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G. A. DAVIDSON

 

G. A. Davidson, living on section 8, Ross township, is giving his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits.  He is a man of resolute spirit, accomplishing what he undertakes and the methods which he always pursues are such as will bear close investigation and scrutiny.  As the result of his unfaltering diligence he is now the owner of two hundred and twenty acres constituting a neat and well-improved farm.  Moreover he is numbered among the early settlers of the county, having lived here for more than a quarter of a century.

 

Mr. Davidson was born in Jay county, Indiana, December 15, 1854, his parents being Thomas L. and Rebecca Davidson, both of whom were natives of Ohio, where they were reared and married.  The father followed the occupation of farming in that state until his removal to Indiana, at which time he settled in Jay county and from the government entered a tract of heavily timbered land.  He did not fear the laborious effort necessary to place this tract under cultivation but at once began to clear away the trees, to grub up the stumps and burn the brush.  In course of time the furrows were turned and later abundant crops were gathered as the sun ripened and developed the seed which he sowed.  In 1856 he resumed his westward way and settled in what is now Worth county, Missouri, where he again entered land and once more opened up a farm.  He also became one of the first nurserymen of northern Missouri.  He owned several hundred acres of land there, for as his financial resources increased he wisely placed his money in the safest of all investments -- real estate.  He died at Grant City, Missouri, in 1901, and his wife passed away in the same place in 1905.

 

G. A. Davidson was largely reared in Worth county, Missouri, and in his youthful days he assisted his father in carrying on the home farm and in conducting ( page 444) the nursery business, remaining at home until after he had attained his majority.  Desiring to establish a home of his own, he was married in Bedford, Iowa, on the 29th of April, 1875, to Miss Rebecca Cox, who was born and reared in North Carolina.  Following his marriage he cultivated his father's farm for five years and in 1881 removed to Nebraska, settling in Seward county, where he continued to carry on general agricultural pursuits for a year.  During that time, however, he returned to Iowa and purchased one hundred and forty acres of land on section 8, Ross township, where he now resides.  In 1892 he located upon this place and began to till the fields and further improve the farm.  He has remodeled the house and has upon his place a large barn and other substantial outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock.  He has likewise planted shade and fruit trees and has enclosed his fields and his farm with good fences.  In this district, which was once known as a treeless prairie, are now many fine groves and upon Mr. Davidson's place is one of his own planting.  In connection with the cultivation of his crops he also raises and feeds stock, handling horses, cattle and hogs, all of high grades.  He makes a specialty of Duroc Jersey hogs and fattens from one to three carloads per annum, his sale thereof adding materially to his yearly income.  He is an excellent judge of live stock and is, therefore, able to make judicious investments and profitable sales.

 

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Davidson has been blessed with four children: James L., a farmer of Ross township, who is married and has one son, Wendel; Mrs. Nettie M. Wilson, who since the death of her husband has resided with her father and has two children, Claud and Beulah Wilson; Arthur, who is married and is now in Riverside, California; and Cora L., at home.

 

In his political views Mr. Davidson is independent, supporting the man whom he regards as best qualified for the duties of the office without regard to party affiliation.  The cause of education finds in him a warm friend and he has been officially identified with the schools.  While he is a busy man, carefully devoting his time and energies to his stock-raising interests, he has also found opportunity for travel and has been away from his place at three different times for about a year at a time, having spent about a year in California, a year in grant City, Missouri, and a year in Bedford, Iowa.  He is a man of social, genial nature and this quality has made him popular with those with whom he has been brought in contact.