Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/126

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DAVIS
DAVIS

for more than twenty years the " Northwestern Journal," of which he took charge in 1855. He was one of the founders of Northwestern uni- versity, the Chicago academy of sciences, and the Washingtonian home for the reformation of in- ebriates, of which he was chosen president. This office he resigned, and also gave up the editorship of the " Medical Examiner." In 1888 he was ap- pointed editor of the "Journal of the American Medical Association." In May, 1886. he was elect- ed president of the International medical congress. In the Chicago medical college, the medical depart- ment of the Northwestern university, he assumed the professorship of the principles and practice of medicine and of clinical medicine, and is also dean of the faculty. Ilis principal published writings are an " Essay on the Philosophy of Medicine " ; " Medical Education and Reform " ; " Remedial Value and Proper Use of Alcoholic Drinks " : " History of Medical Education in the United States " ; " An Experimental Inquiry concerning the Functions of Assimilation, Nutrition, and Ani- mal Heat"; " Clinical Lectures" (1878); the chap- ter on " Bronchitis " in the "' American System of Practice of Medicine " ; " Lectures on the Princi- ples and Practice of Medicine " (Chicago, 1884) ; and an article on " Insanity from Acute and Chronic Alcoholism " in the " Hand-Book of Medi- cine " (New York, 188()).


DAVIS, Nelson Henry, soldier, b. in Oxford, Worcester co.. Mass., 20 Sept., 1821 : d. on Govern- or's Island, 15 May, 1890. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1846, and served in the war with Mexico, received the brevet of 1st lieu- tenant for gallantry at Contreras and C'hurubusco, and was also at the siege of Vera Cruz, the battle of Cerro Gordo, and the capture of the city of Mexi- co. He was promoted 1st lieutenant 8 June, 1849, and then served on the frontier, being engaged in several actions while on the Sierra Nevada expedi- tion of 1849-50, and taking part in the Rogue river expedition of 1853. He was made captain on 3 March, 1855, was at the battle of Bull Run, and from 4 Sept. to 12 Nov., 1861, was colonel of the 7th Massachusetts volunteers. He then be- came major and assistant inspector-general, and served with the Army of the Potomac till the au- tumn of 1868, receiving the brevet of lieutenant- colonel for gallantry at Gettysburg. He was then transferred to New Mexico, was brevetted colonel 27 June, 1865, for his services against the Apache Indians, and also received the brevet of brigadier- general for his services in the civil war. He was inspector-general of the district of New Mexico in 1868, of the department of Missouri in 1868-'72, was on a tour of inspection till 1876, and then became inspector-general of the division of the Atlantic. He was commissioned brigadier-general on 11 j\Iareh, 1885, and I'etired on 20 Sept.


DAVIS, Noah, jurist, b. in Haverhill, N. H., 10 Sept., 1818. He' was educated at Albion, N. Y., whither his parents removed in 1825, and in the seminary at Lima, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1841, and practised in Gaines, and then in Buffalo. In 1844 he formed a partnership with Sanford E. Church, with whom he practised in Albion for fourteen years, until he was appointed, in March, 1857, a justice of the New York supreme court, to which office he was subsequently twice elected. After serving for two years as judge, he resigned in November, 1868, having been elected as a Republican to the National house of representa- tives. He served in congress from 4 March, 1869, till 20 July, 1870, when he resigned, having been appointed by President Grant U. S. attorney for the southern district of New York. He resigned that office on 31 Dec, 1872, being elected a justice of the New York state supreme court for the term expiring in December, 1887. The trial of the case of Edward Stokes for the murder of Fisk, and that of William M. Tweed for malfeasance in office, were held be- fore him soon after he took his place on the bench. He sentenced Tweed to a year's impris- onment for each of the twelve counts of the indictment ; but, two years lat- ei', the court of ap- peals decided that this cumulative sentence was con- trary to law. In 1874 he became

presiding justice.

In January, 1887, he was retired from the bench, and resumed practice. On his retirement, he said : " It is my nature to form strong convic- tions, and sometimes I express them too strongly, but neither by speech nor silence have I ever de- signed to injure any suitor or his counsel. In searching the record of my judicial life I can find no entry that I ever decided any cause or matter contrary to my then convictions of right." A com- mittee of lawyers presented Judge Davis's portrait by Daniel Huntington to the supreme court.


DAVIS, Noah Knowles, educator, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 15 May, 1830. He was graduated at Mercer university, Ga., in 1849, and then spent several years in Pliiladelphia, chiefly in the study of chemistry. While here he edited the " Model Architect" and the "Carpenter's Guide." In 1852 he became professor of natural science in Howard college, Marion, Ala., and in 1859 principal of the Judson female institute at the same place. In 1868 he was elected president of Bethel college, Russell- ville, Ky. In 1878 he was called to the chair of moral science in the University of Virginia. Dr. Davis is the author of " The Theory of Thought, a Treatise on Deductive IjOgic" (New York, 1880); and has contributed to various reviews. He has received the degree of LL. I). In religious profes- sion Dr. Davis is a Baptist, and is prominent and active in the councils of that denomination.


DAVIS, Paulina (Wright), reformer, b. in Bloomfield, N. Y., 7 Aug., 1813 ; d. in Providence, R. I., 24 Aug., 1876. She married Francis Wriglit, of Utica, N. Y., m 1833, and after his death became in 1849 the wife of Thomas Davis, of Providence, R. I., who was a member of congress in 1853-'5. For thirty-five years she labored zealously to pro- mote the "rights of women, established " The Una," the first woman-suffrage paper, wrote a history of woman-suffrage reform, and gave lectures in the principal cities of tlie United States.


DAVIS, Reuben, lawyer. b. in Tullahoma, Tenn., 18 Jan., 1813: d. in lluntsville, Ala., 14 Oct., 1890. He studied medicine, and after a few years abandoned that profession for the study of law. He removed to Aberdeen, Miss., and was prosecuting attorney for the 6th judicial district from 1835 till 1839. He was appointed judge of the high court of appeals in 1842, but resigned after tour months' service. He served, in the war with Mexico,