The Inspiring Life of a Secret Mentor
How do you define success? Do you chase your dreams or listen to the doubters? We can learn from Cashup.
Some of today’s most pressing questions are illuminated by the incredible true story of pioneer Cashup Davis who found immense success several times over. He was one of the Washington Territory's first national celebrities. He owned a very popular stagecoach stop in the heart of the Palouse, among the world's most beautiful and productive rolling farmlands. When the train put the stagecoach out of business, Cashup chased his vision of building a grand hotel on top of immense Steptoe Butte - even though everyone told him he was crazy. And maybe one has to be a little crazy to be that audacious. His hotel opened on July 4, 1888, and made headlines in America's newspapers all the way to New York. What happened next is another important lesson we can learn from Cashup's life all those years ago.
His great-grandson Gordy Davis seeks to fully understand his own success in life by going on a journey to uncover the story of Cashup Davis, the secret mentor Gordy never met. What we found stunned and enlightened Gordy, and even brought him to tears.
Cashup can be your secret mentor too.
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Meet The Authors
Award winning journalist Jeff Burnside. Entrepreneur/philanthropist Gordon Davis. Together, these two bring Cashup’s legacy back to life through a personal retelling.
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Meet Cashup Davis
A tenacious man from the past teaching us lessons for the future. Get to know the secret mentor before you dive into the book.
What people are saying
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James “Cashup” Davis had “no interest in mediocrity,” and neither do the authors of this book. Anyone who has seen Steptoe Butte will appreciate the drive (or perhaps hubris!) of the man who built a hotel at the top of that great landmark. This book is an inspiring homage to the man who left such a legacy, and it is also a riveting exploration of how heritage can inform the present, even many generations removed.
Dr. Elizabeth S. Chilton, Provost and Professor of Anthropology, Washington State University
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I highly recommend reading the book “Cashup Davis.” I can’t help but mention that this book reminds me of the author and Cashup’s grandson, Gordon Davis. This book gives a firsthand account of how to be an achiever against incredible obstacles. It would especially be a great read for all the victims we have running around nowadays. It is a great account of how to accomplish things, and maybe have a little fun doing it. It is gritty and tough, just like they like it in the Eastern Washington Palouse. It is truly an inspiring story about an inspiring man and a totally inspiring place. You will be inspired.
Mike Leach, Mississippi State Head Football Coach, Former Washington State Head Football Coach, Bestselling Author, “Swing Your Sword,” “Geronimo,” “Sports for Dorks: Football.”
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“As the creator of Pictionary, I know how hard it is to be an entrepreneur, overcoming obstacles and chasing your dreams. I see the same thing in Cashup. It’s a page turner. You’ll learn a lot.”
Rob Angel, creator of Pictionary, author of “Game Changer”
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The story of Cashup Davis moves forward in an engaging style, vignette by vignette, providing a sense of the times and places of Cashup’s life, from the castles near Hastings, England to the landmark hotel he built on Steptoe Butte. The occasional personal judgments and insights, clearly in the voice of author Davis, provide an insightful interpretation of the person Cashup was, his successes and shortcomings. This unusual dimension of the biography enhances the relevance of the story for any reader who finds inspiration in an extraordinary life. It’s not easy to capture the full measure of one’s life, but the authors have done just that in writing this book.
Lawrence Schovanec
President, Texas Tech University -
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“Cashup Davis was a tireless visionary, one of those Western pioneers whose unbounded energy helped build a nation. His life story is a tale of castles in the air and of real, stirring achievement.”
David Baron, author of “American Eclipse” and “The Beast in the Garden”
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“What a story! This cinematic biography is a literary adventure well worth taking. With the help of co-author Jeff Burnside, Gordon Davis sets the biography of his great-grandfather, Cashup Davis, against a backdrop of tumultuous events — from mass immigration to America, to the push of White settlers westward and atrocities committed against Indians, all the way to the dawn of the modern industrial era. With lucid writing and illuminating detail culled from historical and family documents, they tell a compelling story as unusual as their subject’s name.”
Tom Yulsman, Director of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder
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“We loved it! At a time when the world can use an inspirational story, along comes an uplifting winner in the little-known story of Cashup Davis. This page-turning account of a 19th-century pioneer who dreamed big in the American West and achieved tremendous success, is a tale that is packed with life lessons for today. As sublimely presented by Davis's grandson, Gordy Davis, and award-winning investigative reporter, Jeff Burnside, this remarkable story is destined to make Cashup Davis become a fan favorite.”
Gerald Posner, author of “PHARMA” and “Case Closed” and Trisha Posner, author of “The Pharmacist of Auschwitz”
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The book was a great read with many life lessons to learn from. The life of Cashup Davis – pioneer, dreamer, big thinker, risk taker and entrepreneur – whose actions and mindset influenced his great grandson and surely will influence you. A non-traditional self-help book inspired by the true-life story of Cashup Davis – pioneer, risk taker and entrepreneur. Vision, action, successes and consequences of decisions taken by Cashup Davis and how his mindset could determine your path and trajectory in life.
Dr. Kevin R. Pond, Dean of the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, West Texas A&M University
