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AVIS, HENRY EDGAR, lawyer, was born in Washington, District of Columbia, March 15, 1855. His parents were Henry S. Davis, of Charles county, Maryland, and Mary E. (Gait) Davis, a native of Alexandria, Virginia. He prepared for college at the Everett and Emerson institutes, of Washington, and entered Princeton college. New Jersey, in 1872, graduating with the degree of A.B. in 1876. He studied at the Harvard law school, in 1876-77, and subsequently entered the law department of Columbian university, Washington, District of Columbia, from which he was graduated LL.B., in 1878, receiving the degree of LL.M., in 1879. While in Princeton he distinguished himself, both in his studies and in oratory, and was one of the honor men of his class. In 1879 he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, to the Court of Appeals of Maryland, to the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia, and to the United States Court of Claims. He was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States in October, 1882.

Mr. Davis made rapid strides in his profession, and is regarded as one of the leading lawyers at the national capital. From July 1, 1885, to November 1, 1889, he was assistant attorney for the District of Columbia, and from 1897 to 1899 he was United States attorney. He held the chair of Common Law Practice and History of Law at Columbian university from 1888 to 1897, and is at present professor of Evidence, Pleading and Mercantile Law, and lectures on the history of the law in the National university law school, of Washington.

Mr. Davis is a Democrat in politics, but has held himself aloof from all official allurements which would interfere with his professional career. He was a delegate to the Democratic national convention, in 1892. He is a member of the Metropolitan, University, Columbia, and other clubs of Washington. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the National university, of Washington, District of Columbia, in 1898.