Samuel Davies was born in Reading, May 4, 1839, and until he was fifteen years old he attended the public schools. He then entered the Philadelphia & Reading railroad shops, in order to become a machinist, and he remained there four years. He next spent about a year and a half in the lathe department of the Scott foundry, and afterward was employed at various places, including Lebanon, Pittsburg and Wheeling. Returning to Reading, he was engaged at the Johnson foundry and machine shop when the war broke out. He enlisted in the State service in April, 1861, and on June 4, 1861, he enlisted in the United States service under Capt. William Briner, Company D, 3d Pa. R. V. C. He served all through the war in the Army of the Potomac, was in a number of hard fought battles, like the Seven Days Fight around Richmond, second Bull Run. South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg, and was mustered out at Philadelphia in the fall of 1864. The government gave him employment in Nashville, and Mr. Davies spent some time in that city, before going back to Reading. There he again worked as a machinist, for the railroad until 1881, but in that year he went into business for himself.
The concern of which Mr. Davies is now sole proprietor has passed through various phases of existence. Originally, in 1881, the firm name was Miller, Price & Co., and the company did a foundry and machine business. A few years later it became Miller, Printze & Co., and then Davies, Printze & Co., and finally in 1904 Mr. Davies took entire control of the plant. It is now known as the Industrial Foundry and Machine Works, and is located at Nos. 229-231 South Ninth street. There are about twenty hands employed, and the trade, though largely a local one, is of good volume.
On Dec. 13, 1866, Mr. Davies married Miss Margaret Birch, daughter of the late Dr. Solomon Birch. Five children were born to them, as follows: Mary Elizabeth died at the age of two years; Harry and William are both mechanics employed with their father; Beulah, who was graduated from the Reading high school in the class of 1895, taught in that city a few years and then married Joseph H. Skilton, a resident of Philadelphia; and Margaret, of the class of 1900 in the Reading high school, is now teaching at the Pear and Buttonwood school. Mr. Davies served during the war in Company D, 32d Pa. V. I. [3rd Pa. Reserves], seeing much active service, and is now a member of G. A. R. Post No. 16, of which he is past commander. He also belongs to the Union Veteran Legion, and holds the official rank of past colonel. In politics he is a Republican.
Currently a resident of Burke, Virginia - I'm originally from the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I have been a student of the Pennsylvania Reserves since 1997 and thoroughly enjoy telling their story. By trade I'm a former IT Professional but presently working as a Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service.
