The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-27
His Life and Public Services.

Judge Davis first saw the light Of day in
Cecil county, Maryland, March 9, 1915, and was
educated at Kenyon College. Ohio. He studied
law with Judge Bishop in Lenox, Mass, and in
she law school at New Haven, Conn. In 1886
he settled at Bloomington, H., where he made
his home to the time of his death, a period Of
fifty years.
The father of Judge Davis was doctor of
npsdicine in Cecil county and the brother of
Rev Henry Lyon Davis, of the Protestant
Episcopal Church. who was the father of Henry
winter Davis, of Maryland, the ablest man in
public life Maryland has probably ever pro-
duced. Henry Winter Davis stands toward our
times as the most influential Marylander-one
of the few leaders in that State who took the
side of the Union aggressively, and, rather than
10 see the Rebellion comprehend Maryland and
involve Baltimore and the Chesapeake in its
mission of run he went over to the war party.
and was its ablest orator and the second par
Elementary leader in Congress- ranking next to
tThaddeus Stevens He was the first cousin of
Judge Davis, his playmate and classmate at
Kenyon College, Ohio.
His father as local physician, riding about
the country on errands of charity and good, took
little or no part in politics as an interested party
But his uncle, Rev. Mr. Davis aforesaid was
always man of clear. strong views and had an
influence over the Judges father. and both of
them were deeply attached to Bishop McIlvaine
one Of the founders of Kenyon College, who, de-
sirous of seeing that college supported by all
parts of the country sent his fellow preachers
sonto it, and influenced his nephew's going there.
oh A..
yon, in the midst of the forests. and while Hen
~ Winter Davis, after leaving Kenyon. became
tutor and finished his education at the Uni
versitV of Virginia. commencing the practice of
law at Alexandria, David Davis was graduated
from that institution in 1882, with Edwin M.
Stanton, who afterward became Lincoln's famous
Secretary of War.
Directly after graduating he went to New
Haven, Conn, and passed through the regular
curriculum of the law school in that city. At
the completion of his course he entered the law
Office of Judge Henry w. Bishop, at Lenox,
Mass, where he pursued his studies until ad-
mitted to the bar. Soon after this event he re-
moved to Pekin, H., and began the practice of
law there in 1886.
Four years later he returned to Lenox, Mass,
to marry the daughter of Judge William p.
Walker. of that town. He then removed his
residence from Pekin to Bloomington where he
praoticed law until he left the bar for the bench.
AS lawyer he took high rank, and obtained
large practice.
In lS44 he was elected to the State House of
Representatives. and in 1848 he was a member of
the constitutional convention that framed the
Constitution under which the State existed until
1870
In 1919 he was elected Judge Of the Eighth
judicial circuit, to succeed Judge Treat who had
been appointed United States district Judge for
the Southern district of Illinois. Judge Davis
was twice re elected, and held court as circuit
Judge till 1862, when President Lincoln ap-
pointed him an associate justice of the United
States Supreme Court. where he remained until
elected to the United States Senate in 1877
When dge Davis removed to Illinois, Joseph
Npuncan was Governor. elected as Democrat,
ut hostile to President jackson, because he had
vetoed bills to Improve the harbor Of Chicago and
the channel OF the Wabash river Soon after
Davis went to Illinois, Elijah p Lovejoy was
murdered by pro-savery mob at Alton, where
he published an anti-slavery newspaper, whose
presses had been SUCCESSFULLY destroyed. His
last words were sMy God, am shot" Such
"a occurrence must have assisted to impress