman Davis was born on September 15, 1917 and passed away on Thursday, December 11, 2008.
   
   Herman Davis was a resident of Porter Ranch, California
   
   http://www.tributes.com/obituary/show/Herman-Davis-84835394

4.   United States. 1930 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T626).

   1930 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   Name: Herma[n] Davis
   Birth Year: abt 1918
   Gender: Male
   Race: White
   Birthplace: Illinois
   Marital Status: Single
   Relation to Head of House: Son (Child)
   Home in 1930: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
   Street address: Central Pk Ave
   Ward of City: 24
   Block: 197
   House Number in Cities or Towns: 1869
   Dwelling Number: 146
   Family Number: 248
   Attended School: Yes
   Able to Read and Write: Yes
   Father's Birthplace: England
   Mother's Birthplace: England
   Able to Speak English: Yes
   Household Members: Name Age
   Abe Davis 34
   Goldie Davis 31
   Herma[n] Davis 12
   Doris Davis 7

5.   Ancestry.com. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010. (Provo, Utah, United States: Ancestry.com Operations, 2011).

   Name: Herman Davis
   Gender: Male
   Birth Date: 15 Sep 1917
   Death Date: 11 Dec 2008
   Cause of Death: Natural
   Branch 1: ARMY
   Enlistment Date 1: 28 Dec 1942
   Release Date 1: 28 Jan 1946