Washington County New York Biographies - Surnames D

Transcribed by Lynn Tooley

Washington County New York Biographies - Surnames D, extracted from the Washington county, New York; its history to the close of the nineteenth century by Stone, William Leete, 1835-1908.

DAVIS, Charles G. Biography

Charles G. Davis, one of the leading members of the Washington County bar, is a son of Nicholas and Almira (Wilcox) Davis, and was born in the town of Saratoga, Saratoga County, N. Y., May 27, 1847. He studied law in the law office of Pond & French in Saratoga Springs and afterward with Judge Potter in Whitehall. Mr. Davis was admitted to the bar in January, 1876, since which time he has been engaged in active and successful practice.

DAVIS, Oscar F. Biography

Oscar F. Davis, one of the oldest, best known and most highly respected members of the Washington County bar, was born at Brattleboro, Vt., October 16, 1820. When he was in his third year his parents moved to Granville, N. Y., and there he received his early education at the Granville Academy, and afterward took up the study of law in the office of John H. Boyd of Whitehall, N. Y. He completed his legal studies with the late Judge James Gibson of Salem, and was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1850. In the same year he settled permanently at Whitehall and began the practice of his profession, which he has continued throughout half a century, achieving a high reputation, not only as an advocate and counsellor, but also as a man of honor and integrity.

In addition to his law business, Mr. Davis was for about ten years connected with the great lumber trade of Whitehall. He has always taken an intelligent and active interest in public affairs, and was a member of the Board of Education for a period of twenty years, during fully half of which time he was President of the Board. He also held a seat on the Board of Village Trustees for a number of years and was President of the village several terms.

In 1854 Oscar F. Davis married Charlotte Towne Rowe, of the village of Granville, N. Y. Their children are Rufus Rowe Davis, Charlotte T. and Pauline B.

Rufus Rowe Davis is a lawyer and is associated with his father.

Charlotte T. married Capt. O. A. Dennis, a prominent lawyer of Whitehall, and Pauline B. married Walter N. Weeks.

Oscar F. Davis is a son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Preston) Davis. His great uncle, Capt. Isaac Davis, was the first man killed in the War of the Revolution at Concord, Mass.

Jonathan Davis was a native of Massachusetts, but removed to Vermont shortly after his marriage. He subsequently settled in Granville, as has been stated, where he remained until his death in April, 1869.

His wife, Elizabeth Preston, was a native of Massachusetts and was born in 1793. She died in 1845 at the age of fifty-two.

DAVIS, Rufus R. Biography

Rufus R. Davis was born in the village of Whitehall, September 71 1857, and is a son of Oscar F. and Charlotte T. (Rowe) Davis. He began reading law with his father, and in 1881 was admitted to the bar, since which time he has been actively engaged in the practice of law with his father, under the firm name of O. F. & R. R. Davis. This firm has a good general law practice and a splendid law library.

DENNIS, Capt. Otis Alonzo Biography

Capt. Otis Alonzo Dennis was born in Norwich, Conn., but was brought to Whitehall by his parents when quite young. He received a liberal education in the public schools of this village and having decided to enter the legal profession he read law in the office of Tanner & Potter from 1877 until his admission to the bar September 10, 1880. For the next nine years he was actively engaged in the practice of his profession.

In 1889 he was appointed by the Court as consultation clerk and Librarian of the Court of Appeals, Second Division, and continued in that position until the Court finished its labors in 1892 when he resumed the practice of his profession in Whitehall and has advanced to a prominent place in the front rank of the bar of Washington County.

Captain Dennis has always taken a vital interest in public affairs and leading social organizations and is Captain of Company "I," Second Regiment, National Guard.

When war broke out between the United States and Spain in the spring of 1898, separate companies of the National Guard were mustered into the United States service, provisional companies were organized to supply their places in the armories. In Whitehall the 109th Separate Company was organized and O. A. Dennis was elected its Captain. In this position he became very popular and shortly after the regular company returned from the war he was elected to his present position, that of Captain of Company "I," (9th Separate) Second Regiment, N. G. N. Y.

As an officer Captain Dennis has exhibited unusual energy and ability and it is said by competent military critics that Company " I " has attained a personnel and efficiency superior to its previous status which is saying a good deal, as the company has always been considered high class.

Captain Dennis is also a member of the Odd Fellows; Whitehall Lodge No. 5, I. O. O. F. ; Whitehall Encampment No. 69, and Canton Whitehall, as well as of the military order Loyal Legion of the United States.

On November 19, 1890. Captain Dennis married Charlotte T. Davis, daughter of O. F. Davis, and they have a family of two children, namely: Louise Davis Dennis and Eunice Elizabeth Dennis.

Captain Dennis is a son of George and Sarah (Tifft) Dennis.

DERBY, Archibald S. Biography

Archibald S. Derby, one of the younger members of the Washington County bar, was born at Sandy Hill, Washington County, N. Y., and was educated at Union College, from which he was graduated with the degree of Ph. B.. in the class of 1896, and at the Harvard Law School where he was graduated in the class of 1899 with the degree of L.L. B. He was admitted to the bar at Albany in 1899 and immediately began the practice of his profession at Sandy Hill in the old chambers of Hughes & Northup.

Mr. Derby is the son of Hon. John H. Derby of Sandy Hill.

DOIG, Robert Biography

Robert Doig was born in the town of Greenwich, Washington County, N. Y., March 13, 1810. He graduated from Union College in 1836 and in 1838 completed the study of law with Boyd & Billings at Whitehall and was admitted to the bar. He soon became a leading lawyer in Whitehall and held various public offices.

[ Surnames E ]