Hugh Davis loved Langley with a passion

Hugh Davis (centre) honoured me by coming to my retirement party from The Langley Times in June, 2015. Seated with him are (left to right) Terry Smith, Bev Sommer, Warren Sommer, his longtime friend Irene McKaig, Marj Friesen and Benno Friesen. Hugh's long and productive life will be remembered at a celebration of life Saturday at the Kings School, next door to the Milner farm where he was born 93 years ago.



Hugh Davis, who passed away at age 93 on Oct. 2, was one of the last links with the early days of Langley Township.
He was the third generation of the Davis family to operate an active and vibrant dairy farm on a portion of what was the Hudson’s Bay Company lands in Milner. The HBC farm was established in Milner in 1835 in an effort to broaden the economic activity conducted at nearby Fort Langley. It was the first farm in the Fraser Valley, predating the establishment of British Columbia by 24 years. The company finally decided to sell the land, with it going to auction in New Westminster on June 17, 1878 in 20 blocks of from 50 to 190 acres.
The Davis farm land, known as Davistead, was bought by his grandfather Henry in 1882. Hugh’s father Harold was born on the farm in 1895, and Hugh was born there on Sept. 6, 1924. While some of the land was sold over the years, Hugh was able to buy some back, and it now stands at 100 acres. The Davises also lease additional farmland in the Milner valley to grow crops to feed to their cows.
It is now operated by his son David, a Township councillor, and his family. The Davis family farm is thus already in its fifth generation. It represents the fullest and truest definition of a family farm.
A wonderful video by BCIT broadcast journalism students Vanessa Ybarra, Sonia Stirling and Caroline Carter, compiled in 2010, offers a good look at the farm and its origins, and at Hugh himself. It can be found here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytPu2Hru9dM.
Hugh Davis didn’t finish high school, but he had more practical knowledge than many people who’ve spent decades in classrooms. His interests centred around the land, and its intricate soils and waterways, but he knew a great deal about many other subjects. He knew more about the HBC farm than anyone.
One of the most fascinating conversations I ever had with anyone in my 16 years as editor of The Langley Times was with Hugh. We met, by chance, at the opening of the Golden Ears Bridge between Langley and Maple Ridge in 2009. On that day, the bridge was only open to foot traffic, so we walked across the bridge together, and then back again.
He told me how he had never read a book since his days in school. He preferred to gain practical knowledge, and he had plenty of it. He also told me how he liked to go to bridge openings, as they represented a significant change in the flow of people and goods in the region. One of the first ones he attended was in 1937, when the Pattullo Bridge opened.
The insights he offered as we conversed about a broad range of topics were fascinating. I would liken it to hearing words of wisdom from a philosopher or professor – but always tinged with the air of practicality that is usually missing from those types of discourses.
He frequently attended Langley Township council meetings, both before and after his son David was elected to council. He was keenly interested in ensuring that farmland was preserved in Langley, and that farmers would be able to make a living on their land, while acting as stewards of the natural resources they managed.
He loved Langley with a passion. He was not alone in this, but his reverence for this community and particularly its natural advantages was boundless.
The Times published a fascinating story about Hugh back in 2012, written by freelance reporter Tricia Leslie. Follow this link to access it.
He was very happy that his grandchildren were growing up on the farm and were taking more and more Follow this link to access it.
This is the interest in it. They were old enough that not only could they do various chores, but they were able to understand the importance of the family working together to ensure that the farm was a success.
Hugh will be fondly remembered on Saturday at a celebration of life at the Kings School, located adjacent to the farm at 21783 76B Avenue, off 216 Street. It begins at 3 p.m.
(Update - As many had expected, the tribute to Hugh on Saturday attracted a huge crowd of close to 500 people. The wonderful words by his family and many photos of him, along with his old Dodge truck parked adjacent to the Kings School auditorium, where the memorial service was held, spoke volumes about this wonderful man. He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered for a long time.)

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