DAVISON, NORMAN AND DAVISON, BENJAMIN F.

Samuel W. Durant, History of Oakland County, Michigan, L. H. Everts & Co., Philadelphia (1877), pp. 205-206

NORMAN DAVISON,

one of the pioneers of old Oakland, was born in the Susquehanna valley, in August, 1784.  He was a son of Captain Paul Davison, a commissioned officer of the Revolution, who settled in Lima, Livingston county, New York, in the summer of 1788, and was, therefore, one of the very earliest settlers west of Geneva, New York.  In June, 1831, he (Norman Davison) emigrated to that part of Oakland County now included in Genesee, and with his sons, Paul G., Oliver P., DeWitt C., and Benjamin F. Davison, settled at Davisonville, where they erected a saw-mill - one of the first in that section of country - in 1833, and a grist-mill in 1836.  He was one of the delegates that met in convention at Detroit on the second Monday of May, 1835, and framed the first constitution of Michigan.   Was also a delegate to the convention at Ann Arbor, called for the purpose of acting upon the terms proposed to the people of Michigan to surrender a portion of the State to Ohio and Indiana in exchange for the upper peninsula, as set forth in the act of Congress relating to the matter.  He was elected one of the judges of Lapeer county, and held various other offices, in the discharge of the duties of which he gave general satisfaction and secured a deserved personal credit.  After a life of rare usefulness he died in March, 1841, leaving behind him a reputation for sterling integrity, sound judgment, and remarkable general ability, which won for him the respect and confidence of the people.  In his public career he was successful from the fact he was never biased by political cliques, but did his duty fearlessly and to the best of his ability.   He was a man whose deeds will follow him, and will ever redound to his honor. 

BENJAMIN F. DAVISON, 

son of the gentleman whose history we have thus briefly recorded, was born in Livingston county, New York, April 12, 1821.  He went to the common schools of his native town, and acquired as much knowledge as the limited educational facilities afforded.   He removed to Michigan with his parents in 1831, and to the farm he now occupies in Highland township in 1842. 

            On the 16th of May, 1849, he married Miss Huldah M. Gue, and had by her four children, namely: 

            Jane Ann, born November 30, 1853.
            Flora Ella, born February 1, 1856; died October 16, 1871.
            Norman, born August 2, 1858.
            Benjamin F., Jr., born January 16, 1862; died November 20, 1873.

            On the 30th of August, 1866, he sustained the loss of his estimable wife, which was to him a sore bereavement.

            He married again January 1, 1867, to Miss Sarah S. Wells.  This union has been blessed with two children, both living:

            Berta, born October 5, 1869.
            Margaret S., born August 23, 1871.

Mr. Davison was twice elected supervisor of his township, and also several times its treasurer.  These and various other offices he has filled to the satisfaction of his constituents and with honor to himself.  In politics he is Democratic, of the old Jeffersonian, Simon-pure school of Democracy.  In religion he is liberal, never being affiliated with any particular religious denomination.  His creed is embodied in the old precept, "Do to others as you would they should do to you."  By industry and prudential care he has accumulated a fair competency.  He now owns two hundred and eight-five acres of land, of which about two hundred are under cultivation and the balance in timber.  His buildings are substantial and comfortable, and constitute a fair sample of the beautiful rural homes of which Oakland County contains so many. [Begin Page 206]

We can adduce no better encomium on Mr. Davison than by saying that he possesses many of the estimable qualities which rendered his father so worthily popular.   In short, he is the worthy son of a worthy sire, and as such holds a prominent position among the representative men of his township.