J. B. Davis, editor and proprietor of the Sun, of Perryville, Mo., was born in Perry County, 1856. He is a son of Erastus Davis, who was born in Herkimer County, N. Y., in 1801.

The latter devoted his early manhood to teaching school and merchandising. In 1825 he came west, and settled in Perry County, Mo., where he was married, in 1831, to Elizabeth Evans, a native of pioneer settlers of the county, and a native of Virginia.

After his marriage, Erastus Davis located on a farm in Saline Township, Perry County, and remained there until his death. For a few years he served as justice of the peace for the county. He died in 1861, and his wife on October 26, 1887.

They were the parents of two children, who are living: Ella (wife of J. C. Fazier, of St. Louis), and J. B. The latter received his education in the common schools, with a two years� course at the Northeast Norman School, at Kirksville, Mo..

After finishing his education he was engaged in farming until 1880, when he decided to study law. He read law for a short time under the direction of Hon. M. L. Clardy and Judge William Carter, of Farmington, Mo., and in the fall of 1880 entered the law department of the State University of Missouri, from which he graduated the following year with the degree of L. L. B.

Upon his return to Perry County he located on a farm near Lithium, and was engaged in agricultural pursuits till February 1887, when he became editor and proprietor of the Sun, which he has since published in a very able manner. The paper has a large circulation, and is devoted to the taxpayers of the county.

In politics, it advocates the principles of the Democratic party. Mr. Davis is a promising young man, and is a member of the A. O. U. W.

The Goodspeed Publishing Company compiled a series of histories of various counties in the U.S. in the late 19th century. The information in the History of Southeast Missouri, published in 1888, was provided by the contemporary residents of Perry County and her neighboring counties. The biographies are a valuable source of genealogical information, despite a few minor inaccuracies. We are glad to present the transcribed biographies here for anyone researching Perry County's history.