Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/166

 DAVIDSON

DAVIDSON

DAVIDSON, Thomas, ship builder, was born in Nottingham, England, Aug. 28, 1828; son of Thomas and Janet (Drummond) Davidson of Arbroath and Montrose, Scotland. He came to America with his parents and his elder brother George Davidson in 1832 and settled in Philadel- phia. He was ap- prenticed to Matthew Van Dusen, ship builder, and spent his leisure hours in study- ing mathematics with his brother George. He became a ship builder on his own account in Philadel- phia and his acquain- tance with John Lenthall, chief con- structor of the U.S. navy, led to his ap- pointment in 1861 as quartermaster in the Philadelphia navy yard with direction over the ship carpenters of the yard. He was made assistant naval constructor in 1863, and naval constructor with the rank of commander in 1866. His skill was exhibited during the civil war in the rapidity with which he conducted repairs on old ships and built new ones. He built the Tuscorora in fifty-eight working days, the Miami in twenty-seven days and the Juniata of 1240 tons, from the live oak frame originally intended for a frigate, and which bad seasoned in the yard for twenty-three years, in seventy days. When the U.S. frigate Monongahda was thrown upon the beach on the island of Santa Cruz by a great earthquake wave, Nov. 18, 1867, and left forty feet above tide water and over half a mile inland from water sufficiently deep to float her, he succeeded in returning the great ship to deep water, a greater part of the way over a coral bed. He executed the models and draw^ings for the first torpedo boat constructed by the U.S. navy. He was engaged in developing a series of armored ves.sels, torpedo boats and cruisers for the United States when he died very suddenly in Philadel- phia, Pa.. Feb. 18, 1874.

DAVIDSON, Thomas Q., representative, was born in Jefferson county, Mi.ss., Aug. 6, 1805. He was admitted to the bar in 1827, removed to Greensburg, La., where he was register of the land office, and was elected to the state legisla- ture, 1833-46. He was a Democratic representa- tive in the 34th, 35th and 36th congre.s.ses, but withdrew from the 30th congress in February, 1861, with other secessionists. After the war he again served in the Louisiana legislature. He died in Livingston parish, La., Sept. 11, 1883.

DAVIDSON, William, soldier, was born in Lancaster county, Pa., in 1746. His parents removed to North Carolina in 1750, settling in Rowan county. He volunteered in one of the first regiments raised in the state for the main- tenance of its independence and was elected major of the regiment. Under General Nash the regiment, with the others making up the North Carolina line, joined Washington's army in New Jersey, and he fought at Brandy wine, Germantown and Monmouth, gaining promotion to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and comman- dant of his regiment. In November, 1779, the North Carolina line was ordered to reinforce General Lincoln at Charleston, S.C, and Colonel Davidson obtained leave of absence to visit his family. While he was at home the news of the capitulation of General Lincoln emboldened the loyalists of North Carolina to offer aid to the British troops on their progress north, and Colonel Davidson, at the head of a body of mili- tia, met the insurgents near Calson's ^lill and gave them a sharp fight. He was badly wounded, being shot through the body, but recovered after two months in hospital and was promoted briga- dier-general of the state militia. He co-operated with General Sumter, Colonel Davis and General Greene, in resisting the march of Cornwallis. On the night of Jan. 31, 1781, while Davidson was guarding Cowan's Ford with three hundred men, the British force, many times stronger, crossed the ford. Colonel Davidson gave battle but his force was driven to the woods after he had been shot through the breast with a rifle ball. Congress voted $500 for a monument to the hero, but it was never erected. Davidson college was named in his honor in 1837 and his sword was presented to the college. He died on the battle-field of Cowan's Ford, N.C., Feb. 1, 1781.

DAVIDSON, William, representative, was born in Mecklenburg ctninty, N.C., Sept. 12. 1778; son of William Davidson (1746-1781). He was an exten.sive planter; a state senator, 181-3, 1815-19, 1825 and 1827-30; a Federalist representative in the 15th and 16th congresses, 1818-21 ; and was defeated for the 17th congress. He died in Char- lotte, N.C., Sept. 16. 1857.

DAVIDSON, William Clarence, clergyman, was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, March 31, 1848; son of Gideon L. and Mary A. (Bowyer) Davisson ; and grandson of Samuel and Eleanor (Lay) Davisson. The family came of Scotch stock, emigrating from Ireland to Penn- sylvania, thence to North Carolina, and to Vir- ginia, where the family divided, one section settling in Davidson county, Tenn., and the other in Ohio and Indiana. William was graduated from DePauw universitj'- in 1876, and the foUow- \n:, year became a missionary to Japan. He also