Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/125

Rh was chosen professor of law at the University of Virginia. He died from a pistol-shot wound at the hands of a refractory student, whom he was endeavoring to arrest under the university laws. Among his publications are a treatise on " Estates Tail, Executory Devises, and Contingent Remain- ders under the Virginia Statutes modifying the Common Law"; "Treatise on Criminal Law, and Guide to Justices of the Peace" (1838); and a tractate " Against the Constitutional Right of Congress to pass Laws expressly and especially for the Protection of Domestic Manufacturers."

DAVIS, John Lee, naval officer-, b. in Carlisle, Sullivan eo.. Ind., o Sept., 1825 : d. in "Washington, 12 Maix'h, 1889. lie entered the U. S. service as a midshipman on 9 Jan., 1841, liecame passed midship- man on 10 Aug., 1847, and, while acting lieutenant, commanding a boat of the " Preble," of the East India squadron, boarded a piratical Chinese junk off Macao in November, 1849, with another officer and sixteen men, and captured the vessel and crew. He was commissioned lieutenant on 15 Sept., 1855, was attached to the Gulf squadron in 1801, and, as executive officer of the " Water Witch," took part in engagements with the Confederate ram " Manas- sas " at the head of the Mississippi passes and the squadron near Pilot Town on the same day, 12 Oct., 1861. He was commissioned lieutenant-commander on 16 July, 1862, and attacked Fort McAllister on 19 Nov., when his vessel was pierced by a solid shot below water. The leak was stopped tempo- rarily, and after the action the vessel was taken on shore and patched at the falling of the tide. He again engaged the fort on 27 Jan. and 1 Feb., 1863, and on 28 Feb., when the privateer " Nashville " was destroyed. On 19 March lie sank the blockade- running steamer " Georgiana " when she attempted to enter Charleston harbor. He was transferred to the command of the iron-clad " Montauk," and took part in the engagements with Forts Sumter, G-regg, Moultrie, and Battery Bee, in the beginning of September, 1863, and in the attacks on Fort Sumter on 5, 9, and 10 Nov., and that on Fort Moultrie on 16 Nov., 1863. In 1864-'5 he com- man-ded the steamer " Sassaeus," of the North At- lantic blockading squadron, which towed the pow- der-boat " Loiiisiana " from Norfolk to Fort Fisher in December, and engaged that fort on 24 and 25 Dec, 1864, 13 and 14 Jan., 1865 ; Fort Anderson, in Cape Fear river, on 18 Feb. ; and Fort Strong •on 20 and 21 Feb., on which last day the vessel was struck under the water-line, but the leak was kept under till dark, and then effectually stopped. He was commissioned commander on 25 July, 1866, promoted captain on 14 Feb., 1873, and was a mem- ber of the light-house board in 1876, and of the board of insjsection in 1882. He was promoted commodore on 4 Feb., 1882, commanded the Asiatic station in 1883-'6, and on 30 Oct., 1885, received his commission as rear-admiral, and was in Novem- ber, 1886, relieved of his command of the Asiatic squadron and placed on the retired list.

DAVIS, John W., statesman, b. in Cumberland county. Pa., 17 July, 1799; d. in Carlisle, Ind., 22 Aug.. 1859. He received a classical education, studied medicine, and was graduated at the Balti- more medical college in 1821, removing in 1823 to Carlisle, Ind. He was for several years a member of the Indiana house of representatives, being chosen speaker in 1832. In 1834 he was appointed a commissioner to negotiate a treaty with the Indians. He was elected to congress by the democrats, and served from 7 Dec, 1835, till 3 March, 1837, was re-elected and again served from 1839 till 1841, and from 1843 till 1847. Durine: his last term he was speaker of the house of representatives, having been elected 1 Dec, 1845. He was U. S. commissioner to China in 1848-'50, and governor of Oregon in 1853-'4. He presided over the con- vention held at Baltimore in 1852 that nominated Franklin Pierce for the presidency.

DAVIS, Lemnel Clark, journalist, b. in San- dusky, Ohio, 25 Sept., 1835. He early turned his attention to journalism, becoming- an editorial writer for various papers. In 1869 he assumed the management of the Philadelphia '• Inquirer," which he has held ever since. To his efforts are due the first passage of laws for regulating the admission of the insane into asylums in Pennsylvania, and the amelioration of their condition. Mr. Davis has been a contributor to magazine literature since 1867, and has published "The Stranded Ship" (New York, 1869). — His wife, Rehecca Harding, author, b. in Washington, Pa., 24 June, 1831, passed her early life in West Virginia. Her " Life in the Iron-lMills," published in the " Atlaintic Monthly" in 1801, was followed by "A Story of To-Day." published in book-form, under the title of " Mar- garet Ilowth" (1861). In 1863 she was married and went to reside in Philadelphia, and in 1869 she became an editorial writer. She has published " Waiting for the Verdict " (Philadelphia, 1867) ; " Dallas Galbraith " (1868) ; " John Andross " (1875) ; " Berrytown "' (1876) ; and " A Law unto Herself " (1878).— Their son. Richard Harding', b. in Phila- delphia in 1804, has publislied since 1890 " V"an Bibber and Others," " The Princess Aline," " I'he Exiles," " The West from a Car Window," " Our English Cousins," " About Paris," '" The Rulers of the Mediterranean," '• Three Gringos in Venezuela," and " Soldiers of Fortune."

DAVIS, Matthew L., author, b. in 1700: d. m Manhattanville, N. Y., 21 June, 1850. He was by trade a printer, became a skilful writer, and at- tached himself to the political fortunes of Aaron Burr, whom he supported in his candidacy for the presidency. For many yeai's he wrote letters from the national capital to the New York " Courier and Enquirer " under the pen-name of " The Spy in Washington." He also cori'esponded with the London " Times," signing his letters " The Gene- vese Traveller." He was associated with Philip Freneau in the publication of the " Timepiece and Literary Companion " in New York city, which was begun on 15 Sept., 1797, and ceased on 30 Aug. of the following year. For many years be- fore Burr's death Davis was his only intimate friend and associate. He published "Memoirs of Aaron Burr, with Miscellaneous Correspondence " (New York, 1836-7), and edited Burr's " Private Journal during his Residence in Europe " (1838).

DAVIS, Nathan Smith, physician, b. in Greene, Chenango co., N. Y., 9 Jan., 1817. He was graduated at the medical college in Fairfield, N. Y., in 1837. established himself in practice at Binghamton, contributed notable papers on the nervous system to medical journals, and was instrumental in establishing the National medical association, of which he was president in 1864-'5. He removed to New York in 1847, assumed the editorship of the "Annalist" in 1848, and in 1849 went to Chicago, 111., to take the chair of physiology and pathology in the Rush medical school. In 1850 he assumed charge also of the department of practice of medicine. He assisted in organizing a state and a city medical association, and was one of the principal founders of Mercy hospital. His connection with the medical college continued until he assumed the editorship of the Chicago "Medical Examiner" in 1860. He also conducted