Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/136

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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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and Indian Exhibition held at South Kensington in 1886. For his services at the latter he was created K.C.M.G., and received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Cambridge University. He was Executive Commissioner and Trustee of the Adelaide Jubilee Exhibition in 1887, and a member of the South Australian Commission for the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition in 1888. He married, on June 1st, 1842, Margaret Frazer, only daughter of William Lennox Cleland, barrister, Calcutta, and his wife Harriett Erekine Fullerton. Sir Samuel is President of the South Australian branch of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia. In June 1891 he was an unsuccessful candidate for a seat in the Legislative Council.

Davidson, Rev. John, was born at Burntisland, Scotland, in 1834, and educated for the ministry. Having gained a considerable repute as a preacher, he was invited to assume the pastorate of Chalmers Church, Adelaide. Accepting the call, he arrived in South Australia in June 1870, and was connected with Chalmers Church till 1877, when he associated himself with the Adelaide Union College. When Sir W. W. Hughes agreed to endow the Adelaide University with £20,000 for two professorships, he stipulated that Mr. Davidson should fill the first chair of English Language and Literature and Mental and Moral Philosophy. Accordingly, when the University was constituted, in 1874, Mr. Davidson assumed the duties of the position. He died on July 22nd, 1881, leaving a widow, the daughter of the late Hugh Miller the famous Scotch geologist and writer. Mrs. Davidson, who died at Adelaide in Dec. 1883, was the author of "Isabel Jardine's History" (1867), "Christian Osborn's Friends" (1869), and contributed to the Adelaide newspapers and Chambers's Journal.

Davidson, William Montgomery Davenport, J.P., Surveyor-General, Queensland, was born at Richmond, Surrey, in 1830. He was educated at the Moravian School in Yorkshire, and afterwards at the Stockwell Grammar School, which is connected with King's College, London. Mr. Davidson then went to the College of Civil Engineers, where he took his diploma. He left England for Tasmania in 1852, going over to Victoria the same year. He returned to Tasmania in 1854, and was appointed Inspecting Surveyor for the southern part of the island. In response to an invitation from Mr. A. C. Gregory, who was then Surveyor-General, he went to Queensland in 1861, and was appointed Staff Surveyor. In 1868 he became District Surveyor, a position he held until June 1st, 1875, when he accepted the post of Deputy-Surveyor-General. In Dec. 1889, on the resignation of Mr. Tully, Mr. Davidson exchanged this position for that of Surveyor-General. He is a J.P. for Queensland.

Davies, Hon. David Mortimer, M.L.A., was born at Blains, Monmouthshire, Wales, and was educated for the ministry at the Brecon Independent College, in that principality, but, his views having undergone a change in regard to some important religious doctrines, he resigned his charge, and entered on agricultural pursuits. He emigrated to South Australia, arriving at Adelaide in 1866, and removed thence to Ballarat, in Victoria, the next year, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits, in the Buninyong district. Mr. Davies was elected a member of the Legislative Assembly for Grenville in 1877, and still represents the constituency. He is a strong Liberal and Protectionist, and was Government whip during the Berry régime. In Oct. 1887 he joined the Gillies-Deakin Cabinet, but held no portfolio till June 1889, when he became Commissioner of Public Works and Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works. From June to Nov. 1890 he was Minister of Mines in the same Government, resigning with his colleagues at the latter date.

Davies, Hon. John, C.M.G., M.L.C., J.P., son of the late John Davies, of New South Wales, was born in Sydney on March 2nd, 1839. Starting in business as an ironmonger and general blacksmith, he commenced to take an active part in politics on the Liberal side as soon as he was of age, and in Dec. 1874 he was returned to the Assembly for East Sydney, which constituency he continued to represent until his appointment to the Legislative Council in Dec. 1887. He was Postmaster-General in the John Robertson Government from August to Dec. 1877. Mr. Davies was acting British Commissioner at the Sydney International Exhibition in 1879, and was created

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