John H. Davidson, M. D.    

JOHN H. DAVIDSON, M.D.  Although a young man, Dr. John H. Davidson, of Perryopolis, is one of the prominent physicians of Fayette County. He was born Nov. 15, 1845, in Redstone township, Fayette Co., at the old Brownfield tavern stand, two miles east of Brownsville, on the National pike. His early life was passed upon his father’s farm in much the same manner that farmers’ boys usually spend their time. He was educated in the common schools and Dunlap’s Creek Academy, and read medicine in the office of Dr. Samuel B. Chalfant, of Upper Middletown, Fayette Co., and attended lectures at and graduated from the Medical Department of the Western Reserve University, of Cleveland, Ohio. He began his course in this college in 1868, and graduated in 1870. He was married Dec. 26, 1871, to Chilnissae J. Chalfant, daughter of Dr. S. B. and Elizabeth Chalfant. Mrs. Davidson died June 27, 1877. They had one child, Clayton Torrance Davidson, now a bright boy of eight years. The doctor was married again Jan. 10, 1881, to Mary E., the sister of his former wife.

Dr. Davidson is of English stock. His father, Jacob Davidson, was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., and married Hannah Kelley, of the same county. Soon after his marriage he located upon the farm where the doctor was born. He died in 1858. Mr. Davidson’s occupation was farming. He was a prominent member of the United Brethren Church, and was noted for his piety, and was a local preacher.

The doctor’s grandfather, Jacob Davidson, was born in England. When quite young his father, who was a minister of the gospel, emigrated to America, and located in Philadelphia. Jacob, the doctor’s grandfather, married Mary Young, of Franklin County, Pa. They came to Fayette County in 1837, and settled on the Basil Brown tract of land, near Brownsville. He died April 15, 1856, aged seventy-four years. He was a miller by trade, owned a large amount of land, and was long a director in the Monongahela Bank, of Brownsville.

After graduating Dr. Davidson first practiced his profession in company with his preceptor and father-in-law, Dr. Chalfant. He located in Perryopolis in December, 1872. From the beginning his practice there has been large and lucrative. He is recognized as a skillful physician. His judgment is excellent; his knowledge of men and general business acute. He has held the office of school director in Perry township, and, according to a late county superintendent of schools, was one of the very best directors in Fayette County. His possessions are houses, lands, bank stock, brick-works, book accounts, energy, good health, good sense or brains.

The doctor’s maternal grandfather, Jacob Kelley, was born in England, came to America when young, and settled in Westmoreland County, Pa.

Dr. Davidson’s parents, Jacob and Mary Davidson, were married June 2, 1835, and had ten children, nine of whom are living,—Mary, married to John Rice, Nov. 2, 1855; Elizabeth, married March 12, 1862, to Otho Brashear; Kate, married Jan. 23, 1867, to Benton Bennett; Lou, married Jan. 3, 1871, to James F. Grable; Haddie, married July 24, 1873, to Jesse Coldren; Anna, married Nov. 12, 1874, to Luther Noble; Amos W., married May 29, 1878, to Maggie Vernon; and Ada, who is single.

History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1882, page 721 View the image of this page online - Free Trial  Search Hundreds of 1880s-1890s Pennsylvania County History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Free Access to the old history books - plus birth & death records, census images and ALL other records at ancestry.com

.