Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/116

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DAVIS
DAVIS

second collection of duplicates, with the results of subsequent collecting, is now in the possession of the American museum of natural history, New York. The results of his extensive explorations are embodied in “Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley,” which formed the first volume of the Smithsonian contributions to knowledge (1848). This work was characterized by the distinguished Swiss archaeologist, A. Morlot, in a paper before the American philosophical society in 1862, as being “as glorious a monument of American science as Bunker Hill is of American bravery.” During the spring of 1854 Dr. Davis delivered a course of lectures on archaeology before the Lowell institute in Boston, which were repeated in Brooklyn and New York. — His son, John Woodbridge, civil engineer, b. in New York city, 19 Aug., 1854, after some experience in connection with railroad surveying parties, was graduated with the degree of C. E. at Columbia college school of mines in 1878. While an undergraduate he published “Formulæ for the Calculation of Railroad Earthwork and Average Haul” (New York, 1876), which, within a year after its publication, was adopted as a text-book in six engineering schools in the United States. During 1879 he published in “Van Nostrand's Engineering Magazine” a series of mathematical papers devoted to original solutions of engineering calculations. The material of these articles has since been incorporated into the text-books on engineering, mechanics, and mathematics. His method for calculating land surveys has been introduced in the principal treatises on that subject, and is now used in lieu of older methods for determining areas of land. For several years after graduation he was professionally occupied, and then established and became principal of the Woodbridge school in New York city, which has for its special purpose the preparing of students for technical schools. — Joseph Slocum, brother of Edwin Hamilton, lawyer, b. in Pickaway county, Ohio, 21 Nov., 1812; d. in Mount Vernon, Ohio, 21 Dec., 1884. He was graduated at Kenyon in 1835, and, after studying at the Cincinnati law school, was admitted to the bar in 1837. Mr. Davis settled in Mount Vernon, and there practised his profession in connection with Columbus Delano. He was twice elected judge, and held other offices, both national and local. He was mayor of Mount Vernon for several terms, and paymaster in the U. S. army during 1864-'5. — Werter Renick, another brother, clergyman, b. in Circleville, Ohio, 1 April, 1815, was educated at Kenyon college, and received the degree of M. D. from the College of medicine and surgery in Cincinnati. Subsequently he became a minister in the Methodist church, and entered the Ohio conference in 1835. He then filled various pastorates in West Virginia and Ohio until 1853, when he was transferred to the Missouri conference and stationed at St. Louis. In 1854 he became professor of natural sciences in McKendree college, where he remained until 1858, acting as president during his last year at that institution. He was then elected president of Baker university, but afterward resigned, and for fourteen consecutive years was appointed to a presiding eldership. During the civil war he went to the front as chaplain of the 12th Kansas infantry, and then was commissioned lieutenant-colonel to raise and organize the 16th Kansas cavalry in 1862, of which he became colonel, and continued in command of that regiment until the close of the war. Dr. Davis was a member of the first state legislature of Kansas, and also held the office of superintendent of public instruction in Douglas county. He was a member of the general conferences of 1868, 1872, and 1880, and a delegate to the (Ecumenical Methodist conference in London, and to the Centennial conference held in Baltimore, Md., in 1884. He edited, in 1859, “The Kansas Message,” the first paper published in Baldwin City, and has published several sermons.


DAVIS, Emerson, clergyman, b. in Ware, Mass., 15 July, 1798 ; d. in Westfield, Mass., 8 June, 1866. He was graduated at Williams in 1821, and took charge of the academy at Westfield until the following year, when he became tutor at Williams. He returned to the academy of Westfield, remain- ing there until 1886, and was then installed pastor of the Congregational church of that town. In 1861 he was made president of Williams college, which place he held until 1868. He published an "Historical Sketch of Westfield" (1826); "The Teacher Taught " (Boston, 1839); and " The Half Century" (Boston, 1851), a work of great labor, which gives, in a condensed form, facts relative to the intellectual, moral, physical, and mechanical progress and discoveries of the nineteenth century. This work had a large circulation, and was re- printed in Great Britain. He published essays and sermons, and left five manuscript volumes of bio- graphical writings upon the Congregational clergy- men of New England.


DAVIS, Garrett, senator, b. in Mount Sterling, Ky., 10 Sept., 1801 ; d. in Paris, Ky., 22 Sept., 1872. He received an academic education, and was employed as a writer in the county and circuit courts of his district. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1823. He was elected to the state legislature in 1833, and twice re-elected. He was a member of the State constitutional con- vention from 1889 till 1847, when he became a representative in congress from Kentucky, but de- clined a re-election, devoting himself to agricul- ture. He was elected U. S. senator for Kentucky in 1861 for the term ending in 1867, and served on the committees on foreign relations, on territories, claims, and pensions. In 1864 he was appointed a regent of the Smithsonian institution. In Janu- ary, 1867, he was re-elected to the senate for the term ending in 1873. He was of small physique, but endowed with wonderful endurance. His speeches were characterized by sarcasm and fierce invective, as well as laborious research. Early in life he became the friend of Henry Clay, possess- ing his confidence and high regard. — His brother, Amos, lawyer, b. in Mount Sterling, Ky. ; d. in Owingsville, Ky., 5 June, 1835, received an aca- demic education, and studied and practised law at Mount Sterling. He was a member of the Kentucky legislature in 1819, 1825, 1827, and 1828, and a rej^resentative in congress from 1833 till 1835.


DAVIS, George Thomas, lawyer, b. in Sand- wich, Mass., 12 Jan., 1810; d. in Portland, Me., 17 June, 1877. He was graduated at Harvard in 1829, admitted to the bar, and began to pi-actise at Greenfield in 1832. In that year he established the " Franklin Mercury," which he conducted with ability until its sale in 1886. He was a member of the Massachusetts senate from 1839 till 1840, and of congress from 1851 till 1858. His conversation was extremely brilliant, winning admiration from Thackerav. His "Speeches in Congress" were published (Washington, 1852).


DAVIS, Henry, clergyman, b. in East Hampton, N. Y., 15 Sept., 1771 ; d. in Clinton, N. Y., 8 March, 1852. His ancestors were from Kidderminster, England, and parishioners of Richard Baxter. They settled in New Haven, Conn., and