Davis Elkins
Encyclopedia
Davis Elkins was a United States Senator from West Virginia
. Born in Washington, D.C., he attended the Lawrenceville School
, Phillips Academy
in Andover, Massachusetts
and Harvard University
. During the Spanish-American War
he enlisted as a private in the First West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, becoming assistant adjutant general
in 1898.
Elkins was an industrialist with interests in railroads, banking, utilities, and coal mining; he was appointed as a Republican
to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his father, Stephen B. Elkins, and served from January 9 to January 31, 1911, when a successor was elected. During the First World War he served in the United States Army
in France
, 1917-1918. He was then elected to the U.S. Senate and served from March 4, 1919, to March 4, 1925; he was not a candidate for renomination in 1924. While in the Senate he was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Commerce (Sixty-sixth Congress).
From 1936 to 1956 he was owner of the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Company. Davis Elkins died in Richmond, Virginia
in 1959; interment was in Maplewood Cemetery, Elkins, West Virginia
.
Davis Elkins was a son of Stephen Benton Elkins and a grandson of Henry Gassaway Davis, both U.S. Senators from West Virginia. His sister Katherine Hallie "Kitty" Elkins ( Jan. 14, 1886 - Sept. 3, 1936 ) was engaged for some time to Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi ( 1873-1933 ), a cousin of the king of Italy.
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. Born in Washington, D.C., he attended the Lawrenceville School
Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP population was 3,887...
, Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
in Andover, Massachusetts
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. During the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
he enlisted as a private in the First West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, becoming assistant adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
in 1898.
Elkins was an industrialist with interests in railroads, banking, utilities, and coal mining; he was appointed as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his father, Stephen B. Elkins, and served from January 9 to January 31, 1911, when a successor was elected. During the First World War he served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in France
European theatre of World War I
Although considerable conflict took place outside Europe, the European theatre was the main theatre of operations during World War I and was where the war began and ended...
, 1917-1918. He was then elected to the U.S. Senate and served from March 4, 1919, to March 4, 1925; he was not a candidate for renomination in 1924. While in the Senate he was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Commerce (Sixty-sixth Congress).
From 1936 to 1956 he was owner of the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Company. Davis Elkins died in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
in 1959; interment was in Maplewood Cemetery, Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins is a city in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins , a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 7,032 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County...
.
Davis Elkins was a son of Stephen Benton Elkins and a grandson of Henry Gassaway Davis, both U.S. Senators from West Virginia. His sister Katherine Hallie "Kitty" Elkins ( Jan. 14, 1886 - Sept. 3, 1936 ) was engaged for some time to Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi ( 1873-1933 ), a cousin of the king of Italy.