Vernon M. Davis

Vernon Mansfield Davis
Born	January 29, 1855 New York City
Died	April 17, 1931 (aged 76) Manhattan
Resting place	Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York)[1]
Alma mater	City College of New York Columbia Law School

Vernon Mansfield Davis (January 29, 1855 New York City – April 17, 1931 Manhattan, NYC) was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

Life

He was the son of Robert Vernon Davis and Mary (Samler) Davis (ca. 1837–1912).

He graduated from City College in 1876, and remained there as Assistant Professor of Greek, Mathematics and Logic until 1882. At the same time he studied law, graduated from Columbia Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1879. He commenced practice working for the law firm of McDaniel, Wheeler & Souther. In October 1881, he opened his own law firm: Davis, Cohen & McWilliam.

In January 1885, Davis was appointed by D.A. Randolph B. Martine a Deputy Assistant New York County District Attorney. In January 1888, D.A. John R. Fellows appointed Davis an Assistant D.A., and he remained in office under De Lancey Nicoll and during Fellows's second term. After Fellows's death on December 7, 1896, Davis was appointed Acting D.A. by the Court of General Sessions, pending the filling of the vacancy by Gov. Levi P. Morton. On December 19, Gov. Morton appointed Alderman William M.K. Olcott as D.A., and Davis resumed his post as Asst. D.A. until his resignation in April 1897.

On January 1, 1901, Davis succeeded Elbridge T. Gerry as President of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, but resigned this post after his election to the Supreme Court.

In November 1902, Davis was elected a justice of the New York Supreme Court (1st D.), and remained on the bench until the end of 1925 when he reached the constitutional age limit.

He died from pneumonia at his home at 6, East 94th Street in NYC.

Sources

1. "New York City Municipal Deaths - Vernon Mansfield Davis". familysearch.org.

• THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S AIDS in NYT on December 31, 1884
• MR. NICOLL'S ASSISTANTS in NYT on January 1, 1891
• OLCOTT TAKES HIS OFFICE in NYT on December 20, 1896
• PRESENT TO LAWYER DAVIS in NYT on April 25, 1897
• VERNON M. DAVIS TAKES CHARGE in NYT on January 2, 1901
• REACTION AGAINST MUCKRAKING, SAYS JUDGE V.M. DAVIS article written by Davis, in NYT on April 30, 1911, with short bio and sketch portrait
• Death notice of his mother, in NYT on March 29, 1912
• EX-JUSTICE DAVIS DIES OF PNEUMONIA in NYT on April 18, 1931 (subscription required)