Jonathan D. Davis (June 29, 1795 – May 15, 1853) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

physician and politician. He served in the

Michigan Senate The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, ado ...

in the early years of Michigan's statehood.

Biography

Jonathan Davis was born in

Hanover, New York Hanover is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 6,893 at the 2020 census. The town lies in the northeast corner of Chautauqua County. History The first settler arrived in 1796. The town of Hanover was forme ...

, on June 29, 1795. He worked as a store clerk and teacher to pay for his own academic and medical education. He moved to

Plymouth, Michigan Plymouth is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. The population was 9,370 at the 2020 census. The city of Plymouth is surrounded by Plymouth Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Plymouth is a western suburb of Metro ...

, in 1828, purchased land, and began a career as a doctor and farmer. He served as the clerk of Plymouth Township in 1828 and 1834. He was also a justice of the peace in 1828 and 1831, and commissioned as a captain in the territorial militia in 1829. He was briefly commissioned twice more, once during the

Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the "British Band", crosse ...

as a major in 1832, and again during the

Toledo War The Toledo War (1835–36), also known as the Michigan–Ohio War or the Ohio–Michigan War, was an almost bloodless boundary dispute between the U.S. state of Ohio and the adjoining territory of Michigan over what is now known as the Toledo S ...

when he served in September 1835 as a colonel, commanding the 1st Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division (Washtenaw County). Davis served as a

territorial A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

judge and was later elected as a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1835, then as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the

in the first election under the new constitution, and served from 1835 to 1837. He was the president ''pro tempore'' of the senate in 1837. He moved to

Jackson, Michigan Jackson is the only city and county seat of Jackson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534, down from 36,316 at the 2000 census. Located along Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 127, it is approxi ...

, in 1842, and worked as the

prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

physician. He later moved to

Albion, Michigan Albion is a city in Calhoun County in the south central region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,616 at the 2010 census and is part of the Battle Creek Metropolitan Statistical Area. The earliest English-s ...

, where he died on May 15, 1853. Davis was married; his wife, Betsy, died in Jackson on May 19, 1880.

Notes

References

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Jonathan D. 1795 births 1853 deaths Michigan state senators 19th-century American politicians