Henry E. Davies (judge)
Encyclopedia
Henry Ebenezer Davies was an American lawyer and politician from New York
. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
from 1866 to 1867.
in whose office he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1826. He commenced practice in Buffalo, New York
and entered politics as a Whig.
In 1830, he removed to New York City
, and practiced law in partnership with Samuel A. Foote. In 1835, Davies married a daughter of John Tappan (brother of Lewis Tappan
, Benjamin Tappan
and Arthur Tappan
), and they had six children, among them Henry Eugene Davies
.
In 1840, he was a Whig alderman of the New York Common Council
. In 1848, he dissolved the partnership with Foote, and formed a new one with William Kent (son of Chancellor James Kent
). In May 1849, Davies was appointed Corporation Counsel of New York City, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Willis Hall
. In November 1849, he was elected to succeed himself, and remained in office until the end of 1852.
He was a friend of Millard Fillmore
, and was his confidential adviser during his term as U.S. President.
In 1855, he was elected to the New York Supreme Court
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Justice Robert H. Morris
, and remained on the Supreme Court bench until the end of 1859.
In 1859
, he was elected to the Court of Appeals on the Republican and American
tickets, defeating the Democratic incumbent Alexander S. Johnson
. Davies was an associate judge of the Court of Appeals from 1860 to 1865, and Chief Judge
from 1866 to 1867.
He died on December 17, 1881, at his residence at 60 West Fifty-first Street in New York City. He was buried at the St. Luke's Episcopal Church cemetery in Beacon, NY, the same place where Chancellor James Kent
(1763–1847) is buried.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
from 1866 to 1867.
Life
He was the son of Thomas J. Davies and Ruth (Foot) Davies (ca. 1772-1852). He was educated in the public schools and at age 14 went to live with Judge Alfred ConklingAlfred Conkling
Alfred Conkling was a lawyer, statesman and United States federal judge from New York.-Early life, education, and career:...
in whose office he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1826. He commenced practice in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and entered politics as a Whig.
In 1830, he removed to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and practiced law in partnership with Samuel A. Foote. In 1835, Davies married a daughter of John Tappan (brother of Lewis Tappan
Lewis Tappan
Lewis Tappan was a New York abolitionist who worked to achieve the freedom of the illegally enslaved Africans of the Amistad. Contacted by Connecticut abolitionists soon after the Amistad arrived in port, Tappan focused extensively on the captive Africans...
, Benjamin Tappan
Benjamin Tappan
Benjamin Tappan was an Ohio judge and Democratic politician who served in the Ohio State Senate and the United States Senate...
and Arthur Tappan
Arthur Tappan
Arthur Tappan was an American abolitionist. He was the brother of Senator Benjamin Tappan, and abolitionist Lewis Tappan.-Biography:...
), and they had six children, among them Henry Eugene Davies
Henry Eugene Davies
Henry Eugene Davies was an American soldier, writer, public official and lawyer. He served in the Union Army as a brigadier general of volunteers in cavalry service during the American Civil War and was promoted to the grade of major general of volunteers at the end of the war...
.
In 1840, he was a Whig alderman of the New York Common Council
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
. In 1848, he dissolved the partnership with Foote, and formed a new one with William Kent (son of Chancellor James Kent
James Kent
James Kent was an American jurist and legal scholar.-Life:...
). In May 1849, Davies was appointed Corporation Counsel of New York City, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Willis Hall
Willis Hall (New York)
Willis Hall was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He was the son of Rev. Nathaniel Hall and Hannah Emerson Hall . He graduated from Yale College in 1824, studied law in New York City and Litchfield, Connecticut...
. In November 1849, he was elected to succeed himself, and remained in office until the end of 1852.
He was a friend of Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
, and was his confidential adviser during his term as U.S. President.
In 1855, he was elected to the New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Justice Robert H. Morris
Robert Morris (mayor)
Robert Hunter Morris was an attorney and Mayor of New York.- Early political career :...
, and remained on the Supreme Court bench until the end of 1859.
In 1859
New York state election, 1859
The 1859 New York state election was held on November 8, 1859, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, a Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioner, an Inspector of State Prisons and the Clerk of the...
, he was elected to the Court of Appeals on the Republican and American
Know Nothing
The Know Nothing was a movement by the nativist American political faction of the 1840s and 1850s. It was empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by German and Irish Catholic immigrants, who were often regarded as hostile to Anglo-Saxon Protestant values and controlled by...
tickets, defeating the Democratic incumbent Alexander S. Johnson
Alexander S. Johnson
Alexander Smith Johnson was an American lawyer and politician from New York...
. Davies was an associate judge of the Court of Appeals from 1860 to 1865, and Chief Judge
Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals refers to the position of chief judge on the New York Court of Appeals.The chief judge supervises the seven-judge Court of Appeals...
from 1866 to 1867.
He died on December 17, 1881, at his residence at 60 West Fifty-first Street in New York City. He was buried at the St. Luke's Episcopal Church cemetery in Beacon, NY, the same place where Chancellor James Kent
James Kent
James Kent was an American jurist and legal scholar.-Life:...
(1763–1847) is buried.
Sources
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/davie-davila.html Political Graveyard
- https://www.courts.state.ny.us/history/elecbook/thereshallbe/pg93.htm Listing of judges, with portrait
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9E05E1DE163DE533A2575BC1A9649D94609FD7CF Obit in NYT, on December 18, 1881 (giving erroneously "Blackford Lake" as birthplace)
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C05E5DD1231E13BBC4B51DFBF668389649FDE His mother's obit, in NYT on September 23, 1852 (giving correctly "Black Lake" as residence)