Jacob G. Davies
14th Mayor of Baltimore
In office
November 4, 1844 – November 18, 1848
Preceded byJames O. Law
Succeeded byElijah Stansbury Jr.
Personal details
Born(1796-05-29)May 29, 1796
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
DiedDecember 7, 1857(1857-12-07) (aged 61)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Resting placeSt. Paul's Cemetery
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Military service
Branch/service United States Army
Maryland Militia
Battles/wars

Jacob G. Davies (May 29, 1796 – December 7, 1857) was an American politician. He served as Mayor of Baltimore for two terms, from 1844 to 1848.

Early life

Jacob G. Davies was born on May 29, 1796, in Baltimore, Maryland.[1][2]

Career

Davies volunteered during the War of 1812 and participated in the Battle of Bladensburg. Afterward, he received a commission as a lieutenant in the cavalry of the United States Army. He entered the mercantile business. He joined the militia and became a brigade major. He was then promoted to colonel in the Second Regiment of cavalry in the militia. He retired, but returned to duty after a mob threat in 1835. He was placed in command of the City Guards cavalry and became the colonel of the Fifty-third Regiment of volunteer militia. He held that role until 1851.[2] He was also president of an insurance company.[2]

Davies was a Democrat. He ran against his cousin James O. Law for Mayor of Baltimore. He defeated his cousin by a margin of 498 votes and served as Mayor of Baltimore from November 4, 1844, to November 18, 1848, serving two terms. During his administration, the city was divided into twenty different wards. There were numerous public works projects completed in Baltimore, supporting the coal trade of the time, including the Locust Point extension of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (despite an initial veto by Davies in 1845), iron bridges over Harford Run and Jones Falls, and the site of Franklin Square was purchased and developed.[1][2] Davies was appointed postmaster of Baltimore by President Franklin Pierce. He served as postmaster until April 1, 1857.[1][2][3][4]

Personal life

Davies married Sarah Glen. They had four children. After his death, she married Chancellor Theodoric Bland, Consul to Brazil.[1][2][nb 1]

Davies died on December 7, 1857, in his home near Baltimore.[1][2][5] He was buried in the family vault at St. Paul's Cemetery in Baltimore.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Jacob G. Davies (1795–1857)". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. May 20, 2002. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Holli, Melvin G.; Jones, Peter D. A. (1981). Biographical dictionary of American mayors, 1820–1980. pp. 96, 210–211. ISBN 9780313211348. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Appointments by the president". The New York Times. March 30, 1857. p. 4. Retrieved August 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Baer, Christopher T. (1845). "A GENERAL CHRONOLOGY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY ITS PREDECESSORS AND SUCCESSORS AND ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT" (PDF). prrths.com. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Col. Jacob G. Davies". The Louisville Daily Courier. December 12, 1857. p. 1. Retrieved August 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  6. ↑ "Funeral of Col. Jacob G. Davies". The Baltimore Sun. October 10, 1857. p. 1. Retrieved August 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon

Notes

  1. ↑ Source notes that Glen married Theodoric Bland after Davies's death, but Bland predeceased Davies.[1]
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