Caven J. “Red” Davidson, Ft. Worth, TX

1897 – 1978

Inducted 1973

J. “Red” Davidson was born in Frio County, Texas, attended Texas A&M College, and served in the Navy during World War I. After the war, he headed to the oil fields in Desdemona, Ranger, Caddo, Breckenridge, and Graham counties in Texas. He worked on producing leases and cable tool rigs for several years, then got a steady job with Bert Weekly in Caddo. The two were involved with drilling the Church and Fields Pool in Crane County in 1926. Three years later, Davidson partnered with J.B. Shira of Odessa, purchased Weekly’s drilling equipment, and formed Shira & Davidson Drilling Company. Davidson believed in charting; every well, dry hole, and lease block went on his maps. In 1934, aware of trend possibilities in the Permian Basin, he moved to the Cummins Ranch in north Ector County and watched his first wildcat well come in. In 1935, Davidson drilled a well with Honolulu Oil in Yoakum County. Fifteen miles from the nearest dry hole, the well discovered the Bennett Ranch Field, which would eventually be linked with the great Wasson Field.