The daily Alaska citizen., 1919-09-03
MEMORIAL HELD Iiy JUNEAU FOR
 CHAS. DAVIDSON
Duncan Dispa chD

and friends gathered al odd Fellows bah on Wednesday evening for i'm
 ,rc~siyc memorial services in memory
 of Charles F. Davidson, surveyor gen
 ..a of the territory who lost his life
 o Tahu inlet.
 The services opened with prayer
 by Chaplain E. J. Dyer, followed by
 brief announcement by Past Master
 Charles r. Naghcl Thclodge quartet
 composed of w. NJ Frye. F C. Smith,
 George Oswel and E. J Dyer sang
 Nearer My God to Thee" and Rock
 rf Ages" Willis E. Nowell rendered "A Religious MedHation," by Fich-
 companied MT Nowell on the piano.
 Past Master John Rustgard deliv-
 cred the oration.
 Mr Rustgard declaring his abso-
 mtr conviction that life does not end
 with the grave. said 'l cannot con
 slider that Charles F.. Davidson is
 dead and gone buD is here with us, living. conscious and intelligent as v>rr." With perccptible feelings of emotion Mr. Rustgard reviewed the life and characteristics of the de ceased, laying great stress on his genuine qualities of true manhood individuality, sincerity, frankness and broad syupathios, decision of char acter his unos,entatious charity and love of home and children
 Continuing, the speaker said :.
 "Charlps F. Davidson was person who would make himself felt in any community. and he would make him If felt without any effort to do so un his part. He was a man of indi- llduality and true manhood. Charles Davidson was a man to whom no one .cuid be- indifferent after they once met him Charles F. Davidson was a man of highes, ideals and rare judgment of men as well as of af fans. He was frank, open and above board | do not know of anybody who ever told me they were disap- pointed with Davidson; every one uho met him found him to be up to all that they expected if they were looking for genuine manhood The qualities which made friends for him Were undoubtedly his sincerity, frank ness and his general broad sym pa.t thics He did not like to put his name on subscription lists; as d rule he would do 1t under the name Of cash, friend or some other name
 always wanting to hide his iden ttl he was always trying to help ! .omrbody without having people find out that he Was actually doing it; pubicity and no> Oriety never ap- ptalcd to him; of this, the public ncw very little doubt if there was eyer man in this community
 who was more assiduous in his at ttntiun to the wants of others than |
 was Charles Davidson; and those
 only who have been very close to hmm have any knowledge of that phase of his character, whatsoever, that characteristic of Mr Davidson.
 "Charlra Davidson was born at Fort Jones. California; March z, 1873;
 he came to Juneau in 1896 -23 years old; since that time he has spent his life in Alaska and given to thls terri was not blessed with wealthy parents nos was he brot up InueI conditions where he could equip himself with a college education without his own per
 sonul efforts in facn he had no col lese education, but he had. neVertnr-
 less a very broad eduraliun which he
 had acquired mainly in the university
 of hard knocks'-,the lessons of which
 he never forgot anu always prohled by. When he came to Jnnelu h.
 went into the SerN re Of one of the popular surveyors of the time, ThOn- as George, and worked with hnn
 learning the surveying business, some
 two years; after Wh!cl h. went haCh to CalifOria and tOon d special course
 in that science; then returned to
 Juneau He went to Nome one Sea-
 son and surveyed in that community,
 and returned to Juneau in the tal of
 1900 and remained here until 1902
 at which time he went to Fairbanks. where he followed his own profession
 as a land surveyor. Three years later,
 in the year 1912, he married the wid-
 oW who is now mourning him, and leaves in addition to her three child
 ren, Ethel Belle, five yea 8. Charles Edward three yeas, and James Ger aid, one year old.
 In 1913 Davidson was appointed surveyor general for the territory of Alaska and as such became exotticio secretary of the territory AS such he became still mote a quainted with the people of the territory and added laurels have accumulated to his credit I 6ouht whether thera was