Marion County FlArchives Biographies.....Davis, Edwin Wallace 1869 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/flfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 11, 2008, 9:34 pm Author: B. F. Johnson (1909) Edwin Wallace Davis The American States give and take. They have unlimited free trade in men. The human flood flows from east to west and back to the east again. From north to south, and from south to north, flow other currents less strong, but contributing much to the enrichment of the life of the different Commonwealths. As a result of this freedom of movement, after absorbing twenty-five millions of aliens in one century', we are yet the most homogeneous people on the globe. For in no part of our country do we find the barbarous dialects which all over Europe make of every country a dozen little separate communities out of touch with each other, and held only by the bond of a ruler in common. Minnesota is one of the newest of our commonwealths. It has taken much from the older States, and has absorbed a great mass of sturdy Scandinavian blood. Yet as late as 1862 it was swept by the bloodthirsty Sioux Indians with fire and sword, as to one-third of its then settled territory. Full grown these twenty years past, now it is giving to both the older and newer States some of its strong young men, proving the scriptural statement that scattering sometimes results in increase. Ocala has in Edwin Wallace Davis, State's Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, one of these Minnesota men who has come from the extreme Northwest to the extreme Southeast, and found a rich field of usefulness in his adopted State. He was born near St. Paul, Minn., on August 21, 1869. His father, Wallace Davis, was a business man and soldier, who came from Wales to America in 1843. His mother was Helen Dorliska Winslade, whose father came from Canada to eastern Wisconsin as one of the first settlers and she was the third white child born in Madison, Wis. The name is believed to have been of Indian origin. Frederick Davis, now prominent as a Legislator and political leader in Minnesota is an uncle of E. W. Davis. Young Davis obtained a substantial education in the public schools of Canton, Ohio, and in 1886 came to Ocala where he entered upon the study of law in the office of Messrs. Miller and Spencer. In 1892 he was admitted to the bar in Ocala, and at once began to practice. There followed fourteen years of steady professional work, which resulted in making such a legal reputation for Mr. Davis that in 1906 he was elected State's Attorney for the Fifth Circuit for the term 1907-1911. This position he now fills with ability. On March 9, 1892, he was married to Miss Sarah Wallace, daughter of Archibald and Helen Wallace, of Pennsylvania. They have four children, viz: Wallace E., Robert C., Sarah W. and William T. Davis. Mr. Davis is an active member of the Democratic party which has already honored him, and his friends believe that other honors are yet in store for him. His religious leaning is towards the Presbyterian Church, of which his wife is a member. He is a fraternalist as shown by membership in the Masons, Elks and Woodmen. Outside of his law books, Mr. Davis has found current literature most helpful to him. Like all thoughtful citizens, Mr. Davis has convictions as to our future welfare and he believes that the prosperity and happiness of the people of Florida will be greatly promoted by their giving immediate attention to the necessity for abolishing the present system of leasing convicts to private industries, and by giving close attention to the moral life of the State. Additional Comments: Extracted from: FLORIDA EDITION MAKERS OF AMERICA AN HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WORK BY AN ABLE CORPS OF WRITERS VOL. III. Published under the patronage of The Florida Historical Society, Jacksonville, Florida ADVISORY BOARD: HON. W. D. BLOXHAM COL. FRANK HARRIS HON. R. W. DAVIS SEN. H. H. McCREARY HON. F. P. FLEMING W. F. STOVALL C. A. CHOATE, SECRETARY 1909 A. B. CALDWELL ATLANTA, GA. COPYRIGHT 1909 B. F. JOHNSON Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/marion/photos/bios/davis71gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/fl/marion/bios/davis71gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/flfiles/ File size: 4.6 Kb