Biography

09/08/1828 - 02/13/1887

Lieutenant Colonel Elisha W. Davis (R5) Philadelphia (Part) County 1872-1876

Early Career:

Lieutenant Colonel Elisha W. Davis, born September 8, 1828, Slippery Rock, Butler County, Pennsylvania; son of Lemuel and Margaret Elliot Davis; Lieutenant Colonel, 121st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Civil War, 1862-1863; teacher; lawyer; engaged, iron manufacturing; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1860-1861, elected, Speaker House, 1861; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1866-1870 elected, second time, Speaker House, 1868; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1872-1876, elected, President Pro Tempore, 1875-1876; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Philadelphia County, 1879-1880; elected, Colorado House of Representatives, 1883-1884, elected, Speaker of the Colorado House, 1883-1884; appointed, Uintah agent, United States Department of the Interior, 1883-1885; died, February 13, 1887, city of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; interment, Knights of Pythias Greenwood Cemetery, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. 

Early Career:

Civil War, Union Army Officer. Commissioned, Lieutenant Colonel, 121st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, September 1, 1862, discharged by Special Order, April 20, 1863. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Mercer and Venango Counties, 1860-1861, elected, 81st Speaker, Pennsylvania House, January 7, 1861. As Speaker, President Abraham Lincoln addressed a Joint Session of the Pennsylvania Legislature, February 22, 1861, less than 2 months before the beginning of the Civil War. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Philadelphia County, 1866-1870, elected, second time as Speaker, oversaw the passage of Joint Resolution 12 of 1868, which praised the actions of Congress in passing a resolution for the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1868. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 5th district, Philadelphia (Part) County, 1872-1876; elected, President Pro Tempore, 1875-1876; committee assignments, Finance, New Counties and County Seats, Railroad.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Philadelphia County, 1879-1880, 

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Colorado House of Representatives, 7th Precinct, Saguache County, 1883-1884; elected, Speaker of the Colorado House, 1883-1884.  

Appointed, Uintah agent, United States Department of the Interior, 1883-1885. Return, Philadelphia, poor health. 

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Pennsylvania Speaker of House of Representatives Biography:

Elisha W. Davis - PA House of Representatives - PA House of Representatives (state.pa.us)

Legacy:

Only member, Pennsylvania General Assembly, serve as a legislative Speaker in two states, Pennsylvania and Colorado.

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members D". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1875) Smull, J.A.; pages 606-608; Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 601.

LTC Elisha W. Davis (1827-1887) - Find a Grave Memorial