Garrett Davis

Garrett Davis
United States Senator
from Kentucky
In office
December 10, 1861 – September 22, 1872
Preceded by John C. Breckinridge
Succeeded by Willis B. Machen
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 8th district
In office
March 4, 1843  March 3, 1847
Preceded by James Sprigg
Succeeded by Charles S. Morehead
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 12th district
In office
March 4, 1839  March 3, 1843
Preceded by John Chambers
Succeeded by District eliminated
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office
1833-1835
Personal details
Born (1801-09-10)September 10, 1801
Mount Sterling, Kentucky
Died September 22, 1872(1872-09-22) (aged 71)
Paris, Kentucky
Nationality American
Political party Whig, Unionist, Democrat
Profession Politician, lawyer

Garrett Davis (September 10, 1801 – September 22, 1872) was a U.S. Senator and Representative from Kentucky.

Born in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, Garrett Davis was the brother of Amos Davis. After completing preparatory studies, Davis was employed in the office of the county clerk of Montgomery County, Kentucky, and afterward of Bourbon County, Kentucky. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1823, whereafter he commenced practice in Paris, Kentucky.

Davis served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1833 to 1835. Afterward, he was elected as a Whig to the United States House of Representatives, serving from March 4, 1839, to March 3, 1847. There he was chairman of the Committee on Territories.

Davis declined to be a candidate for reelection in 1846, but instead resumed the practice of law and also engaged in agricultural pursuits. He refused to reenter politics the next fifteen years. Davis declined the nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky in 1848, and declined the American Party nomination for Governor in 1855 and for the presidency in 1856.

Davis was opposed to secession, however, and supported the Constitutional Union Party ticket of John Bell and Edward Everett in the 1860 presidential election. This convinced him to reenter politics, and he was elected by a Unionist Party position in 1861 to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the expulsion of John C. Breckinridge. He was reelected as a Democrat in 1867 and served from December 10, 1861, until his death in Paris, Kentucky, in 1872. He served as chairman of the Committee on Private Land Claims. He was interred in Paris Cemetery.

Garrett Davis is the namesake of Davis County, Iowa.[1]

Notes

  1. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 101.

References

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
John Chambers
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 12th congressional district

1839–1843 (obsolete district)
Succeeded by
Seat lost to redistricting
Preceded by
James Sprigg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 8th congressional district

1843–1847
Succeeded by
Charles Morehead
United States Senate
Preceded by
John C. Breckinridge
U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Kentucky
1861–1872
Served alongside: Lazarus W. Powell, James Guthrie, Thomas C. McCreery, John W. Stevenson
Succeeded by
Willis B. Machen
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