Reuben Davis (representative)
Encyclopedia
Reuben Davis was a United States Representative from Mississippi
. He was born in Winchester, Tennessee
into a family of Welsh
origin and moved with his parents to Alabama
about 1818. His grandfather Joseph Davis http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp was born in Wales
in 1763 and emigrated to Virginia
. Reuben Davis attended the public schools. Later, he studied medicine
, but practiced only a few years, when he abandoned the profession. He then studied law
, was admitted to the bar in 1834, and commenced practice in Aberdeen, Mississippi
.
Davis was the prosecuting attorney for the sixth judicial district 1835-1839. He was an unsuccessful Whig
candidate for the Twenty-sixth Congress in 1838. He then served as a judge of the high court of appeals in 1842, but after four months’ service resigned.
Davis served as colonel of the Second Regiment of Mississippi Volunteers in the Mexican-American War. After the war, he was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
1855-1857. He was elected as a Democrat
to the Thirty-fifth and Thirty-sixth Congresses and served from March 4, 1857, to January 12, 1861, when he withdrew.
During the American Civil War
, Davis served in the Confederate Army as brigadier general. After the war, he resumed the practice of law. He was an unsuccessful Greenback
candidate for the Forty-sixth Congress in 1878. He died in Huntsville, Alabama
in 1890 and was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Aberdeen, Mississippi
.
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. He was born in Winchester, Tennessee
Winchester, Tennessee
Winchester is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Tullahoma, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
into a family of Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
origin and moved with his parents to Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
about 1818. His grandfather Joseph Davis http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp was born in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 1763 and emigrated to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Reuben Davis attended the public schools. Later, he studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, but practiced only a few years, when he abandoned the profession. He then studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, was admitted to the bar in 1834, and commenced practice in Aberdeen, Mississippi
Aberdeen, Mississippi
Aberdeen is a city in Monroe County in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 6,415 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County....
.
Davis was the prosecuting attorney for the sixth judicial district 1835-1839. He was an unsuccessful Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
candidate for the Twenty-sixth Congress in 1838. He then served as a judge of the high court of appeals in 1842, but after four months’ service resigned.
Davis served as colonel of the Second Regiment of Mississippi Volunteers in the Mexican-American War. After the war, he was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
Mississippi House of Representatives
The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi....
1855-1857. He was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Thirty-fifth and Thirty-sixth Congresses and served from March 4, 1857, to January 12, 1861, when he withdrew.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Davis served in the Confederate Army as brigadier general. After the war, he resumed the practice of law. He was an unsuccessful Greenback
Greenback
Greenback may refer to:In currency:* Greenback , a fiat currency issued during the American Civil War**United States Note**Demand Note, issued in 1861–62* A modern United States Federal Reserve Note...
candidate for the Forty-sixth Congress in 1878. He died in Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
in 1890 and was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Aberdeen, Mississippi
Aberdeen, Mississippi
Aberdeen is a city in Monroe County in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 6,415 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County....
.