HARLOW PALMER DAVOCK Harlow Palmer Davock, of Detroit, was born in Buffalo. N. Y., March llth, 1848. His father, John W. Davock. a dealer in hardware and lock supplies, was of Irish descent; was born in Dublin. Ireland, but came to this country from Manchester, England in 1832. His mother Maria Davock, was of New England descent, but was born in New York State. Harlow P. mixed self-support and educated from the time he was fourteen years of age until he had graduated from the Buffalo High School and the literary course of the University of Michigan, working vacations and Having; money to enable him to carry on his Htiulics. At the age of fourteen he was office hoy for the Buffalo Erie railroad and afterward traveling agent for the same road. Immediately after his graduation in 1870, he commenced to practice as a civil engineer; was engaged as such upon different railroads through the United States, being U.S. Assistant civil Kngincer in the construction of the Government locks at Sault Ste. Marie. Michigan, and the Cascade Locks, Oregon. Mean time he had studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1878, and resigned from the government service in l882. He has made the practice of law his chief occupation since that time, taking a hand, however, in politics in each campaign. He has always been a Republican; cast his first ballot for Hayes for President; was delegate to the State Conventions in the spring of fall of 1894, and spring of 1897. He waa a member of the Michigan legislature in 1894 and 1894: was appointed member of the Detroit Board of Health by Governor Rich, in March 1895 reappointed March 1st 1896 and held the position for five years, being President of that body for two years. He was United States Chief Supervisor of Elections in the eastorn District of Michigan in 1893; was appointed United States Referee in Bankruptcy for the eastern District of Michigan. Southern Division, August 1st 1898 and reappointedd August 1st, 1900. During the session of the legislature of 1893, the proposition of the Log Cabin, or Palmer Park, so called, had been defeated, and after several weeks hard work, Mr. Davock secured unanimous consent to have the same question called up in the House, and secured its passage. Mr. Davock is a member of the Detroit Boat Club, Detroit Golf Club, and Michigan Club. He is a member of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, and a Trustee of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Detroit. He was married January 4th, 1883, to Sarah Whiting Peabody and has had three children, Clarence W. Davock, age 16; Harlow Noble Davock age 14, and Henry Whiting Davock died February 19th. I894 age 6 years 6months. Livingstone's history of the Republican party: A history of the Republican ... By William Livingstone

HARLOW PALMER DAVOCK Blessed with a judicial mind of great keenness, absolutely fair and just in all things and with kindly charity of thought as well as of act, the late ITarlow Palmer Davock, referee in bankruptcy, was one of tho most respected members of the Detroit bar. A native of New York, his birth occurred in Buffalo on the 11th of March, 184ft, and there in the public schools bo pursued his eduention until graduated with honors from the high school. He next entered the University of Michigan nud completed a course in the literary department with the class of 1870, winning two degrees in one term— the literary degree of Bachelor of Arts and the degree of Civil Engineer. Moreover, he displayed the elemental strength of his character in meeting tho expenses of his high school and college course by working during vacations. He started out to provide for his own support as an office boy with tho Buffalo 4; Erie Railroad in Buffalo, New York, and following the completion of his college course he practiced the profession of civil engineer in connection with many important railroad and engineering projects. He also served under General Godfrey Weitrel, United States government engineer at Detroit, and assisted in the construction of the Weitrel lock at Sault Ste. Marie and the government docks at that place as well as in the building of the Cascade locks in Oregon, ne was thus connected with many important engineering projects in various sections of the country nnd while following his profession he formed a warm personal friendship with Alfred Noble, who has since gained a wide reputation as a civil engineer and who was one of the consulting engineers of the Panama canal. Eventually, however, Mr. Davock turned to the legal profession, becoming a law student in the office of Maybury & Conely in Detroit, and in 1878 was admitted to tho bar, entering upon the active practice of the profession in 1882. He made steady progress in his connection with the work of the court* and by reason uf his activity in political affairs and his deep interest in the progress and welfare of the state he was chosen to public office. From the time that age conferred upon him the right of franchise he gave stalwart allegiance to the republican party and in 1893-94 represented his district in the Michigan general assembly. He was also a member of the Detroit board of health from 1895 until 1900 and for two years of that period was president of the board. In 1894 he was chief supervisor of elections for the eastern district of Michigan and in August, 1898, he was appointed by Judge H. H. Swan, of the United States circuit court, to the position of referee in bankruptcy, tho appointment following almost immediately after the passage of the new bankruptcy law. He continued to fill the position for twelve years or until the time of his death, which occurred August 30, 1910. As referee in bankruptcy he received no stated salary, the emoluments of the office being limited to fees fixed by law. The work of the office increased to such an extent that Mr. Davock was forced to abandon his private law practice. As referee he was noted for his fairness and his courtesy to those having business with the office. Many of the younger attorneys received helpful suggestions from him, and he