Harry L. Davis (politician)

Harry L. Davis

Harry Lyman Davis (born January 25, 1878 in Cleveland , Ohio , †  May 21, 1950 ) was an American politician and from 1921 to 1923 the 49th  governor of the state of Ohio.

Early years and political advancement

Harry Davis started working in his home steel mills at the age of 13. After work he attended evening schools. He became familiar with politics from a young age because his father was a member of the Ohio Legislature. The young Harry was soon hired there as a page who was entrusted with running errands and similar administrative work. Later he also worked in insurance.

Davis was a member of the Republican Party and aspired to a political career himself. In 1910, he became the Cleveland City Treasurer. Between 1916 and 1919 he was mayor of this city. In 1920 he was elected governor of his state with 51.9 percent of the vote against the Democrat A. Victor Donahey . The election of a Republican was a federal trend in 1920 because most Americans no longer agreed with the policies of Democratic President Woodrow Wilson . At the same time, Warren G. Harding , also from Ohio, was elected as a Republican candidate for president.

Governor of ohio

Harry Davis began his two-year term on January 10, 1921. In 1921, he became the first Ohio governor to exercise his constitutional right to dissolve the legislature because the politicians had fallen out hopelessly. Then he had to deal with a coal-mining strike. Since the coal was urgently needed, an emergency law was passed and a state administration of the mines was set up, which set the prices and, if necessary, was given the right to occupy the mines and have them operated themselves. This administration was only dissolved at the end of 1922 after the conflict had been resolved. Davis also reorganized the government apparatus and increased taxes to better fund universities and charities. In 1922, Harry Davis decided not to run again. Therefore, he resigned on January 8, 1923 from his office.

In 1924, Davis ran unsuccessfully to return to the office of governor. Then he worked again in insurance. Between 1934 and 1935 he was again mayor of Cleveland . However, this term was not very successful. Its administration was characterized above all by increasing corruption. Harry Davis died in May 1950. He was married to Lucy Fegan.

Web links

• Harry Davis in the National Governors Association (English)
• Harry Davis in the Ohio History Connection Archives
• Harry L. Davis in the database of Find a Grave (English)