On his father’s side, he is a descendant of two signers of the Declaration of Independence: Dr. Benjamin Rush and Richard Stockton. On his mother’s side is an industrialist and the namesake of San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall.

The Davies derived their immense wealth from Ralph K. Davies. Born in 1897, Davies was already working as an office boy at Standard Oil of California by the age of 15. He shot up the ranks, becoming the youngest person in company history to earn the rank of director. During World War II, he joined the Department of the Interior at President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s request. He served as the petroleum administrator for the war throughout the conflict.