Daniel F. Davis

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Daniel F. Davis

|image = Daniel F. Davis (Maine Governor).jpg

|order1 = 37th

|office1 = Governor of Maine

|term_start1 = January 17, 1880

|term_end1 = January 13, 1881

|lieutenant1 =

|predecessor1= Alonzo Garcelon

|successor1 = Harris M. Plaisted

|office2 = Member of the Maine Senate

|term2 = 1875–1879

|office3 = Member of the Maine House of Representatives

|term3 = 1871–1875

|birth_date = September 12, 1843

|birth_place = Freedom, Maine, US

|death_date = {{death date and age |1897|01|09|1843|09|12}}

|death_place = Bangor, Maine, US

|resting_place = Corinthian Cemetery, Corinth, Maine

|party = Republican

|spouse = Laura B. Goodwin (m. 1867)

|children = 8

|education = Wesleyan Seminary, Kents Hill, Maine

|profession = Attorney

}}

Daniel Franklin Davis (September 12, 1843 – January 9, 1897) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 37th governor of Maine. He served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. A Republican, he served in the Maine House of Representatives and Maine Senate.

Early life

Davis was born in Freedom, Maine, on September 12, 1843.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}} He entered the East Corinth Academy in 1863 but after a few weeks he enlisted in the Union Army to fight in the Civil War.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}}

Davis served in the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry Regiment and the 1st Maine Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, and attained the rank of corporal in the 1st Maine Cavalry's Company F.{{cite web |url=http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?1214,695616 |title=Penobscot County, Maine Biographies: Daniel F. Davis |last=Eddleman |first=Carol |date=2011 |website=pa-roots.org/ |publisher=PA-Roots}}

He then studied at the Corinna Academy, and at the Wesleyan Seminary in Kents Hill, Maine.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}} He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1869, and established his law career in East Corinth.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}}

Politics

Davis became a member of the Maine House of Representatives in 1871.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}} He held that position for four years.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}} He then became a member of the Maine Senate in 1875.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}} He held that position until 1879.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}} In 1879, he was nominated for the governorship by the Maine Republican Party.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}} In the general election no candidate received a majority of the vote, so the election moved to the Legislature, which selected Davis.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}} He served from January 17, 1880, to January 13, 1881.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}} During his administration, the enforcement of the prohibition law was contested. Davis was not successful in his re-election bid.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}}

Later life

After leaving office, Davis served as the federal collector of customs for the Port of Bangor in Bangor, Maine from 1882 to 1886.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}} He died in Bangor on January 9, 1897, and was buried at Corinthian Cemetery in Corinth.

Family

In 1867, Davis married Laura B. Goodwin of East Corinth; they were the parents of eight children, five of whom lived to adulthood.{{sfn|History of Penobscot County, Maine|pages=823-824}}

References

Sources

=Books=

{{cite book |date=1882 |title=History of Penobscot County, Maine: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofpenobsc00will_0 |page=[https://archive.org/details/historyofpenobsc00will_0/page/823 823] |location=Cleveland, OH |publisher=Williams, Chase & Co. |ref={{sfnRef|History of Penobscot County, Maine}}}}

External sources

Sobel, Robert and John Raimo. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978. Greenwood Press, 1988. {{ISBN|0-313-28093-2}}
{{cite web |url=https://www.nga.org/governor/daniel-franklin-davis/ |title=Biography, Daniel Franklin Davis |website=www.nga.org/ |date=5 January 2011 |publisher=National Governors Association |access-date=April 18, 2017}}

{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Governor of Maine|years=1879, 1880}}

{{succession box

|before=Alonzo Garcelon

|years=1880–1881

|after=Harris M. Plaisted

|title=Governor of Maine

}}

Category:1843 births

Category:1897 deaths

Category:People from Freedom, Maine

Category:People from Corinth, Maine

Category:Politicians from Bangor, Maine