Jacob William Youphes DAVIS

Born

14 May 1831 , Riga, Latvia, Russia

Died

20 January 1908 , San Francisco, California, USA

Parents & Family of Jacob William Youphes DAVIS

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Born: 14 May 1831 in Riga, Latvia, Russia

Father: Unknown

Mother: Unknown

Spouse(s)/Partner(s) and Child(ren):

Jacob William Youphes married Mary J Annie PACKSHER (PARKSHER) 3 January 1865 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada . The couple had (at least) 9 children.
Mary J Annie PACKSHER (PARKSHER) was born 21 December 1843 in Germany (German States) (German Empire). Mary J Annie died 14 September 1912 in San Francisco, California, USA.

Jacob William Youphes DAVIS died 20 January 1908 in San Francisco, California, USA.

Jacob W. Davis (1831–1908) was a tailor in Reno, Nevada, who is credited with inventing the modern riveted blue jean in 1871. While working in his shop on Virginia Street, he developed the idea of using copper rivets to reinforce stress points on work pants—specifically pocket corners and the base of the button fly—after a customer requested a more durable pair of trousers for her husband.

Because Davis lacked the $68 needed to file for a patent, he wrote to his fabric supplier in San Francisco, Levi Strauss. The two men partnered and were granted U.S. Patent No. 139,121 for an "Improvement in Fastening Pocket-Openings" on May 20, 1873. This date is widely considered the "birthday" of blue jeans.

photo/ portrait (above) from wikipedia.org

Details of the family tree of Jacob appear below.

WORK & OCCUPATION

Occupation

Recorded occupation: Tailor, Inventor and Entrepreneur known as inventor of jeans

Spouse & Children of Jacob William Youphes DAVIS

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Jacob William Youphes DAVIS married

Mary J Annie PACKSHER (PARKSHER)
Marriage date: 3 January 1865
Marriage place: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Children of Jacob William Youphes DAVIS and Mary J Annie PACKSHER (PARKSHER)

Marcus Lee DAVIS

Born: 12 December 1866, Cariboo, British Columbia, Canada
Died: 29 September 1928, Tacoma, Washington, USA

Rosa DAVIS

Born: abt. 1867, , British Columbia, Canada
Died: 18 April 1951, Tacoma, Washington, USA

Thomas Benjamin Franklin DAVIS

Born: 14 December 1867, Virginia City, Nevada, USA
Died: 22 March 1939, San Francisco, California, USA

Amelia DAVIS

Born: February 1870, Reno, Nevada, USA
Died: ,

Morris Maurice William DAVIS

Born: 19 January 1872, Reno, Nevada, USA
Died: 31 March 1933, San Francisco, California, USA

James DAVIS

Born: 22 October 1875, San Francisco, California, USA
Died: 28 February 1877, San Francisco, California, USA

Mollie DAVIS

Born: 2 February 1876, , Nevada, USA
Died: 7 February 1939, Reno, Nevada, USA

Simon E DAVIS

Born: 12 March 1877, , California, USA
Died: 19 August 1940, San Francisco, California, USA

Eugene DAVIS

Born: 5 July 1879, San Francisco, California, USA
Died: 18 December 1880, San Francisco, California, USA

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Records about Jacob William Youphes DAVIS and family appear alongside historical events from the same years. Each item is labeled so you can quickly tell family records from historical context.

Birth — 1831
14 May 1831
Riga, Latvia, Russia

1839 - February 24 - Steam shovel patented by William Smith Otis (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA)

1843 - The Christmas card is invented (Sir Henry Cole and John Callcott Horsley, England)

Artificial Freezer Patented (Nancy M. Johnson, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA)

1845 - The rubber band is invented (Stephen Perry, England)

The refrigerator is invented (John Gorrie, United States)

1849 - The safety pin is invented (Walter Hunt, United States)

1857 - Toilet paper is invented (Joseph Gayetty, United States)

1858 - March 30 - H. L. Lipman, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, patented the first pencil with eraser

1864 - Pasteurization is invented (Louis Pasteur, France)

1865 Marriage / Partner
Jacob William Youphes DAVIS and Mary J Annie PACKSHER (PARKSHER) 3 January 1865, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

He was 33 years old.

1866 Birth of Child
Marcus Lee DAVIS was born 12 December 1866, Cariboo, British Columbia, Canada

Jacob William Youphes was 35 years old.

1867 Birth of Child
Thomas Benjamin Franklin DAVIS was born 14 December 1867, Virginia City, Nevada, USA

Jacob William Youphes was 36 years old.

1868 - The typewriter is invented (Christopher Latham Sholes, United States)

Thomas Edison applies for his first patent, the electric vote recorder.

1870 Birth of Child
Amelia DAVIS was born February 1870, Reno, Nevada, USA

Jacob William Youphes was 38 years old.

1872 Birth of Child
Morris Maurice William DAVIS was born 19 January 1872, Reno, Nevada, USA

Jacob William Youphes was 40 years old.

1875 Birth of Child
James DAVIS was born 22 October 1875, San Francisco, California, USA

Jacob William Youphes was 44 years old.

1876 Birth of Child
Mollie DAVIS was born 2 February 1876, , Nevada, USA

Jacob William Youphes was 44 years old.

1876 - March 7 – Alexander Graham Bell is granted a United States patent for an invention he calls the telephone.

1877 Death of Child
James DAVIS died 28 February 1877, San Francisco, California, USA

Jacob William Youphes was 45 years old.

1877 Birth of Child
Simon E DAVIS was born 12 March 1877, , California, USA

Jacob William Youphes was 45 years old.

1877 - November 21 - Thomas Edison announces his invention of the phonograph, a machine that can record sound.

1879 - Incandescent light bulb is invented (Thomas Alva Edison, United States)

1879 Birth of Child
Eugene DAVIS was born 5 July 1879, San Francisco, California, USA

Jacob William Youphes was 48 years old.

1880 Death of Child
Eugene DAVIS died 18 December 1880, San Francisco, California, USA

Jacob William Youphes was 49 years old.

1884 - Photographic film is invented (George Eastman, United States)

The first gravity roller coaster amusement ride (LeMarcus A. Thompson, United States)

1889 - The automobile is invented (Gottlieb Daimler, Germany)

1891 - The zipper is invented (Whitcomb L. Judson, United States)

The motion picture camera is invented (Thomas Alva Edison, William K.L. Dickson, United States)

First Perforated Toilet Paper Roll is Patented

1897 - Aspirin is invented (Felix Hoffmann (Bayer), Germany)

1901 - King Camp Gillette and William Emery Nickerson invented the world's first disposable razor blade in 1901. (Boston, Massachusetts, USA)

1902 - July 17 - Willis Haviland Carrier designed the first modern air-conditioning system. (Buffalo, New York, USA)

1903 - The first engine-powered airplane is invented (Wilbur & Orville Wright, United States)

1906 - August 22 – The first Victor Victrola, a phonographic record player, was manufactured, revolutionizing the way people listened to music at home.

In 1906, Reginald Fessenden made the first AM radio broadcast on December 24th. This event marked a significant advancement in radio technology, paving the way for the modern broadcasting industry.

1907-1908 - The electric washing machine is invented (Alva J. Fisher, United States)

Death — 1908
20 January 1908
San Francisco, California, USA
He died at the age of 76.

RECORD HISTORY

Record added: 3/20/2026 12:30:57 PM
Last updated: 4/10/2026 2:47:54 PM

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