The Portland daily press., 1865-03-31
Charles q. D,yeis.

10, 1888; his father, Captain Ebenezer Davis,
was an officer in the revolution and member
of the Society of Cincinnatus, to which his
son succeeded, and became the popular Presi-
dent of the Massachusetts branch, His IA
Their was native Of Haverhill, Mass. in 17s5
he married Priscilla Griffin, of Bradford,
Mass, who did not long survive; and in Au-
gust, 1887, he married her sister, Mehitabel
Griffin, who was the mother of the subject of
our notice.
In 1855 Captain Davis purchased the lot Of
land on the corner of Brown and Free streets,
aud built wooden house upon 1t, in which
he died in 1909, leaving this his only son. The
land, now occupied by brick block OF two
houses, in one of which the son died, still be-
longs to the family. Mr.. Daveis was careful
ly nurtured and educated by his excellent
mother; in 1902 he was sent to Andover
year he entered Bowdoin College, in the sec
ond class which was received into that new
institutions over which presided DR.. Joseph
McKeen, an accomplished scholar and a dig
nihed gentleman; John Abbott was the only
Professor. His class consisted but OF three
members, of which Seth Storer, of Scarbo-
rough, is now the survivor, and the whole
number of students in the college was but
ten. Mr.. Daveis took his degree in 1907, at
the head of his class, and at commencement
delivered poem on Tradition, and the val
edictory GRAFTON. he Immediately commenc-
ed the study of law in the Office of the late
Judge Emery, and was admitted to the bar
10 1910. He was most dilgent student, not
only of law. but Of general literature, and dis
tinguished himself no less in one pursuit than
10 the other. While he was student he pre-
pared an Grafton on Greek literature, which
was delivered before literary society of Bow
dom College, and was published, at the sug-
gestion of the Rev. DIR. jerks, who heard it,
in the "Monthly Anthology then the best
literary journal in the country, and was high
ly complimented. On taking bis Masters de-
gree in 1910, he pronounced an Grafton on the
Genius of our Political Liberties" which was
spoken of in most fattering terms by the
Portland papers.
He was not diverted by these lighter pur-
suits from the staple object Of his life, but,
devoted himself to the abstruse and reconcile
branches of the law, from the codes Of JUS
tinian and the civil law, to the more familiar
! practise under the English and American sys-
/ TENS.
He was the first among our lawyers who
gave attention to equity law and practise, and
became one Of the highest profcients in IT,
when it was Familiarity adopted in the Circuit
Court Of the U. s., and in our own State, after
the separation. Before that time it was who'll
ly unknown among us. Judge Story, who
was strenuous advocate for that practise, en-
couraged its use in his court, which was not
established here until Maine became an indie
pendent State. Mr.. Daveis had an extensive
practise In that branch of the profession, and
received high commentator for his learning
in it, from his friend. Judge Story. His prac-
tise in the common law courts was also ex-
tensive and able.
In addition to these professional labors, he
was frequently called upon for public address
es. In 1913 he delivered an address before
the Portland Benevolent Society, of which,
for more than third of century, he was one
of the managers. In 1925 he pronounced an
able historical address at Fryeburg, on the eel
ebration of the hundredth anniversary OF
LoyelPs battle with the Indians at that place.
The next year he delivered in Portland, to
crowded assembly, a funeral Grafton on the
death of Presidents Adams and jefferson,
which took place July A, 1926, which, with the
former, was published.
| In 1889 he delivered a Latin address at
Brunswick, on the Inauguration of DR.. Woods
as President of Bowdoin College; and few
years after he prepared a long and very able
historical discourse on the origin and history
of the College, which was read at Brunswick
on the dedication of the new chapel. He al
SO prepared biography of Gov. Gilman, of
New Hampshire, which was published in the
transactions of the Historical Society of that
State. In 1859 he wrote the article on the
Society of Cincinnati, which is contained in
Appleton's American Encyclopedia. He also
delivered other addresses and speeches which
we need not stop to mention.
When the Northeastern boundary question
began to assume threatening character, Mr..
Daveis ardently engaged in the controversy.
In 1927 he was sent by Gov. Lincoln on
mission to New Brunswick on the subject of
Provincial aggressions, and prepared a tull re-
port relating to the rights of the State, which
occupies twenty-five octave pages In the doc
uments of the Legislature. In 1S41 he was a
| mnu1hor of ho fo ~
pointed chairman of the committee on the
boundary question. In consequence of his IA
miliarity with this subject, he was sent in 1929,
with dispatches from the United States to
Judge Preble, then representing the claim be-
fore the King of Holland, who had been APP
pointed arbiter Of the controversy, and to aid
in the preparation of the case. In 1888 he
was appointed special agent of the State to
urge our claims upon the general govern
ment; Gov. Kent in speaking of this service,
says: "Mr. Daveis performed the duties re-
quired with great zeal, discretion and ability,
and to my entire satisfaction"
These are some of the claims which this dis
tinguished gentlemen has to our gratitude
and respect; and he received during his life
repeated tokens Of honorable recognition. In
1914 he was chosen member of the Phi Be-
ia Kappa Society of Harvard College, as a
tribute to his literary acquisitions; in 1885 he
was appointed one of the Trustees of Bowdoin
College, of which he continued to discharge
the duties with deep interest and fidelity un-
til he was utterly unable to attend to them
In 1874, the same institution bestowed upon
him, very deservedly, its honorary degree of
LII. D.
In private life Mr.. Daveis was as exemplary