John Wesley Davis

John W. Davis
Davis as painted by W.D. Murphy, 1911.
4th Governor of Oregon Territory
In office May 14, 1853 – August 1, 1854
Appointed by	Franklin Pierce
Preceded by	George Law Curry (acting)
Succeeded by	George Law Curry
3rd United States Commissioner to the Great Qing Empire
In office January 3, 1848 – May 25, 1850
Appointed by	James K. Polk
Preceded by	Alexander Hill Everett
Succeeded by	Humphrey Marshall
17th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
In office December 1, 1845 – March 4, 1847
Preceded by	John W. Jones
Succeeded by	Robert C. Winthrop
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana
In office March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837 March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841 March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1847
Preceded by	John Ewing (2nd) John Ewing (2nd) David Wallace (6th)
Succeeded by	John Ewing (2nd) Richard W. Thompson (2nd) George Grundy Dunn (6th)
Constituency	2nd district (1835–37) 2nd district (1839–41) 6th district (1843–47)
Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives
In office December 1, 1851 – March 7, 1852
Preceded by	Ebenezer Dumont
Succeeded by	William Hayden English
In office December 6, 1841 – January 31, 1842
Preceded by	Samuel Judah
Succeeded by	Thomas Jefferson Henley
In office December 3, 1832 – February 4, 1833
Preceded by	Harbin H. Moore
Succeeded by	Nathan B. Palmer
Member of the Indiana House of Representatives
In office 1831 1841 1851 1857
Personal details
Born	John Wesley Davis (1799-04-16)April 16, 1799 New Holland, Pennsylvania, US
Died	August 22, 1859(1859-08-22) (aged 60) Carlisle, Indiana, US
Resting place	City Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Jacksonian
Alma mater	UMB
Occupation	Doctor
Profession	Physician
Committees	Committee on Public Lands

John Wesley Davis (April 16, 1799 – August 22, 1859) was an American physician and Democratic politician, active in the mid-1800s. He is best known for serving as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Governor of the Oregon Territory, and as a four-time member of the Indiana state legislature.

Davis was born in New Holland, Pennsylvania, on April 16, 1799, and later moved to Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, with his parents.^[1][2] Davis graduated from Baltimore Medical College in 1821, then moved to Carlisle, Indiana, in 1823 and practiced medicine there.^[2] He married Ann Hoover on November 19, 1820.

His daughter, Caroline Davis, married James C. Denny, Indiana Attorney General (1872–1874). Their son, Frank Lee Denny, was a colonel of the U.S. Marine Corps who served in the Egyptian Expedition of 1882, the U.S. intervention in Panama in 1885, and the Spanish–American War.^[3]

Davis started his political career as an unsuccessful candidate for the Indiana Senate in 1828. He instead became a state court judge in Indiana from 1829 to 1831. He was elected a member of the Indiana House of Representatives four times, serving terms beginning in 1831, 1841, 1851, and 1857.^[1] He was Speaker of the Indiana House from 1832 to 1833 and again from 1841 to 1842 and 1851 to 1852.^[1]

He served as a U.S. Representative from Indiana in the 24th, 26th, 28th and 29th Congresses and was Speaker of the U.S. House in the 29th Congress.^[1] From 1848 to 1850 he was U.S. Diplomatic Commissioner to China.^[1] In 1852 he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Indiana.^[1]

Davis was appointed to the office of Governor of the Oregon Territory in 1853 by President Franklin Pierce. His appointment was not welcomed by Oregonians, however, and he left office just over a year later, with the position returning to his predecessor, Secretary of the Territory George Law Curry.

Davis died in Carlisle, Indiana on August 22, 1859.^[1] He was buried at City Cemetery in Carlisle.^[1]

• John Wesley Davis at Find a Grave
• Davis, John Wesley politicalgraveyard.com
• Oregon State Library – Governors of Oregon Photographs – Short biography and photograph.