Garland-Chicot-Pulaski County ArArchives Biographies.....Davies, Robert Geddes 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/arfiles.html
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 July 18, 2009, 1:08 pm

Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

ROBERT GEDDES DAVIES.
    Robert Geddes Davies, a prominent representative of the bar of Hot Springs,
practicing with a large clientele that has connected him with much important
litigation heard in the courts of the state, was born in Lake Village, Arkansas,
a son of Anthony H. Davies, who was a native of Milford, Connecticut, and became
one of the first settlers of Chicot county, Arkansas, arriving there in 1829.
From Connecticut he went first to New York and removed from the Empire state to
Arkansas. He had been dependent upon his own resources from the age of twelve
years, at which time, in 1812, he began working in a store. He was with the
American soldiers for a period during his youth and then went to St. Louis,
where he entered the employ of Choteau, the fur trader and merchant. Mr. Davies
began trading among the Indians, who gave to him the name of Rising Sun. He took
up his work of this character on the Platte River and also traded with the
Indians in Dakota. Coming to Little Rock, he established the first bank of
Arkansas, and Albert Pike acted as attorney for the institution, the bank being
conducted under the name of the Real Estate Bank of Arkansas. This was in 1829.
He also purchased a plantation of two thousand acres located oposite the present
site of Lake Village. He was likewise engaged in the commission business in New
Orleans while developing his Arkansas interests, and he was a large slave owner,
owning one hundred and sixty negroes, his home being on the Lake Hall
plantation. He contributed much to the material development and progress of this
section and was also prominent in connection with public affairs, serving as
judge of the county and probate court for many years. He was likewise a member
of the constitutional convention of the state and fraternally he was connected
with the Masons. He died in April, 1861, at the age of sixty-three years. His
wife, who bore the maiden name of Mildred H. Gaines, was born in Kentucky at
Gaines Cross Roads, a place settled by her father in 1798. He was the father of
Major William H. Gaines. The daughter, Mrs. Davies, died in 1900, at the
advanced age of eighty-six years. In the family of this worthy couple were the
following named sons and daughters: Harpin, who served throughout the Civil war
and is now living in Montana; Fanny, the wife of Charles W. Fry of Hot Springs;
Walter, who is living on the old homestead; Robert G., of this review; Joseph,
who also occupies the old plantation, and Mildred, who died at the age of twelve
years.

    Robert G. Davies lived on the old plantation in his boyhood and youth and
acquired his education under the instruction of private tutors until he entered
the Garrison Forest School at Baltimore, Maryland, while still later he became a
student in Georgetown College at Washington, D. C. He likewise attended the
Locust Dale Academy and also the University of Virginia, from which he was
graduated on completing a course in the law department with the class of 1874.
He next made his way to Little Rock, where he entered the law office of Garland
& Cockrell, well-known attorneys, with whom he remained for a few months. He
then came to Hot Springs, where he formed a partnership with E. W. Rector for
the practice of law, an association that was maintained for a number of years.
He afterward practiced by himself for several years and still later was
associated with Charles D. Greaves, who at one time was a candidate for governor
of the state. In 18S7 Mr. Davies went to Helena, Montana, where he followed his
profession and also acted as assistant state land agent. In 1900 he again came
to Hot Springs, where once more be entered into partnership with E. W. Rector
and in 1910 he removed to Elko, Nevada, where he practiced law and engaged in
mining for three years. On the expiration of that period he once more located in
Hot Springs, where he has continued to the present time and is today one of the
able and well-known attorneys of the city. For three terms he has filled the
office of city attorney, making a most excellent record in that position. He was
also chairman of the vigilantes committee in 18S2, when that organization had a
big fight on with the gamblers and succeeded in freeing Hot Springs from this
element of professional gamblers.

     In 1875 Mr. Davies was maried to Miss Cornelia Alice Gibbs, a daughter of
James E. A. Gibbs, inventor of the Gibbs sewing machines. Mr. and Mrs. Davies
became parents of the following named: Fanny, who was teacher of mathematics in
the Hot Springs high school for several years; James Gibbs, manager of the Great
Northwestern Telegraph & Telephone Company of Canada with office in Winnipeg;
Charles E., general manager and superintendent of all the Canadian government
telegraph and telephone lines, living at Toronto, Canada; Harpin, who also holds
a very prominent position with the Bell Telephone Company and lives in New York.
All three of these sons began as messenger boys and worked their way upward
through individual merit and ability to the present prominent and responsible
positions which they now occupy. The wife and mother passed away in 1884 and
later Mr. Davies wedded Margaret Cameron Fulham of New Orleans. There are three
children of this marriage: Allen T., an attorney, living at Hot Springs, who is
a member of the state legislature; Cornelia, the wife of Ernest Woodcock, a
merchant of Hot Springs, and Fulham, who is likewise living in this city. There
are now eight grandchildren. Mr. Davies has had an interesting and varied
experience as he has removed from place to place in the conduct of his business
affairs. He ranks with the representative attorneys of Hot Springs and well
deserves mention in this volume by reason of the fact that he belongs to one of
the oldest and most prominent of the pioneer families of the state.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/garland/bios/davies246bs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/arfiles/

File size: 6.6 Kb