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John Davis (Massachusetts Governor)
Encyclopedia
John Davis was an American lawyer, businessman and politician.
. He graduated from Yale College
in 1812, where he was one of the four founding members of the Skull and Dagger secret society
.
.
in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 19th
, 20th
, 21st
, 22nd
and 23rd Congress
to January 14, 1834, when he resigned, having been elected Governor.
He served as the 14th and 17th Governor of Massachusetts
from 1834 to 1835. Elected as an Anti-Jacksonian (later Whig) to the United States Senate
and served in the 24th
, 25th
, 26th
and 27th Congress
to January 5, 1841, when he resigned. He chaired the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce in 1835 and 1836.
. He was re-elected in 1847 and served in the 29th
, 30th
, 31st
and 32nd Congress
to March 3, 1853 when he declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1852, and retired from public life.
; he was also great-great grandfather of Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.
, Aaron Bancroft. Her brother George Bancroft
was an American historian and statesman who was prominent in promoting secondary education both in his home state and at the national level.
Early life
John Davis was born in Northborough, MassachusettsNorthborough, Massachusetts
Northborough is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The official spelling of the town's name is "Northborough", but the shorter spelling "Northboro" is also used...
. He graduated from Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
in 1812, where he was one of the four founding members of the Skull and Dagger secret society
Secret society
A secret society is a club or organization whose activities and inner functioning are concealed from non-members. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence agencies or guerrilla insurgencies, which hide their...
.
Early career
Following his graduation Davis went on to practice law in Worcester, MassachusettsWorcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
.
Political career
Davis represented MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 19th
19th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:-Leadership:- Senate :* President: John C. Calhoun * President pro tempore: John Gaillard , until December 4, 1825** Nathaniel Macon , from May 20, 1826- House of Representatives :* Speaker: John W. Taylor -Members:...
, 20th
20th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:-Leadership:- Senate :* President: John C. Calhoun * President pro tempore: Samuel Smith - House of Representatives :* Speaker: Andrew Stevenson -Members:This list is arranged by chamber, then by state...
, 21st
21st United States Congress
-House of Representatives:-Leadership:- Senate :* President: John C. Calhoun * President pro tempore: Samuel Smith - House of Representatives :* Speaker: Andrew Stevenson -Members:This list is arranged by chamber, then by state...
, 22nd
22nd United States Congress
-House of Representatives:-Leadership:- Senate :* President:** John C. Calhoun , resigned December 28, 1832, thereafter vacant.* President pro tempore:** Samuel Smith , first elected December 5, 1831** Littleton W...
and 23rd Congress
23rd United States Congress
-House of Representatives:For the beginning of this congress, the size of the House was increased from 213 seats to 240 seats, following the 1830 United States Census .- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Martin Van Buren...
to January 14, 1834, when he resigned, having been elected Governor.
He served as the 14th and 17th Governor of Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
from 1834 to 1835. Elected as an Anti-Jacksonian (later Whig) to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and served in the 24th
24th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress one House seat was added for each of the new states of Arkansas and Michigan.-Leadership:- Senate :* President: Martin Van Buren * President pro tempore: William R. King - House of Representatives :...
, 25th
25th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:-Leadership:- Senate :* President: Richard Mentor Johnson * President pro tempore: William R. King - House of Representatives :* Speaker: James K. Polk -Members:This list is arranged by chamber, then by state...
, 26th
26th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Leadership :- Senate :*President: Richard M. Johnson *President pro tempore: William R. King - House of Representatives :*Speaker: Robert M.T. Hunter -Members:This list is arranged by chamber, then by state...
and 27th Congress
27th United States Congress
The Twenty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1841 to March 3, 1843, during the one-month...
to January 5, 1841, when he resigned. He chaired the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce in 1835 and 1836.
Business career
In 1844, Mr. Davis, his nephew, and several friends founded the State Mutual Life Assurance Company of Worcester, one of only five life insurance companies in the 26 United States.Later political career
Again he served as Governor of Massachusetts from 1841–1843 and again elected in 1845 to the U.S. Senate, as a Whig, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Isaac C. BatesIsaac C. Bates
Isaac Chapman Bates was an American politician from Massachusetts.He was born in Granville, Massachusetts, and graduated from Yale College in 1802...
. He was re-elected in 1847 and served in the 29th
29th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, two House seats were added for each of the new states of Texas and Iowa.-Leadership:-Senate:* President: George M. Dallas * President pro tempore: Willie P. Mangum...
, 30th
30th United States Congress
The Thirtieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1849, during the last two years of...
, 31st
31st United States Congress
The Thirty-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1849 to March 3, 1851, during the last 17 months...
and 32nd Congress
32nd United States Congress
The Thirty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1851 to March 3, 1853, during the third and...
to March 3, 1853 when he declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1852, and retired from public life.
Personal life
He married Eliza Bancroft and they were the parents of John Chandler Bancroft Davis and Horace DavisHorace Davis
Horace Davis was a United States Representative from California. He was the son of Massachusetts Governor John Davis and the younger brother of diplomat John Chandler Bancroft Davis.-Biography:...
; he was also great-great grandfather of Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. was a Republican United States Senator from Massachusetts and a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, South Vietnam, West Germany, and the Holy See . He was the Republican nominee for Vice President in the 1960 Presidential election.-Early life:Lodge was born in Nahant,...
Eliza Bancroft
Eliza Bancroft was the daughter of distinguished revolutionary soldier, leading Unitarian clergyman and author of a popular life of George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, Aaron Bancroft. Her brother George Bancroft
George Bancroft
George Bancroft was an American historian and statesman who was prominent in promoting secondary education both in his home state and at the national level. During his tenure as U.S. Secretary of the Navy, he established the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1845...
was an American historian and statesman who was prominent in promoting secondary education both in his home state and at the national level.