Preston Davie

Who was Preston Davie?

Preston Davie was an American lawyer and colonel during World War I. Davie won a Distinguished Service Medal for his efforts. Upon completing military service, he graduated from Harvard Law School.

A descendant of William Richardson Davie, he amassed a large collection of historical documents over the course of his life, pertaining to the early settling of the United States. These include The Preston Davie Collection of Early Americana housed at University of North Carolina.

His second wife Eugenie Mary Ladenburg Davie was a prominent activist in the Republican Party. She assisted in the donation of many of his collections following his death.