From the book, “Some Gave All,” available on Amazon
End of Watch Saturday, September 24, 1955
In the late 1800s, people who lived in Baldwin County began moving across the Perdido River and settled into the new community of Beulah. Two of those people were James and Getsy Davis. The young couple started growing their family and becoming leaders in the community. By 1910, the five kids included daughters Maisy and Flossie, and sons Dewie, Roland, and Raymond. Roland, born on January 5, 1906, grew up in Pensacola. He attended Pine Forest School but left to work construction. In 1925, he was just 19 years old, but he was chosen to work as an officer at County Convict Camp No. 3. Then he began working as a tractor operator for the county for eight years. Following that assignment, he became the county jail superintendent. On January 9, 1935, Davis was appointed superintendent of the court building and jail, now the Pensacola Cultural Center.
Pensacola Cultural Center, located in downtown Pensacola on the southeast corner of Zarragossa and Jefferson Streets
In 1936, Roland became a county traffic officer. He held that position for eight years until he was elected Constable of District 1. After one term, he returned to his old traffic officer position. In 1951 he became a deputy sheriff. He held that position for the rest of his life.
Escambia County Road Patrol Auxiliary
Twenty-nine-year-old Willie Etheridge and his three buddies were sitting in a car at Tarragona and Hernandez Streets at 9:30 on Sunday morning, March 27, 1955. The foursome had been out all night drinking and partying. As they were winding down the night, a young woman walked up and addressed Willie.
“Where’ve you been all night?” she said in an angry tone. With a smug tone in front of his friends, Willie answered his wife, “I’ve been out.”
Mary Ellen didn’t say anything. Her actions spoke louder than her words. She pulled out a large knife and plunged it deep into Willie’s chest. Willie was taken to the hospital. He didn’t die. He recovered and lived to party again. Deputy Roland Davis and Pensacola Police Officer Clyde Touart were called, responded, and arrested Mary Ellen. For Roland, it was an easy case. After 30 years, he had seen it all. He could easily handle this simple case…for now. In six months, he was dead.
Autumn…what a great time of year! The trees are shedding their leaves of red, green, and brown. The air has a feeling of chill to it…except in the deep south. In Pensacola, summers last well into October… November…even December. On September 24, 1955, the high reached 85. Roland was directing traffic that day at the corner of “Z” and Brainerd Streets. That intersection was in the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood. The other officer at the scene, Kilby Fillingim, was taking a break from the laborious work in the hot sun. At about 1 PM, Roland came over to where Fillingim was standing in the shade of a tree. The Pensacola News Journal gives a great description of what happened next.
“I’m going to sit down for a minute,” said Deputy Davis. That was strange because officers on such details don’t often sit. Fillingim, who lived nearby, recognized that something was wrong and offered Davis some lunch at his house or some iced tea, but Davis refused. As he sat down, he started to fall over, but Fillingim grabbed him and asked if he was okay. Davis didn’t respond. He gasped for air three times and, in Fillingim’s words, “became still.”
1955 Chevrolet Ambulance
Fillingim got on the radio and called for an ambulance. Davis was rushed to Escambia General Hospital on Leonard Street but was dead when they arrived. It appeared he died instantly from a massive heart attack.
Deputy Davis was survived by his wife, four daughters, three sons, a mother, four sisters, three brothers, and seven grandchildren. One of his sons, William, went on to become the sheriff of Escambia County in the 1960s. The funeral took place three days later, on September 27, at 1:30 PM at Davis’s church, Beulah Baptist, officiated by Reverend Lester Weekley. Davis was buried in Beulah Cemetery.