David City, Nebraska: Three Davids and a Missing S
David City, Nebraska, was once Davids City, until someone dropped the S. Who the name honors depends on which old source you trust.
The woman who gave the land
The most common story starts with a gift. Lilian Fitzpatrick’s 1925 place-names survey says the town “was named for a Mrs. Miles whose maiden name was David,” because she “deeded a large tract of land for the town-site.” The federal place-names database tells it the same way, calling her Mrs. William Miles.
Or her father?
The city’s own history page adds a twist. It says the courthouse land belonged to Mrs. Phoebe Davids Miles, who donated it, and that the town was named in honor of her late father, William Davids of Marion, Ohio. That’s where the S comes in: Davids City first, then David City, once the S was dropped.
Or a friend of the family, or the governor
Fitzpatrick doesn’t stop at one answer. She quotes George L. Brown, writing for the state historical society, who said the town was christened “Davids City, in honor of Mr. Davids, a friend and relative of Mr. William Miles.” And she mentions a story that it was named for David Butler, Nebraska’s first state governor.
So which David?
Most of the trail leads back to the Davids family of Phoebe Miles, who gave the land. If you’re hoping for one clean answer, you won’t get it here: whether the honor went to her, her father or another relative, the sources just don’t agree. That’s why we mark this one as disputed. Even the S is in question: the city and George L. Brown say Davids, while the federal record and Fitzpatrick’s first version say David.
Sources & further reading
- Lilian Linder Fitzpatrick, Nebraska Place-Names (University of Nebraska, 1925). The 1925 University of Nebraska study, now public domain. Mrs. Miles, George L. Brown’s “Davids City” and the David Butler story.
- City of David City, history page. Phoebe Davids Miles, her father William Davids and the dropped S.
- GNIS feature 828587 (U.S. Geological Survey). The federal record for David City. Founded 1873; named for Mrs. William Miles.
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