Alexander Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander M. Davis
|
|
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 5th district |
|
| In office March 4, 1873 – March 5, 1874 |
|
| Preceded by | Richard T.W. Duke |
| Succeeded by | Christopher Thomas |
| Member of the Virginia Senate from Grayson, Carroll and Wythe Counties | |
| In office 1869–1871 |
|
| Preceded by | District established |
| Succeeded by | Abner W. C. Nowlin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 17, 1833 Old Mount Airy, Wythe County, Virginia |
| Died | September 25, 1889 (aged 56) Independence, Virginia |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations |
Conservative Party of Virginia (1869–1871) |
| Spouse | Mary Jane Dickenson Davis (1848 - 1896) |
| Alma mater | Emory and Henry College |
| Profession | lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Confederate States of America |
| Branch/service | Confederate Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel |
| Unit | 45th Virginia Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Alexander Mathews Davis (born January 17, 1833 – died September 25, 1889) was an important politician and lawyer from Virginia in the 1800s. He served in the state government and also in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alexander Davis was born on January 17, 1833, in a place called Old Mount Airy, Virginia. As a child, he learned at local schools and had private teachers. He later went to and graduated from Emory and Henry College. After college, he studied law to become a lawyer.
Family Life
Alexander Davis married Mary Jane Dickenson Davis. She was the daughter of Colonel John Dickenson. A county in Virginia, Dickenson County, was named after her father. Alexander and Mary Jane had at least three sons: Albert Conley Davis, Joseph C Davis, and James Garnett Davis.
Career as a Lawyer and Soldier
Alexander Davis became a lawyer in 1854. He started his law practice in Wytheville, Virginia. Later, he moved his practice to Independence, Virginia.
Serving in the Civil War
When the Civil War began, Alexander Davis joined the Confederate Army. In 1861, he was a captain in Company C of the 45th Regiment, Virginia Infantry. He was promoted to major in 1862 and then to lieutenant colonel in 1864. Near the end of the war, he was captured and held as a prisoner on Johnson's Island in Lake Erie.
Political Journey
After the war, Alexander Davis was released. He was then elected to the Virginia Senate, where he served from 1869 to 1871. After his time in the state senate, he ran for the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat. He won the election with just over half the votes. However, the person he defeated, Christopher Yancy Thomas, challenged the election results. Thomas was successful, and he took Davis's seat in March 1874. After this, Davis went back to practicing law in Independence, Virginia.
Later Life and Legacy
Alexander Davis passed away on September 25, 1889. He was buried in the Davis Family Cemetery. Some of his family's important papers are kept in special collections at the College of William and Mary. These papers help historians learn more about his life and times.
