Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/186

 DAVIS

DAVIS

Indiana volunteers, which he commanded as colo- nel. He was assigned to the department of the Missouri as acting brigadier-general and for his action at Milford, Mo., Dec. 18, 1861, was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers. He commanded a division at the battle of Pea Ridge, Marcii 8, 1SG2, and took part in the battle of Shiloli, April and 7, and the siege of Corinth, and after the evacuation of that place by the Confederates, May 29, he was assigned to the de- partment of the Tennessee. During this cam- paign he had received, as he alleged, harsh treatment from Maj.-Gen. William Nelson, his superior officer. The two officers chanced to meet in the Gait Hou.se, Louisville. Ky., Sept. 2l>, 1862, and a quarrel ensued, in which General Davis shot and instantly killed General Nelson. An arrest but no trial followed and General Davis wa5 soon after assigned to dutj' in Covington, Ky. He commanded his division forming a part of the 20th army corps, at the battle of Stone's River, Dec. 31, 1862, when he greatly distin- guislied himself, and General Rosecrans recom- mended him for promotion to the rank of major-general. He commanded the 14th army corps in the Georgia campaign of General Sher- man, including the march to the sea. At the close of the war he was brevetted major-general of volunteers and on July 23, 1866, he was pro- moted colonel of the 23d U.S. infantry. He served on the Pacific coast, in Alaska and after the murder of General Canby by the Modoc In- dians in 1873 he succeeded to the command of the department and forced the tribe to surrender. He died in Chicago, 111., Nov. 30, 1879.

DAVIS, Jessie Bartlett, singer, was born in Morris. 111.; daugliter of Elias and Rsichel (Conk- lin) Bartlett. Her parents, who were musicians of some renown, were both natives of New York state. Jessie attended the public schools, and at an earlj' age began the study of music. She studied under eminent teachers in America and Europe, and in 1880 made her professional debut as Buttercup in " Pinafore." After one j-ear's study in Europe she went into grand opera but it did not prove sufficiently remunerative and she entered light opera, singing contralto parts in the Carleton opera company. In 1888 she was engaged as leading contralto in the " Boston- ians," her most successful part being Alan-a- Dale in "Robin Hood." She was married in 1880 to \V. J. Davis, and had one son, W. J. Davis, Jr., born in 1884.

DAVIS, John, jurist, was born in Plymouth, Mass., Jan. 2o, 1761. He was graduated at Har- vard in 1781, was a tutor in the family of James Otis and became a lawyer in Plymouth in 1786. He was a delegate to the Federal constitutional convention of 1789, and the youngest member

and last survivor of that body. He was a repre- sentative in the state legislature for several terms; a state senator in 1795; comptroller of the U.S. treasury, 1795-96; U.S. district attorney for Massachusetts, 1796-1801; U.S. district judge, 1801-47, and member of the state constitutional convention. 1820. He was a fellow of Harvard college, 1803-07; treasurer, 1810-27, and overseer, 1827-37; president of the Mas.sachusetts historical societ}', 1818-43; a fellow of the American acad- emy of arts and sciences and a member of the American philosophical society. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Dartmouth in 1802 and from Harvard in 1842. He published an edition of Morton's New England Memorial (1826); Eulogy on George Washington, and An At- tempt to Explain the Inscription on Dighton Bock. He died in Boston, Mass., Jan. 14, 1847.

DAVIS, John, governor of Massachusetts, was born in Northboro, Mass., Jan. 13, 1787; son of Isaac and Anna (Brigham) Davis; grandson of Simon Davis of Rutland, Mass., and descended from Dolor Davis of the County of Kent, Eng- land, who emigrated in 1634. He was graduated at Yale in 1812, was admitted to the bar in 1815, and practised law at Worcester, Mass. He was a representative in the 19th, 20th, 21st, 22d and 23d congresses, serving from Dec. o, 1825, to Jan. 1, 1834, when he resigned to assume the duties of governor of Ma.ssachusetts to which office he had been elected in November, 1833. He was elected to the U.S. senate by the legislature of Massachusetts in 1835 and served until Jan. 1. 1841, when he resigned to resume the duties of governor. In 1845 he was elected to the U.S. senate to fill the unexpired term of Isaac C. Bates, deceased, and in 1847 he was elected for the full senatorial term expiring March 3, 1853. In the senate he opposed the Clay compromise tariff bill of 1833, and the sub-treasury plan of 1840 and was a protectionist in all financial and commercial questions. He opposed the adminis- trations of Jackson and Van Buren; was a con- stant and earnest prote.stant against war with Mexico, opposed the admission of slavery in the territories, supported the Wilmot proviso, and opposed the compromise acts of 1850. He became popularly known as " honest John Davis." He was married to Eliza, sister of George Bancroft, the historian, and had sons: John Chandler Ban- croft, George Henry, Hasbrouck, Horace and Andrew McFarland. He was a fellow of the American academj' of arts and sciences. He re- ceived from Yale the degree of A.M. in 1822 and from Harvard that of LL.D. in 1834. He died in Worcester, Mass., April 19, 1854.

DAVIS, John, representative, was born in Sangamon countj', 111., Aug. 9, 1826; son of Joseph and Sarah (Myers) Davis, and grandson