BIO: Frederick DAVIDSON, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 244-247. _________________________________________________________________ 244 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES FREDERICK DAVIDSON, vice-president of the Union Drawn Steel Co., of Beaver Falls, Pa., is among the most prominent citizens of his town. His career gives evidence of careful training in early youth. When young, he moved to Beaver, where he received his primary education, and later took an academic course at Chester Military School. His business tact and abilities attracted the attention of an official of the National Bank of New Brighton, and he obtained a situation as clerk in the bank, which he held for three years. He then accepted the responsible position of cashier of the Beaver National Bank. At the death of his brother, James J., he became president of the Union Drawn Steel Co., of Beaver Falls. His life has been a steady, onward and upward advance in every field of usefulness to which he has been called, in which respect his career is suggestively similar to that of his father. Socially, Frederick Davidson is affiliated with St. James Lodge, No. 457, F. & A. M., of the borough of Beaver, where he now lives. His political preference is with the Republican party. The subject of this writing is the youngest son of Daniel R. and Margaret C. (Johnston) Davidson, and a grandson of William and Sarah (Rogers) Davidson. Hon. William Davidson was of Scotch-Irish origin, and was born in Carlisle, Cumberland county, Pa., February 14, 1783. He was a very prominent man of his day, both in religious and political circles. He was a clergyman of the Christian church and a very active worker in that denomination; he was equally influential in the political arena, having served as a member of the State Legislature, as state senator, and as speaker of the House. He died at the age of eighty-five years. Daniel R. Davidson, father of Frederick, was an active business man of Beaver, Pa., and was born in Fayette county, Pa., January 12, 1820, where he was a pupil in the select schools. He was a man of notable commercial tact and ability; his business relations were varied and extensive. He dealt largely in coke and coal, and owned valuable mines. For many years, he was a successful and influential railroad official, having built the B. & O. R. R. from Pittsburg to Connellsville, Pa., in connection with which he held various offices, and for a time was president of that branch. After severing his connection with that road, he was the main promoter of the Fayette county branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. At the time of his death, he was president of the Commercial National Bank, of Pittsburg, having been one of the organizers of that institution. He was also one of the board of directors of the National Bank of Commerce, of Pittsburg, from the time of its organization. He was the owner of two plants in the coke regions, and was president of the Love Manufacturing Co., of Rochester, Pa., during its existence. In politics, he was a Republican, and gave the weight of his influence to the advancement of the principles of that party, believing his own, as well as the public interests, were best advanced by Republican policies. BEAVER COUNTY 247 Daniel R. Davidson was married in Fayette county, Pa., in 1846, to Margaret C. Johnston, daughter of Alexander Johnston, who was of Scotch-Irish descent. Seven children blessed this union, and were named as follows: Charles, who lives in Connellsville, Pa.; Sarah, William J., and Elizabeth, deceased; George, who is cashier of the National Bank of New Brighton; James J., deceased; Louis R.; and Frederick, the subject of this sketch. Daniel R. Davidson died March 18, 1884, and with his death ended a very useful and exemplary life.