Davis, LeRoy G., 1859 - 1957. Reminiscences (1865 - 1893), undated

Collection — Folder: 01

Identifier: SMHC Collection 0133

Staff Only

Abstract

The reminiscences proved within the LeRoy G. Davis collection pertain to his family’s migration from Wisconsin to Minnesota and the food they ate. He reminisced about his childhood on a farm near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, and his occupations in Redwood County teaching second grade and his time at the law office of J. M. Thompson in Sleepy Eye. He discussed his education at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota and at Hamline University in St. Paul before a shortage of economic funds forced him to return to Sleepy Eye. Furthermore, the collection contains information on prairie fires, the blizzard of 1873, grasshopper plagues between 1873 and 1878, the burning of the Minnesota State Capitol, and the 1880 diphtheria epidemic.

Dates

Undated

Creator

Davis, LeRoy G., 1859-1957 (Author, Person)

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on use of this collection for research purposes. The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property and libel laws as they apply.

Biographical / Historical

LeRoy G. Davis was born at Weyauwega, Wisconsin on 24 March 1859. The Davis family left Wisconsin and migrated to rural Sleepy Eye in 1867. Local schools provided his primary education while he earned college credits at Carlton College and Hamlin University.

During his life, Davis supported himself and his family by teaching school and working as a lawyer after he passed the bar examination in 1882. Davis married Marietta Cornish during the same year that he passed the bar exam. The Davis’s had six children. Following his admittance to the Minnesota Bar, he supported his family by teaching and practicing law in Sleepy Eye. He practiced law until his retirement in 1955. Besides his law practice, Davis served as the Brown County Attorney from 1895 – 1896, the city attorney for Sleepy Eye, and he performed the duties of superintendent for the Brown County Schools during the 1891-1892 school year.

Aside from his professional career, Davis wrote books of poetry including Come See and Sagas of the Old Northwest. Also, he submitted articles for the Minnesota History magazine. Davis died on 23 November 1957.

Extent

0.25 Cubic Feet (1 Folder in a Half-Hollinger Box with additional collections)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Elizabeth Scobie donated this collection in August 1973.

Subjects

Related Names

Creator

Davis, LeRoy G., 1859-1957 (Author, Person)

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title: Davis, LeRoy G., 1859 – 1957. Reminiscences (1865 – 1893), undated. SMHC Collection 0133
Status: Completed
Author: Archives staff
Date: 1974-03
Description rules: Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description: English
Script of description: Latin
Language of description note: English