Background
John William was born on April 13, 1873 in West Virginia. Davis's father, John J. Davis, had been a delegate to the Wheeling Convention and served in the United States House of Representatives in the 1870s.
John William was born on April 13, 1873 in West Virginia. Davis's father, John J. Davis, had been a delegate to the Wheeling Convention and served in the United States House of Representatives in the 1870s.
Davis' education began at home, as his mother taught him to read before he had even memorized the alphabet. She then had him read poetry and other literature throughout the home library. After he turned ten, he was put in a class with older students to prepare him for the state teachers examination. A few years later, he was enrolled in a previously all-female seminary that doubled as a private boarding and day school. There he received nothing less than a 94 for grades.
He was educated at Washington and Lee University.
Davis was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1895 but returned to his birthplace two years later. In 1899 he was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates, and in 1910 he was elected to the U. S. House of Representatives.
From 1911 to 1913 Davis served in the U. S. Congress, during which time he helped to draft the Clayton Anti-Trust Act, fought for the Sherman Anti-Trust Law, and defended the legality of the eight-hour work day.
He was a top advisor to President Woodrow Wilson and served as U. S. solicitor general (1913 - 1918) and ambassador to Great Britain (1918 - 1921). At the Democratic convention in New York in 1924, Davis was nominated for the presidency on the 103rd ballot after a deadlock developed between William H. McAdoo and Alfred E. Smith.
Davis later said that he had been "pressured" by friends to run.
Among his clients were the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, J. P. Morgan and Co. , the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, and The Associated Press.
According to records, Davis argued more cases (over 140) before the U. S. Supreme Court than any other individual.
In 1935, Davis became active in the Liberty League, a group that charged the New Deal with destroying the Constitution. In 1952 Davis successfully defended the United States Steel company before the Supreme Court when Truman attempted to seize it during a strike. Davis was president of the American Bar Association in 1922, of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York from 1931 to 1932, and of the English-Speaking Union in 1931.
He served as vice-president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in 1942 and again in 1948.
U. S. House of Representatives
On June 20, 1899 Davis married Julia T. McDonald but she died on August 17, 1900. They had a daughter, Julia McDonald Davis, who married Charles P. Healy and then William M. Adams. On January 2, 1912 Davis married Ellen G. Bassel, who died in 1943.