The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-03-13
CAREER OF LATE
HENRY C. DAVIS
His Death Removes One Of
Cou1tiy's Prominent Men.
RAN FOR VICE PRESIDENT
Served in United States Senate-Be'
uan Career on Farm-After Success
in Railroad Business Amassed For
tune in Coal and Lumber Enterprises

in Railroad Business Amassed For
tune in Coal and Lumber Enterprises
Washington, March 13.-Formel
United STATES Senator Henry CASA
way Davis, of West Virginia, vice
presidential candidate on the Parker
Democratic ticket in 1904, died here
after brief illness.
He was ninety-Ihree years old Ale
was stricken with grip about fort
night ago while ON visit to his
daughter, Mrs. Stephen B. Elkins. BE
cause of his advanced age he was
unable to withstand the attack. After
funeral ser ices here interment viii
be at Ehins, w. Va, the home OF the
former senator.
MIR. Davis was born November 16
1928, in the little town of Woodstock
a few miles from Baltimore on the
old main line of the Baltimore anu
Ohio railroad. There were no free
schools in Maryland when he was
boy, and the Strengthened circum
stances in which the death Of his
father, Caleb Davis, who had been
soldier in the war of 1872, left his
family made it impossible for them
all to be sent to pay schools. Young
Henry surrendered the opportunity
for a school education to his younger
brothers and the rudiments of an edu
cation which he acquired were largely
from his mother, who was in many
respects a woman of unusual charac
ter
Former Governor Howard, Of Mary
land, gave Mr.. Davis his start In life
by employing him as boy on hi'
farm. The railroad business in the
United States was then in its infancy
Later young Davis got job as brake
man on the Baltimore and Ohio rail
road.
When he was twenty-four years ole
Mr.. Davis was made superintendent
in charge of the running of all train:
on the road. In 1853 he married Mis-:
Katz of Frederick, Nd, who remain
ed his constant companion through
nearly fifty years of married life until
her death in December, 1902.
Soon after his marriage Mr.. Davi:
was made the agent of the Baltimore
and Ohio at Piedmont. He had no
been stationed at this place long be
fore he realized that there were splen
did opportunities for building a sue
cessful business in the shipping O.
coal and lumber He sent for hi:
brother, William R. Davis, and estab
1ished him in this business. A yea
later he left the Baltimore and Ohio
and became the head of the firm O
Davis Brothers, devoting all of his at
tention to the development Of thu
business.
After serving In the assembly ant
senate in West Virginia, Mr.. LAWS
In 1870 was offered the nomination
for congress from his district, but re
fused it, and the following winter hi
was elected to the United States sen
ate and took his seat on March 4, 1871
He continued to serve in the senate
for twelve years, being reelected TO
the second term of six years In 1871
almost without opposition, many Of til
Republican members of the state
legislature voting for him.
He was the Democratic nominee fol
vice president in 1904, running will
Alton B. Parker.
The Democratic national convention
in that year was held in St. Louis
The nomination of Mr.. Davis came o.
the first ballot, taken shortly aftel
midnight, July 10, after Alton B. Par
ker had received the nomination fcl
president.
The election resulted In a decisive
defeat for the Democratic ticket
Roosevelt and Fairbanks, the Repub
lican nominees, received an electora
vote of 336 to 40 for Parker an.
Davis.
Mr.. Davis had four children-Mrs
Stephen B. Elkins, Mrs Arthur Lei
and Mr. John Davis. Another daugh
ter, Mrs. R. M. G. Brown, died ear!
in 1893, having survived her mothel
1ut short time. There are severa
grandchildren in the family.