At one time, Davis made an unsuccessful bid for a seat on the Illinois State Legislature.
Later years
In 1946, after his first marriage ended, Davis married his second wife, Josephine, who was an assistant principal. This union produced a son, Joseph, who was born in 1959.[3]
In the late 1940s, Davis purchased a 160-acre (65 ha) estate in Millstadt, Illinois. He began raising imported Landrace hogs, the first African American to do so. Although he began breeding hogs as a hobby, he would raise over 300 on his estate at a time. He would sell between $14,000 and $21,000 worth of swine at a single auction. His hogs would also win numerous awards at state fairs in Missouri and Illinois.[3]
Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State University) president Walter S. Davis (no relation) initiated a program to encourage farmers to raise the superior quality Landrace hogs. He purchased his stock for the program from Miles Davis, who imported his strain from Sir Winston Churchill's farm in England.[6]
Yenser, Thomas (editor), Who's Who in Colored America: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Persons of African Descent in America, Who's Who in Colored America, Brooklyn, New York, 1930-1931-1932 (Third Edition)
1910 (Thirteenth Census of US)Richland (NE of St Louis) dated 4-29-1910
^ abcdefgYenser, Thomas (ed.). Who's Who in Colored America: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Persons of African Descent in America (Third ed.). Brooklyn, New York: Who's Who in Colored America.
^ abJohnson, John H., ed. (June 7, 1962). "Jazzman Miles Davis's father dies in St. Louis". Jet. 22 (7). Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc.: 26.
^ abcJohnson, John H., ed. (November 1959). "Landrace hog breeder:Illinois doctor imports special breeding stock from Europe". Ebony. 15 (1). Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc.: 75–79.
