Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-11-01
a MILLIONAIRE SENATOR.
Judge Davis Wealth and Pos
session in Illinois.
Springfield un.) RoUister.l

Springfield Ill.) ReEister.l
Judge Davis can safely be set down
as the most extensive land owner in
Central Illinois, and his total wealth,
at a fair estimate, can be placed at
100000. Tho amount Of taxes paid
annually by him in Mclean county
is nearly $1,000, while the total
amount Of his taxes will not fall far
short Of $27, 700 yearly. He owns
some Of the best constructed edi6ces
in Bloomington. The most valuable
is what is known as the Durley Block,
which the Senator erected seven years
ago, and gave to his daughter when
she was married to the son of Justice
Swayne Of the United States Supreme
Court. The building contains a very
fine operahouse, but the Judge was
opposed to naming tho place after
himself, or even to call it an opera
house; So in honor of VIM. Durley, an
old settler of Bloomington, he said
the elegant auditorium should for ali
time to come be called Durley Hall.
Bdfore the death Of his excellent
wife, Senator Davis was very fond of
attending public amusements. and,
when home from Washington, was
often seated in the hall in company
with different members Of the family.
His residence, which is one of the
most elegant and costly in the State
of Illinois, is situated about a mile
from the business portion of the city.
Well laid out grounds, rich shade
trees, tempting drives, the perfume of
sweet flowers, the beautiful landscapes
TO be seen on every hand, make the
Illinois Senator's home indeed an
earthly paradise-an abode fit for a
King or a President. While in the
interior ofthe house there is not to be
seen any foolish or unnecessary ex.
penditure of money, the different
apartments are furnished in the rich
est and most luxuriant manner. Since
the death ofthe Senator's wife and the
marriage of his only daughter, Mrs.
Il. V. Pierpoint. formerly of Chicago,
and a niece of Mrs. Davis, has had
charge of the establishment during
the session Of Congress, when the
Judge is away from home. His son
resides about half a mile from the
mansion; and although his house is
less pretentious than that of his
father, it nevertheless is one the love
hest Of spots, and a home possessed Of
everything to make life enjoyable.
The Senator has an Office occupying a
suit of rooms over the Bloomington
National Bank, Of which corporation
he is the largest stakeholder, and they
are furnished in a little better style
than are most Of the offices OF the
lawyers in town.
When at home Senator Davis, it is
said, generally manages all Of his i'm
mense real estate business, the most
perfect system being adopted in every
detail, which has been strictly cSr-
ried out for many years past. He is q
hard worker, and 10 man in Bloom
ington, or even in the State, gets at
bis post Of duty at an earlier hour or
quits later than does the distinguished
Illinoisan. He has been known to be
engaged upon an exhaustive and i'm
portant legal opinion when on Asso-
ciste Justice Of the Supreme Court.
and, while writing down the law, he
would at the same time give minute
instructions and suggestions to some
Of his numerous tenants who happened
to stroll into the Office to pay their
rent. Nothing seemed to disturb his
equilibrium, and some of his most
noted opinions were written at a time
when his Office was filed with tenants,
whose questions were answered with
out the Judge being compelled to sus-
pend his writing. During his long
residence in Bloomington Senator
Davis has never been what the world
would call a popular man. Although
strictly honest with all mankind, he
is, nevertheless, an individual who for
the last few years had but very little
friendly intimacy with even one Of the
older residents of the city. Perhaps
Lincoln and the late Stephen T. Lo-
gan were the most intimate friends
Davis ever had. For the former he
had an admiration aud friendship
which continued for nearly thirty
years.