Davis grew up in Blossburg, Pennsylvania and attended preparatory school at Andover.
While attending Princeton, Davis was five feet, seven inches tall and weighed 168 pounds.
[3][6] However, in the summer of 1902, it was announced that Davis may be academically ineligible, having failed to pass his examinations and would be required to repeat his sophomore year at Princeton.
His eligibility was preserved as Davis had not been paid for his participation on the Atlantic City club.
[13] In 1939, Davis's former classmates created a scholarship fund in his name to be awarded to allow a student from Phillips Academy to attend Princeton.