Thomas E. Davis

As printed in 1912

THOMAS E. DAVIS (1877), mayor of Marshall and an attorney of that city, is one of the best known men of Lyon county — a man who has played an important part in the affairs of his community. Although born outside the county, his parents were residents of Lyon county at the time, and he has spent his entire life here.

Thomas E. Davis was born in Judson, Blue Earth county, Minnesota, February 18, 1877. He was brought to Lyon county by his parents when a babe. He was graduated from the Marshall High School in 1894 and during the next year he worked at various occupations. He was a student at Macalester College in 1895 and 1896, preparing himself for the ministry, but he changed his plans and decided to become a lawyer. In March, 1898, he entered the law office of M. E. Mathews, where he read law during the next three years. In March, 1901, he entered the office of Senator V. B. Seward, completed his studies, and the same year was admitted to the bar.

The law firm of Mathews & Davis was then formed and until April, 1902, our subject was engaged in practice with the older attorney. He then opened an office in a dingy little room containing no furniture except a kitchen table loaned by his mother. To purchase books he borrowed one hundred dollars from Col. A. R. Chace. In September, 1902, Mr. Davis received the Republican primary nomination for county attorney, defeating E. C. Patterson, the incumbent, with a majority of 276. At the general election he defeated E. B. Johnson, of Tracy, an independent candidate, by a majority of 540. He received the Republican nomination without opposition in 1904, but was defeated at the general election by B. B. Gislason, of Minneota, by 214 votes.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Mr. Davis has taken an active interest in politics and is an orator of state-wide reputation. In the campaigns of 1908 and 1910 he made speeches for the state and national tickets in many parts of the state, spending several weeks in Minneapolis, Duluth and other cities. He has been mentioned as a candidate for congress and is credited with the ambition to represent his district in the nation's law-making body. Locally he has held several offices in addition to that of county attorney. In 1908 and 1909 he served as alderman from the second ward, and in April, 1910, he was elected mayor of the city, defeating H. P. Fulton by ninety-eight majority.

Mr. Davis is a man of family. He was married at Chetek, Wisconsin, June 26, 1906, to Mabel Emma Johnson. She is a native of that place, having been born May 17, 1884. She is the daughter of Ole and Mary Johnson, who were born in Norway. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Davis: Esther Mabel, horn March 4, 1908, and [name withheld], born June 23, 1910. Mr. Davis holds membership in the M. W. A., Royal Arcanum, Maccabees, Elks and Knights of Pythias lodges.

The subject of this biography is the son of Reese and Jane (Jones) Davis, the former a native of Wales and the latter of Ohio, she being of Welsh descent. Reese Davis came to the United States at the age of three years and located with his parents in Ohio. In 1861 he enlisted in Company C, of the Fifty-sixth Ohio Infantry, served the period of his enlistment, and then re-enlisted and served until the close of the war. Jane Jones located in Blue Earth county, Minnesota, with her parents in 1858. After the war Mr. Davis located in the same county, where was a large Welsh settlement, and

Mayor of Marshall (1910-12) and an Attorney of That City.

there the parents of our subject were married. They moved to Lyou county in L873 and took a homestead claim in Monroe township. They left the farm in 1882 and located in Tracy, and four years later moved o.Marshall, where they have since resided. Mr. Davis is a trustee of the First Presbyterian Church and has been since the church was built.

Reese and Jane Davis have five children, all living and all graduates of the Marshall Higl School. Following are the names of the children: Esther, the wife of William Russell, an attorney at Moorhead; Mary Agnes, the wife of O. A. Krook, who is postmaster of Marshall; Elizabeth Ida, who was the assistant principal of the Laurel, Montana, schools and who is now the wife of Thomas Rigney, a merchant of Laurel; Thomas E., of this biography, and his twin brother, John I., who is an attorney at Benson, Minnesota.

As printed in An illustrated history of Lyon County, Minnesota (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.