Davis, John, 1761-1847
Jurist; born in Plymouth, Mass., Jan. 25, 1761; graduated at Harvard College in 1781; admitted to the bar and began practice at Plymouth in 1786. He was the last surviving member [24] of the convention that adopted the federal Constitution; comptroller of the United States Treasury in 1795-96; and eminent for his knowledge of the history of New England. In 1813 he made an address on the Landing of the Pilgrims before the Massachusetts Historical Society, over which he presided in 1818-43. His publications include an edition of Morton's New England Memorial, with many important notes; Eulogy on George Washington; and An attempt to explain the inscription on Dighton Rock. He died in Boston, Mass., Jan. 14, 1847.
Statesman; born in Northboro, Mass., Jan. 13, 1787; graduated at Yale in 1812; admitted to the bar in 1815; member of Congress in 1824-34, during which time he opposed Henry Clay; and was elected to the United States Senate in 1835, and resigned in 1841 to become governor of Massachusetts. He was a strong antagonist of Jackson and Van Buren, and was re-elected to the United States Senate in 1845, but declined to serve. He protested strongly against the war with Mexico, and was in favor of the exclusion of slavery in the United States Territories. He died in Worcester, Mass. April 19, 1854.
