DAVIDSON
DAVIDSON
DAVIDSON, Thomas, ship builder, was born
in Nottingham, England, Aug. 28, 1828; son of
Thomas and Janet (Drummond) Davidson of
Arbroath and Montrose, Scotland. He came to
America with his parents and his elder brother
George Davidson in 1832 and settled in Philadel-
phia. He was ap-
prenticed to Matthew
Van Dusen, ship
builder, and spent his
leisure hours in study-
ing mathematics with
his brother George.
He became a ship
builder on his own
account in Philadel-
phia and his acquain-
tance with John
Lenthall, chief con-
structor of the U.S.
navy, led to his ap-
pointment in 1861 as
quartermaster in the
Philadelphia navy yard with direction over
the ship carpenters of the yard. He was made
assistant naval constructor in 1863, and naval
constructor with the rank of commander in
1866. His skill was exhibited during the civil
war in the rapidity with which he conducted
repairs on old ships and built new ones. He built
the Tuscorora in fifty-eight working days, the
Miami in twenty-seven days and the Juniata of 1240
tons, from the live oak frame originally intended
for a frigate, and which bad seasoned in the yard
for twenty-three years, in seventy days. When
the U.S. frigate Monongahda was thrown upon
the beach on the island of Santa Cruz by a great
earthquake wave, Nov. 18, 1867, and left forty feet
above tide water and over half a mile inland from
water sufficiently deep to float her, he succeeded
in returning the great ship to deep water, a
greater part of the way over a coral bed. He
executed the models and draw^ings for the first
torpedo boat constructed by the U.S. navy. He
was engaged in developing a series of armored
ves.sels, torpedo boats and cruisers for the United
States when he died very suddenly in Philadel-
phia, Pa.. Feb. 18, 1874.
DAVIDSON, Thomas Q., representative, was born in Jefferson county, Mi.ss., Aug. 6, 1805. He was admitted to the bar in 1827, removed to Greensburg, La., where he was register of the land office, and was elected to the state legisla- ture, 1833-46. He was a Democratic representa- tive in the 34th, 35th and 36th congre.s.ses, but withdrew from the 30th congress in February, 1861, with other secessionists. After the war he again served in the Louisiana legislature. He died in Livingston parish, La., Sept. 11, 1883.
DAVIDSON, William, soldier, was born in
Lancaster county, Pa., in 1746. His parents
removed to North Carolina in 1750, settling in
Rowan county. He volunteered in one of the
first regiments raised in the state for the main-
tenance of its independence and was elected
major of the regiment. Under General Nash
the regiment, with the others making up the
North Carolina line, joined Washington's army in
New Jersey, and he fought at Brandy wine,
Germantown and Monmouth, gaining promotion
to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and comman-
dant of his regiment. In November, 1779, the
North Carolina line was ordered to reinforce
General Lincoln at Charleston, S.C, and
Colonel Davidson obtained leave of absence to
visit his family. While he was at home the news
of the capitulation of General Lincoln emboldened
the loyalists of North Carolina to offer aid to
the British troops on their progress north, and
Colonel Davidson, at the head of a body of mili-
tia, met the insurgents near Calson's ^lill and
gave them a sharp fight. He was badly wounded,
being shot through the body, but recovered after
two months in hospital and was promoted briga-
dier-general of the state militia. He co-operated
with General Sumter, Colonel Davis and General
Greene, in resisting the march of Cornwallis.
On the night of Jan. 31, 1781, while Davidson
was guarding Cowan's Ford with three hundred
men, the British force, many times stronger,
crossed the ford. Colonel Davidson gave battle
but his force was driven to the woods after he
had been shot through the breast with a rifle ball.
Congress voted $500 for a monument to the
hero, but it was never erected. Davidson college
was named in his honor in 1837 and his sword
was presented to the college. He died on the
battle-field of Cowan's Ford, N.C., Feb. 1, 1781.
DAVIDSON, William, representative, was born in Mecklenburg ctninty, N.C., Sept. 12. 1778; son of William Davidson (1746-1781). He was an exten.sive planter; a state senator, 181-3, 1815-19, 1825 and 1827-30; a Federalist representative in the 15th and 16th congresses, 1818-21 ; and was defeated for the 17th congress. He died in Char- lotte, N.C., Sept. 16. 1857.
DAVIDSON, William Clarence, clergyman, was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, March 31, 1848; son of Gideon L. and Mary A. (Bowyer) Davisson ; and grandson of Samuel and Eleanor (Lay) Davisson. The family came of Scotch stock, emigrating from Ireland to Penn- sylvania, thence to North Carolina, and to Vir- ginia, where the family divided, one section settling in Davidson county, Tenn., and the other in Ohio and Indiana. William was graduated from DePauw universitj'- in 1876, and the foUow- \n:, year became a missionary to Japan. He also
