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Overview
Thomas Treadwell Davis (August 22, 1810 – May 2, 1872) was a Hamilton College alumnus (Class of 1831), New York lawyer, and Republican politician who served two terms in the United States House of Representatives from New York. Born in Middlebury, Vermont, he married Sarah Henry of Philadelphia in 1835 and built a law practice in Syracuse, New York. He was elected to the 38th Congress in 1862 and the 39th Congress in 1864, serving during and immediately after the Civil War. Hamilton College awarded him the honorary Doctorate of Laws in 1869 and elected him a Trustee the same year. He died in Washington, D.C. on May 2, 1872, while serving as a college trustee.
Relevance to Research
Davis is documented in three Hamilton College catalogs spanning his adult career and death. The 1860–61 catalog records him as Orator for a college ceremony (listed with a Class of 1831 designation). The 1869–70 catalog lists him as “Thomas T. Davis, LL. D., Syracuse” among college honorands or distinguished alumni. The 1872–73 catalog contains his full obituary record, providing birth date, marriage, congressional elections, honorary degree, trustee election, and date of death — making it the most detailed corpus entry. He represents the tradition of Hamilton alumni who combined legal careers with civic leadership in the mid-nineteenth century. The 1928 and 1937 Hamilton Life references to “Thomas Davis” in those files refer to different (contemporary) individuals and are not related to him.
Notes
- Hamilton College alumnus, Class of 1831
- Born in Middlebury, Vermont, August 22, 1810
- Married Sarah Henry of Philadelphia, June 10, 1835
- Established law practice in Syracuse, NY
- Elected to the 38th Congress, 1862 (served 1863–65)
- Elected to the 39th Congress, 1864 (served 1865–67)
- Awarded honorary LL.D. by Hamilton College, 1869
- Elected Trustee of Hamilton College, 1869
- Served as Orator at a Hamilton commencement or literary exercise, 1860–61
- Died in Washington, D.C., May 2, 1872
- Obituary recorded in the 1872–73 Hamilton catalog
Related Sources
- yhm-arc-pub-cat-1860-61 — listed as Orator, Class of 1831
- yhm-arc-pub-cat-1869-70 — listed as “Thomas T. Davis, LL. D., Syracuse” among honorary degree recipients
- yhm-arc-pub-cat-1872-73 — full obituary record with biographical details
Related Topics
- founding-and-early-history — Davis was part of the early 19th-century Hamilton alumni network
- course-catalogs-collection — source for his commencement role, honorary degree, and obituary
- commencement-and-honorary-degrees — Davis received the LL.D. in 1869 and served as trustee
- early-governance-and-college-laws — Davis served as a college trustee