Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-07-02
JUDGE DAVID DAVIS DEAD.

BLOONlNGrON. LIZ, June o.
The Hon. David Davis, ex-Yice.
President Of the United States,
died at his home at & o'clock this
morning OF Brighl's disease.
Letters Of coincidence have been
received from Senator Logan, Jas.
q. Blaine, and many other promi-
ncnt citizens. All the public aud
many private buildings of the city
were draped in mourning.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
Judge Davis was born on a farm
i'm Cecil county, Md, March 0, 1915.
Just two months after the death of
his father. His mother possessed
only the farm, and she guarded
carefully every penny, that every
thing might be devoted to her boys
education. AS a child he rode alone
for miles 10 old Squire Pierce's pri-
vatc school, where nc got his pri-
mary education. At the age of ten
he was sent TO thcacademy ut New
ark, Del. Here he was prepared
for college by Pars0n Russell. the
principal, a Presbyterian divine
AZ the age Of Is he entered Kenyon
college, Greenbrier, Knox county,
Ohio. Here Young Davis and Ed.
win VI. Stanton were schOOlmates
and they formed an intimacy which
continued through the life of Stan.
ton. In early childhood those char.
acteIistics which marked the dis.
tinguished life Of Judge Davis were
cvinced. His disposition was calm
and placid. He was studious and
deliberate, cautions, but generous
and most faithful in his friendship.
Before he was eighteen years old he
graduated from Kenyon, and en-.
tered the law Office of Henry w.
Bishop, Of Lenox, Mass. Aftertwo
years with Judge Bishop he studied
one year at the law school at Yale
College. He then located in Hi
nois, with $50 in money and Law
books valued at $500. He first set
tied in Pekin, but soon afterwards
went to thelittlc town of Blooming
ton and hung out his shingle. In
ISIS he returned to LenoX and
married Miss Sarah w. Walker,
daughter OF Judge Walker. lie
steadily rose in his profession, and
in 1918 was elected circuit Judge.
His first service in political life was
as member OF the Illinois Legisla.
turo 1911, but he declined re-elec-
ton, preierring to stick to his pro.
iession. He was twice reelected
circuit Judge. and held that posi-
ton until 1862, when ne resigned
to accept a place on the United
States Supreme Bench, rendered
him by his old friend, President
Lincoln.
1t was in the early days of Hi
nois that Davis and Lincoln became
friends. They rode the same CIR
cult together and it was largely
through LiucOln's instrumentality
that Davis was elected circuitjudge
for the first term. When Lincoln
seriously thought of the presidency
Judge Davis was the first friend
he consulted, and the latter went
to the Chicago convention in the
interests of his friend.
Judge Davis resigned his place
on the Supreme Bench to accept !
a seat in the United State Senate,
to which he was chosen without !
any solicitation on his part, and !
the Presidency of tie Senate went !
20 him unsought. He was sincere !
in his theory that the Office should |
seek the man. In 1872, when the |
National Labor Party rendered him |
the nomination for President, he |
replied briefly that the Chief Mag. |
istrate should neither be sought /
nor declined.