Husband Hon. James J. Davidson 1 2 3
Born: 5 Nov 1861 - Connellsville, Fayette Co, PA 3 4
Christened:
Died: 2 Jan 1897 - Phoenix, Maricopa Co, AZ 3 5 6
Buried:
Father: Col. Daniel Rogers Davidson (1820-1884) 2 7 8 9 10
Mother: Margaret Clark Johnston ( -1898) 8 10 11
Marriage: 31 Jan 1889 5 6
Wife Emma E. Eakin 6 12
Born:
Christened:
Died: Aft 1914
Buried:
Father: John R. Eakin (1829-Aft 1899) 13 14 15
Mother: Margaret Mitchell ( - ) 16
Children
1 M Philip James Davidson 5
Born: 26 May 1891 6
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
2 F Margaret Davidson 5
Born:
Christened:
Died: when three months old
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
3 F Sarah Norton Davidson 5 6
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Hon. James J. Davidson
In the sixth year of Mr. Davidson's life, he removed with the family to Beaver County, Pennsylvania, his future home. His preparatory education was obtained at the Beaver public schools and at Beaver Seminary. In 1878, he entered Bethany College, West Virginia, and afterward spent three years at the University of Lexington, Kentucky, graduating therefrom, in 1883. He returned to Beaver and spent the following two years in the study of law in the office of Hon. John J. Wickham, later of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. This fitted Mr. Davidson for the subsequent activities which made him a power in the political and industrial movements of the county and state, as it was not his intention to engage in the practice of the legal profession, but to qualify himself with most thorough business acquirements. This was the height of his ambition, and he made a study of practical matters among his first mercantile enterprises.
In 1886, Mr. Davidson commenced his business career by entering the oil trade as a new member of the firm of Darrah, Watson & Co., oil producers; he was subsequently interested in several kinds of enterprises. In the course of a few years, he became president of the Union Drawn Steel Works, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, one of the most prosperous manufacturing plants of the Beaver Valley. Mr. Davidson was one of the largest stock-holders of that organization, and was its president at the time of his death. Early in life he became actively engaged in politics, and was soon recognized as an influential leader in the Republican party, supervising partisan policies and giving direction to local and national campaigns. He served seven years as a member of the Beaver Council and was an ardent supporter of the public improvements, which in these later years have made Beaver so attractive for family residences.
In 1894, Mr. Davidson received the unanimous nomination of Beaver County, for Congress, but at the congressional conference held at Beaver Falls, he withdrew in favor of T. W. Phillips, of Lawrence County. In 1896, Mr. Davidson was again the unanimous choice of Beaver County, and at the congressional conference held in Butler, he was nominated on the first ballot. The nomination of so young a man in a district composed of four counties, with numerous aspirants, is proof of a phenomenal ability to control political forces, and was prophetic of a successful future, paralleled by but few in the history of our nation. After his election to Congress in 1896, Mr. Davidson went west to regain his health, but death prevented him from taking the oath of office, and his first year's salary was paid to his bereaved widow.
Toward the close of 1895, Mr. Davidson suffered an attack of "la grippe," which in after months developed into lung disease. His ambitions were beyond his constitution, and his energetic disposition kept him from taking much needed rest. The failure of medical skill to master this lung ailment, finally induced him to seek relief in change of climate. In July, 1896, he left his home in Beaver, and accompanied by his wife and two children, went to Salt Lake City. A month's sojourn in that city failing to bring any special relief, he changed his location to Colorado Springs. After a six weeks' stay there he removed to Phoenix, Arizona; but change of climate and the most careful nursing and loving attention were powerless to arrest the waste of physical forces, and he succumbed to quick consumption. At the age of thirty-five years, the struggle ended, leaving a grief-stricken wife, two children, and a host of friends to mourn his departure.
Mr. Davidson was a thirty-second degree Mason and was past officer of that fraternity; he was a member of the Tancred Commandery, Knights Templar, and of Syria Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. His Masonic brethren met his remains at the home depot, and had charge of the memorial services, which were very imposing. Mr. Davidson was also a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge, the Knights of Pythias, the American Mechanics, and the Americus Club of Pittsburg, whose members came in a body to his funeral.