Wilmer W. Davidson
Wilmer W. Davidson has won
secure prestige as one of the representative younger
members of the bar of Clayton county and is associated
with his honored father, with residence in the fine
little city of Elkader, the judicial center of the
county. Mr. Davidson was born in Volga, this county, on
the 10th of November, 1874, and is a son of Thomas Marion
Davidson and Margaret E. (Wickham) Davidson, both of whom
were born and reared in the State of Ohio and the
marriage of whom was solemnized January 25, 1864, at
which time the young husband was still in service as a
gallant soldier of the Union in the Civil war.
Thomas M. Davidson arrived in Clayton county, Iowa, on
the 25th of October, 1856, and established his residence
on a farm near Volga, thus becoming a resident of the
county in the pioneer epoch of its history and having
here maintained his home for half a century. When the
Civil war was precipitated he subordinated all other
interests to tender his aid in defense of the Union. He
enlisted in Company F, Sixteenth United States Infantry,
with which he proceeded to the front and entered upon his
strenuous career as a soldier. While with a supply train
enroute between Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Nashville,
Tennessee, he was taken prisoner by a party of Morgan’s
historic raiders, but was paroled three hours later. His
exchange effected, he continued in active service during
three years of the great internecine conflict, the last
year having found him as signed to the position of duty
sergeant and his honorable discharge having been received
on the 12th of November, 1864. He took part in numerous
engagements, including the memorable battle of Shiloh,
and proved himself a leal and loyal soldier of the
nation, his continued interest in his old comrades having
in later years been signified by his appreciative
affiliation with the Grand Army of the Republic. After
the close of his military career Mr. David son returned
to Clayton county and here he applied himself finally to
the diligent study that prepared him for the legal
profession, his admission to the bar having occurred in
1878, since which time he has continued in the active
practice of his profession, with high standing as an able
trial lawyer and well fortified counselor, and with
secure vantage ground as one of the leading members of
the bar of Clayton county, where he has appeared in
connection with much important litigation during the long
period of nearly forty years that have recorded his
successful labors in his chosen profession. In 1896 he
was elected county attorney, and of this office he
continued the incumbent eight years, his administration
having been marked by efficiency and having added
materially to his professional precedence. His political
allegiance is given to the Republican party and he has
been influential in its councils and cam paign activities
in Clayton county for many years.
He and his wife became the.parents of four children, the
first two being twins, one of whom died at birth, the
other twin, Elmer E., dying at Polk City at the age of 9
years. Margaret A. is the wife of Rev. Robert C. Lusk,
who is a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church and
who holds, in 1916, a pastoral charge at Marble Rock,
Floyd county, this state; and Wilmer W., immediate
subject of this review, is the youngest of the children.
Wilmer W. Davidson continued his studies in the public
schools of his native county until he had completed the
curriculum of the Elkader high school, and within a short
time after his graduation he entered the law department
of Drake University, in the city of Des Moines, in which
institution he was graduated as a member of the class of
1901, and from which he received the degree of Bachelor
of Laws. He was forthwith admitted to the bar of his
native state, and has been actively associated with his
father in general practice since that time, with assured
and well-proved reputation, both as a resourceful
advocate and conservative counselor. His political
support is given unreservedly to the Republican party,
and no better voucher for his personal popularity can be
found than in his incumbency of the office of mayor of
Elkader, to which important municipal position he was
elected for the second term in the spring of 1916 and in
which he is giving, at the time of this writing, a most
progressive and satisfactory administration. Both he and
his father hold membership in the Clayton County Bar
Association, and in Elkader he is affiliated with Elkader
Lodge, No. 72, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, as
well as with the adjunct chapter of the Order of the
Eastern Star, and of the De Molay Consistory No. 1, also
with the local camp of the Modern Woodmen of America and
the Brotherhood of American Yeomen.
In November, 1901, was solemnized the marriage of Mr.
Davidson to Miss Mollie Beer, who likewise was born and
reared in this county and who is a daughter of Christian
and Marie (Schori) Beer, the former of whom is deceased
and the latter of whom still maintains her home in this
county. Mr. and Mrs. Davidson have a winsome little
daughter, Ruth Marie, who was born April 6, 1911.
source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical Times Down to
the Present; by Realto E. Price, Vol. II; page 80-81
-OCR scanned by Sharyl Ferrall
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