Hamilton H. Davidson 1849-1908

DAVIDSON, TAYLOR

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 2/21/2011 at 16:52:35

H. H. Davidson Dies of Cancer
After Suffering for Several Months Death Comes to His Relief Friday Morning Nov. 27th
One of Estherville’s Best Citizens
Lived in Estherville Since 1887. Was Superintendent of City Schools Ten Years and County Superintendent Six Years
Attorney H. H. Davidson died Friday morning November 27th of cancer of the stomach after an illness of several months during which time he was a great but patient sufferer as the disease gradually ate his life away.

The funeral was held from the Methodist church at two o’clock Monday afternoon, being in charge of the Masonic lodge of which organization he was a most highly respected member and was also secretary at the time of his death. There was a large attendance at the funeral and the floral offerings were exceptionally beautiful.

Those from a distance at the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Davidson, of Hamburg, Iowa; J. W. Davidson, of York, Nebraska; Mrs. Russel Davis, and Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Myers of Washington, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Bert Taylor, of Cedar Rapids; Mrs. Maurice Taylor and Miss Nellie Taylor, of Iowa City; Mrs. Ida Nftzger, of Wichita, Kansas.

The pall bearers were C. W. Crim, J. W. Morse, P. H. Paulson, W. A. Ladd, M. J. Groves, Byron Coon, G. K. Allen, D. R. Alexander, A. H. Nash, and C. N. Klise all members of the Estherville bar. The business houses and city schools were closed during the funeral exercises out of respect to the deceased.

Mr. Davidson was a thoroughly upright and honorable citizen. He lived a pure life and was one who loved his family and fellow man. No one can say that Hamilton H. Davidson ever knowingly did them an injury or in any manner attempted to take advantage of their circumstances. He attended strictly to the duties mapped out for him and was not what we term a “mixer.” He belonged to one secret society, that of the Masons, and had been a communicant of the Methodist church for many years.

Hamilton H. Davidson was born in Venango Co., Pennsylvania, Sept. 27, 1849 and was the oldest of a family of eleven children. In 1865 he came to Washington county, Iowa with his parents settling on a farm about twenty miles south of Iowa City. He attended Washington academy and afterwards entered the state university graduating from the law department in 1879. He practiced law for a short time and then engaged in school work. He moved to Marble Rock and was superintendent of the town school and later was elected superintendent of schools in Floyd county. In 1884 he came to Estherville and for ten years was superintendent of the city schools after which he was superintendent of the schools of the country for six years. Since that time he has practiced law, being the senior partner of the firm of Davidson & Myerly.

September 3, 1878 he was married at Iowa City to Miss Sadie M. Taylor and from this union one daughter was born, Lois Craig Davidson who is a graduate of the state university and now one of the teachers of the Boone schools.

Deceased is survived by a wife, daughter, father, five brothers and four sisters. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, December 2, 1908)