Henry G. Davis
Henry Gassaway Davis (November 16, 1823 – March 11, 1916) was a millionaire and Senator from West Virginia. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1904.
Henry G. Davis | |
|---|---|
| United States Senator from West Virginia | |
| In office March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1883 | |
| Preceded by | Waitman T. Willey |
| Succeeded by | John E. Kenna |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Henry Gassaway Davis November 16, 1823 Woodstock, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | March 11, 1916 (aged 92) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
Born on a farm in Howard County, Maryland, he became a railroad executive before branching out into coal mining and banking as founder of the Potomac and Piedmont Coal and Railway Company. Davis won election to both houses of the West Virginia Legislature before serving as U.S. Senator from 1871 to 1883. His younger brother, Thomas Beall Davis, also served in Congress. After his tenure in the Senate ended, Davis continued to grow his business interests. In partnership with his son-in-law, Stephen Benton Elkins, Davis created the Davis Coal and Coke Company and led it to become one of the largest coal companies in the world.
The 1904 Democratic National Convention nominated a ticket of Alton B. Parker for president and Davis for vice president. Davis was chosen primarily for his ability to provide funding to the campaign. At nearly 81 years old, he remains the oldest person ever on a major party's national ticket. The Republican ticket of Theodore Roosevelt and Charles W. Fairbanks prevailed by a wide margin. After the election, Davis helped establish Davis & Elkins College, and he died in 1916.