Dr. James Henry Davis, a successful and able representative of the
medical fraternity in Macoupin county, has practiced his profession at
Carlinville for the past six years. His birth occurred at Shaws Point, this
county, on the nth of November, 1872, his parents being James F. and Laura
(Morrison) Davis, the former a native of Loami, Illinois, and the latter of
Tiffin, Ohio. Elijah Davis, the paternal grandfather, was a native of
Kentucky. Being opposed to slavery, he came to Illinois and took up his
abode among tbe earliest settlers of Loami. A year later he came to Macoupin
county, entering land from the government. More extended mention of him is
made on another page of this work in connection with the sketch of Alfred
Mayfield. Unto him and his wife were born the following children, namely:
Jonathan, John, Abraham, James, Elizabeth, Eliza, Louan, Verlena, Julia and
Lourena. James Morrison, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was a
native of Pennsylvania and devoted his attention principally to farming, but
also conducted a hotel and followed general merchandising. His wife bore the
maiden name of Rachel Evans. They removed from Tiffin, Ohio, to Montgomery
county, Illinois, and Mr. Morrison spent his last years at Virden, where he
passed away at the age of eighty-six. His wife also lived to attain a ripe
old age, dying while on a visit to her daughter in Virden. They were the
parents of the following children: Walter, Henry, Sidney, Theodore, Mary,
Caroline. Kate, Melissa, Laura and several who died in early life.
James F. Davis, the father of Dr. Davis, was brought to this county by his
parents when about six weeks old and here continued to reside until the time
of his death. He became an agriculturist in Shaws Point township, owning and
improving a tract of four hundred acres of land. His demise occurred on the
home farm on the 8th of June, 1896, when he had attained the age of
sixty-two years. He held various township offices and was a devoted and
consistent member of the Christian church, to which his widow also belongs.
The latter now makes her home with our subject. She has one other son,
Jonathan S., who follows farming near Atwater.
James Henry Davis was
reared on his father’s farm in Shaws Point township and obtained his early
education in the district schools. When a youth of fourteen he entered
Eureka College and subsequently began the study of medicine and surgery in
the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, remaining in that institution for
two years. During the following two years he attended the Northwestern
University Medical School at Chicago and was graduated from that institution
in 1897. Subsequently he took a course of hospital work in the Chicago
Lying-in Hospital and the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company Hospital at Pueblo
and then located for practice at Trinidad, Colorado. Going to London,
England, he spent three months in the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick
Children and later devoted sixteen months to work in a general hospital at
Vienna, Austria. In 1905 he returned to the United States and opened an
office at Carlinville, Illinois, which town has since remained the scene of
his professional labors. He keeps in touch with the advancement that is
being constantly made by the profession through his membership in the
Macoupin County Medical Society, the Illinois State Medical Society and the
American Medical Association.
On the 30th of September, 1908, Dr.
Davis was united in marriage to Miss Olive Gertrude Wilson, a native of
Honey Point township, Macoupin county, and a daughter of John and Emma
(Barnett) Wilson. They now have one son, James Wilson Davis. Dr. Davis gives
his political allegiance to the republican party, while his religious faith
is indicated by his membership in the Christian church, to which his wife
also belongs. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to
Mount Nebo Lodge, No. 76, A. F. & A. M. He is also a member of the Knights
of Pythias and the Phi Rho Sigma, a college fraternity of Chicago. Both Dr.
and Mrs. Davis enjoy an extensive and favorable acquaintance within the
borders of their native county.
Extracted 18 May 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 52-58.
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