Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. III. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
Davis,
Joseph Emory, lawyer, was
born near Augusta, Ga., Dec. 10, 1784; the eldest son of Samuel and Jane (Cook)
Davis. He was an elder brother of Jefferson Davis. He removed with his father
to Christian county, Ky., in 1796, but did not remain on the farm, taking a
position when quite young in a mercantile house. He studied law at
Russellville, and upon his father's removal to Wilkinson county, Miss., in
1811, he settled there in the practice of law with an office in Pinckneyville,
and afterward in Greenville. He represented Jefferson county in 1817 in the
constitutional convention which organized the state government, and was
prominent in the committee charged with the framing of the constitution. He
removed to Natchez in 1820, and for seven years practised (sic) law in
partnership with Thomas B. Reed, at that time the leader
of the Mississippi bar. In 1827
he removed to his father's large estates at Hurricane Bend
on the
Mississippi, near Vicksburg, and engaged in planting. His place, known as "The
Hurricane," was one of the most productive on the river and was celebrated for
the hospitality extended by the owner, "Brierfield," the plantation of the
president of the Confederate States, was a part of this tract. Beth places were
made the objects of special depredation by the Federal army during the civil
war, and Mr. Davis's fine horses were confiscated by the Union officers, one
becoming the favorite war horse of General Grant. He regained his landed
property from the Freedmen's bureau after the war, but made his residence in
Vicksburg, Miss., where he died Sept. 18, 1870.
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. III. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
Davis,
Reuben, representative,
was born in Tennessee, Jan. 18, 1813. He was self educated and studied medicine
and law. He removed to Aberdeen, Miss., where he was district attorney for the
6th judicial district, 1835-39; served four months of 1842 as judge of the high
court of errors and appeals; and at the time of the Mexican war was
colonel-commandant of
the Mississippi rifles, but was obliged to resign on account of illness. He was
in the lower branch of the state legislature, 1855-57; and a representative in
the 35th and 36th congresses, 1857-61 In 1861 he joined the Confederate army as
brigadier-general, commanding a
brigade of Mississippi militia.
At the close of the war he resumed the practice of law. He was shot in a
quarrel with the prosecuting attorney while defending a prisoner in the
courthouse at Columbus, Miss., Dec. 15. 1873, and his death was at the time
reported and credited by biographical writers. He published in 1889,
Recollections of Mississippi and Mississippians, dedicated
to the
lawyers of Mississippi by "one who is not only the oldest Mississippian now in
the profession, but who is the sole survivor of the bar of fifty years ago." He
died in Huntsville, Tenn.. Oct. 14, 1890.
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. III. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
Drake, Benjamin Michael, educator, was born in Robeson county, N.C., Sept. 11, 1800. He removed to Tennessee where he joined the Methodist Episcopal church and became a preacher in 1820. In 1821 he was transferred to the Mississippi conference. He rounded the first Methodist church, New Orleans, La., and in 1828 was elected president of the Elizabeth female academy, the first school in Mississippi under the auspices of the Methodist denomination. This position he resigned in 1832 to return to the itinerant ministry. In 1854 he was made president of Centenary college, Jackson, La., and held the office until his death. He received the degree of D.D. He died in Churchill, Miss., May 8, 1860.
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. III. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
Ellis,
Powhatan, senator, was
born in Virginia about 1794. He was graduated at William and Mary college in
1813, and settled at
Winchester, Mississippi Territory, as a lawyer. In 1818 he was elected a judge
of the supreme court of the new state, and in 1825 resigned, having been
appointed by Governor Brandon to the seat in the U.S. senate made vacant by the
resignation of Senator David Holmes, elected
governor of Mississippi. He
served three months, when he was succeeded by Thomas B. Reed, elected to fill
the vacancy by the state legislature. At the expiration of the term, March 3,
1827, Judge Ellis was elected for a full senatorial term. He resigned his seat
in the senate in 1832, having been appointed U.S. district
judge
for Mississippi by President Jackson. On Jan. 5, 1836, President Jackson
appointed him chargé d'affaires in Mexico and he closed the American
legation, Dec. 28, 1836, and returned to the United States. On Feb. 15, 1839,
President Van Buren appointed him U. S. minister to Mexico. He returned in
April, 1942, and died in Richmond, Va., in 1844
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