1873-1955
Solicitor General of the United States

Lawyer to Congressman.

In 1911 John Davis was elected to represent his West Virginia district in the House of Representatives. A man of great ambition and a lawyer of distinction in his home state, the decision to pursue a political career had not been an easy one for him. He had dedicated himself to the operation of the law office he shared with his father and had become the principal reason for its success. He did become a candidate, however, and won a seat in Congress on his first attempt. As a Democrat he faithfully supported President Wilson's legislative program in spite of the reservations he held with respect to the president's leadership and his liberal ideals. Though highly regarded by his colleagues in the house for his legal acumen, Davis received little recognition for his work outside the...