was ever careful to prevent older practitioners from taking advantage of younger men. The home life of Mr. Davock presented many attractive phases. On the 4th of January, 1883, at St. Clair, Michigan, he was married to Mrs. Sarah Whiting Peabody of that place, daughter of Henry and Pamelia (Rice) Whiting and a descendant of one of the old New England families, the ancestral line being traced back to the Rev. Samuel Whiting, who earns to America in 1036 and was pastor of the first church at Lynn, Massachusetts. Pamelia Rice, mother of Mrs. Davock, was a daughter of Dr. Justin Rice, a pioneer physician of Michigan, who later engaged in the lum- ber business. Colonel Henry Whiting, her father, was a native of Bath, New York, and was graduated from the West Point Military Academy, after which he saw service aa a lieutenant in the Mexican war. Resigning from the army, he was engaged in mercantile business at St. Clair when the Civil war broke out and he volunteered for service, being plnced in command of n Vermont regiment. He was also regent of the University of Michigan. Hon. Justin R. Whiting, who was congressman from Michigan for eight years was a brother of Mrs. Davock. To Mr. and Mrs. Davock were lrf»rn three children: Clarence Whiting, born May 27, 1884, was graduated from the University of Michigan as a mechanical engineer and for aoinc time waa connected with the Detroit Steel Products Company. lie severed that connection to organize the Crittall Casement Company of Detroit, of which he was president at the time of his death on the 3d of November, 1915. On the 4th of April, 1911, he had married Hildegard Meigs and they had one son, Alfred Meigs, who was born June 5, 1912. Harlow Noble Davock, the second son, born February 10, 1886, was graduated from the University of Michigan as a mechanical engineer and for several years was identified with building operations in Detroit but is now an assistant to the president of the Packard Motor Car Company. He was married June 30, 1910, to Eloise Dickerson, of Detroit, and they have one son, Harlow Palmer, born June 10, 1911. Henry Whiting, the third son, born July 17, 1887, passed away February 19, 1894. It was in 1884 that Mr. Davork built the residence on Garfield avenue in Detroit where Mrs. Davock now resides. The family are all members of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Davock was identified with many social and club organizations. He displayed great activity In connection with tho church work, serving as a truster and never absenting himself from Sunday services except when out of the city. He belonged to the Michigan Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, to the University Club and the Detroit Boat Club. For many years he was an active member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and one of the proudest days of his life was when he assisted in initiating his two sons into the same fraternity. A few years later his son Harlow had the pleasure of initiating the father-as an honorary member of the Tau Beta Pi, an honorary engineering society. The life of Mr. Davork was one of great activity and usefulness and his story is that of duty well done and of talents wisely used for the benefit of his fellowmen. On the 18th of August, 1910, in company with his wife, he started on a trip to the White Mountains. They spent some time at Dixville's Notch in New Hampshire and later went to Brett on Woods in Coos county, New Hampshire, and there it was that Mr. Davock was suddenly stricken, passing away on the 30th of August, the news of his demise bringing a sense of personal bereavement to every Detroit home where he was known. The Detroit Journal said of him editorially: "The shockingly sudden death in New Hampshire of H. P. Davock will be deeply and genuinely mourned In Detroit. His passing is a serious loss to this community. His life and life's work offers an excellent demonstration of the public efficiency and civic usefulness which the well balanced, college bred man may develop. He had both the engineer's and lawyer's training. He had risen to prominence in both professions. He early recognized his obligations to his fellow citizens, to his city and to his state, and did a man's work. He was loyal to his fraternity, to his college, to his church, to his political party, to his friends and to his ideals. His effect refutes the assertion that culture is incompatible with creative force and energy. Mr. Davock enjoyed an extraordinary personal acquaintance largely because of his keen interest in so many activities, and his hearty participation in all progress. That acquaintance was unusually substantial and enduring because it was builder on the general recognition of the man's unostentatious worth. As referee in bankruptcy, Mr. Davock made a remarkable record and name. Such litigation is delicate of adjustment. Where men seek, honestly, or dishonestly, to escape the heavy burden of debt it requires adjudication based upon a keen sense of justice, more, perhaps, than a profound knowledge of tho letter of the law. Yet in the years Mr. Davock heard these bankrupt cases there was expressed no dissatisfaction with his decisions. Invariably be was sustained by the higher courts. In himself, he was a great hearted, generous, charming gentleman at all times and under all circumstances. He was only sixty-two years old, and that for a life so full of achievement and big works, well and faithfully done, is very young to die. He was just approaching the interval of rest he had abundantly deserved. It is a considerable vacancy which Mr. Harlow P. Davock has left. The city of Detroit, and tho citizens of Detroit, will require a long time, too, to fill it." His contribution to tho world's work was of real and tangible order. He was an ideal official in the position which he so long filled and at all times his influence and aid were on the aide of progress and improvement, reform, justice, truth and right. Source: The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922; By Clarence Monroe Burton, William Stocking, Gordon K. Miller