The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-07-01
JUDGE DAVIS DEAD.

Another Prominent Man Joins the Great
Majority-sketch OF Judge Davis Life.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Juno e6-David
Davis died at six o'clock this morning.
He sank into comatose state twelve hours
before the end and passed painlessly away
surrounded by his family. During the
early part Of last evening he ap-
peared to be failing, and it was felt certain
that ne could not live through the night
! AT eleven he revived somewhat and was
gwen milk and stimuiants in small Quanti-
| Ties. The effect was for the worse, how
ever, for he at ouce relapsed into a coma
lose condition, his pulse becoming very
ieeole. During the succeeding three hours
lie failed gradually, his respiration
Growing noticeably weaker until the
end came. The cause of Judge Davis
death was Bright's disease of the kidneys,
| aggravated by the weakened condition of
the system from the time when he became
affected with carbuncle. Ills last hours
were calm and peaceful
BIOGRAPHICAL.
David Davis was born in Cecil County,
on the Eastern shore of Maryland, on March
=, 1915. His family was of Welsh extrac-
| ton and had first settled in that region early
IN the last century. He was an only child.
lie received his educational training at KEN
yon College, Ohio, where he graduated in
1882. From college he went directly to the
Harvard law school, and as soon as he
finished the course there removed to the
West and settled i'm Bloomington, H.,
where he was admitted to the bar in 1885,
and commenced at once the practice
OF his profession. He acquired at an
parly period much property in and about
Bloomington, which became a college town
and city, and has now a population of %
OOO. He was soon brought into public life,
and as early as 1874 was elected Repre-
sentative in the State Legislature. In 1917
he was delegate to the constitutional con-
ventIon, and year later was elected
Judge of one of the circuit courts Of
Illinois. This Office he held by repeated
elections until he finally resigned il in 1862,
when he was appointed by President Lin
coin a judge of the Supreme Court
OF the United States. At the fOrma-
ton of the Republican party Judge
Davis espOuSed its cause warmly and was
one OF the delegates to the National Re-
publican Convention in Chicago in 1860.
Atterward, however, he became an indie
pendent and had very little to do with
active politics. He remained on the SUI
preme Bench until March 5, 1877, when he
resigned to take his seat in the United
States Senate, to which Office he had been
elected by the Democrats and Independents
in the Illinois Legislature. In this contest
he was opposed by General John A. Logan,
who was candidate for reelection. Dur
ing his service as United States Senator he
maintained strict independence and allied
himself with the organization of neither
party in that legislative body. He was
elected presiding officer of the Senate
soon after Vice-President Arthur as
sumed the duties of a higher Of
flee following the death of President
Garfield, and continued to hold this position
up to the expiration of his term of office in
1888, when he was succeeded by Senator
CullOm. Soon after his retirement from
the Senate, Judge Davis married, and he
has since been living very quietly at his
home in Bloomington. His recent illness
was very sudden and its announcement a
few days ago was the first iEtmation the
public had received that he was rapidly
failing in health. Judge Davis was physic-
ally of the most robust figure, and was
noted for the rotundity of his person. He
is SAID to have been the most ponderOus
parsonage who ever sat in the Senate.