John Wesley Davis

John W. Davis
Davis as painted by W.D. Murphy, 1911.
Indiana House Representative
In office 1831 – 1833 1841 - 1843 1851 - 1852 1857 - 1857
5th Governor of Oregon Territory
In office 14 May 1853 – 1 August 1854
President	James K. Polk
Preceded by	George Law Curry
Succeeded by	George Law Curry
Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives
In office 3 December 1832 – 4 February 1833 6 December 1841- 31 January 1842 1 December 1851 - 21 June 1852
Preceded by	Harbin H. Moore Samuel Judah Ebenezer Dumont
Succeeded by	Nathan B. Palmer Thomas Jefferson Henley William Hayden English
3rd United States Commissioner to the Great Qing Empire
In office 3 January 1848 – 25 May 1850
21st Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
In office December 1, 1845 – March 4, 1847
President	James K. Polk
Preceded by	John W. Jones
Succeeded by	Robert C. Winthrop
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 6th district
In office March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1847
Preceded by	David Wallace
Succeeded by	George G. Dunn
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837 March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841
Preceded by	John Ewing John Ewing
Succeeded by	John Ewing Richard W. Thompson
Indiana State court judge
In office 1829 – 1831
Born	April 16, 1799(1799-04-16) New Holland, Pennsylvania, USA
Died	August 22, 1859 (aged 60) Carlisle, Indiana, USA
Resting place	City Cemetery
Birth name	John Wesley Davis
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Jacksonian
Alma mater	UMB
Occupation	Doctor
Profession	Medical
Committees	Committee on Public Lands

John Wesley Davis (April 16, 1799–August 22, 1859) was a doctor and a prominent U.S. politician during the 1840s.

[edit] Early life and education

Davis was born in New Holland, Pennsylvania on April 16, 1799 and later moved to Shippensburg, Pennsylvania with his parents.^[1][2] Davis graduated from Baltimore Medical College in 1821, then moved to Carlisle, Indiana in 1823 and practiced medicine there.^[2]

[edit] Political career

[edit] State politics

Davis started his political career as an unsuccessfull candidate for the Indiana Senate in 1828. He instead became a state court judge in Indiana from 1829 to 1831. He was elected a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1831-1833, 1841-43, 1851-52, and in 1857.^[1] He was Speaker of the Indiana House from 1832-33, 1841-42, 1851-52.^[1]

[edit] National politics

He served as a U.S. Representative from Indiana in the 24th, 26th, 28th and 29th Congresses and was Speaker of the U.S. House in the 29th Congress.^[1] From 1848-1850 he was U.S. Diplomatic Commissioner to China.^[1] In 1852 he was a delegate to Democratic National Convention from Indiana.^[1]

[edit] Governership

He was appointed to the office of Governor of the Oregon Territory from in 1853 by President Franklin Pierce, his appointment was not welcomed by Oregonians however and he left office just over a year later back in the hands of Curry.

[edit] Death

Davis died in Carlisle, Indiana on August 22, 1859.^[1] He was buried at City Cemetery in Carlisle.^[1]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• John Wesley Davis at Find A Grave
• Davis, John Wesley politicalgraveyard.com
• Oregon State Library - Governors of Oregon Photographs - Short biography and photograph.

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