James O. Davidson
| James Ole Davidson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 21st Governor of Wisconsin | |
|
In office January 1, 1906 – January 2, 1911 | |
| Lieutenant |
William D. Connor John Strange |
| Preceded by | Robert M. La Follette, Sr. |
| Succeeded by | Francis E. McGovern |
| 19th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin | |
|
In office January 5, 1903 – January 1, 1906 | |
| Governor | Robert M. La Follette, Sr. |
| Preceded by | Jesse Stone |
| Succeeded by | William D. Connor |
| 13th Treasurer of Wisconsin | |
|
In office January 2, 1899 – January 5, 1903 | |
| Preceded by | Sewell A. Peterson |
| Succeeded by | John J. Kempf |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly | |
|
In office 1893–1899 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 10, 1854 Årdal, Sogn og Fjordane County, Norway |
| Died |
February 16, 1922 (aged 68) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Helen M. Bliss Davidson |
| Children |
Mabel Elsie Davidson Grace Davidson |
| Parents |
Ole Davidson Ingabor (Jenson) Davidson |
| Profession |
Miller Merchant Politician |
James Ole Davidson (February 10, 1854 – December 16, 1922) was an American merchant and politician in Wisconsin. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin and the 21st Governor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.
Early life
Davidson was born in Årdal, Sogn og Fjordane County, Norway and immigrated in 1872 to the United States when he was 18 years old.[1] In Boscobel, Wisconsin he worked as a farmhand and as a tailor.[2] Davidson began a successful mercantile business and established his own tailor business in Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin.[3]
Political career
He held several political positions in Wisconsin, and was twice elected village president in Soldiers Grove. [4] Davidson was also elected as a Republican candidate to the Wisconsin State Assembly, serving three terms from 1893 to 1899. He was elected Wisconsin state treasurer in 1898 and 1900.[5]
Elected the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin alongside governor Robert M. La Follette, Sr., Davidson served until January 1, 1906, when La Follette resigned to join the United States Senate, making Davidson acting governor.[6] He was elected governor in 1906 and reelected in 1908.[7] He served from January 4, 1906 to January 3, 1911; and during his tenure, state regulation of the railroads was extended to include public utilities, telegraph, telephone, electricity, water companies, and the insurance industry. [8] After retiring from office, he was appointed by his gubernatorial successor to a five-year term as president of the State Board of Control.[9]
Death
Davidson died in Madison, Wisconsin on December 16, 1922 (age 68 years, 309 days),[10] due to pneumonia and heart complications. He is interred at Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin.[11]
Family life
Davidson was the son of Ole Davidson and Ingabor (Jenson) Davidson.[12] On February 19, 1883 Davidson married Helen Bliss and they had two daughters, Mabel Elsie and Grace.[13]
References
- ↑ Davidson, James O. 1854 - 1922
- ↑ Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration, and Herman, Jennifer L. (2008). Wisconsin Encyclopedia. North American Book Dist LLC,. p. 218.
- ↑ Jens Davidson at NRK Sogn og Fjordane County Encyclopedia (Norwegian)
- ↑ "Did You Know?". Soldiers Grove Wisconsin
America's First Solar Village. Retrieved May 24, 2014. line feed character in
|publisher=at position 25 (help) - ↑ Legislative Reference Bureau (1960). The Wisconsin Blue Book. Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 154.
- ↑ "James O. Davidson". 1996-2014 Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- ↑ Legislative Reference Bureau (1960). The Wisconsin Blue Book. Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 154.
- ↑ "Marker 112: James Davidson". Marker 112: James DavidsonWisconsinHistorical Markers. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
- ↑ "Governors of Wisconsin". Genealogy Trails. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
- ↑ Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration, and Herman, Jennifer L. (2008). Wisconsin Encyclopedia. North American Book Dist LLC,. p. 218.
- ↑ "Wisconsin Scandinavian Obituaries D". Ancestry.com. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
- ↑ "Wisconsin Scandinavian Obituaries D". Ancestry.com. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
- ↑ "James O. Davidson". 1996-2014 Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to James O. Davidson. |
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sewell A. Peterson |
Treasurer of Wisconsin 1899–1903 |
Succeeded by John J. Kempf |
| Preceded by Jesse Stone |
Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin 1902–1906 |
Succeeded by William D. Connor |
| Preceded by Robert M. La Follette, Sr. |
Governor of Wisconsin 1906 – 1911 |
Succeeded by Francis E. McGovern |
