Home > William Richardson Davie

Davie was born in Cumberland County, England ; he came to North America with his uncle, William Richardson, in 1763. Davie was educated at Queen's Museum College in Charlotte and at the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University), graduating in 1776This article is about the year 1776. For the musical, see 1776 (musical Events January 10 Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense March 17 American Revolutionary War: British forces evacuate Boston, Massachusetts after George Washington places artillery overl.

After graduation, Davie led a company of student volunteers in the Continental ArmyThe Continental Army was the unified command structure of the thirteen colonies fighting Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. The Army was created by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 15, 1775. Most of the Continental Army w of George WashingtonGeorge Washington ( February 22, 1732— December 14, 1799), also called Father of his Country 1 was an American general and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War ( 1775 1783) and later the first President of the Unite; he then returned to North Carolina, studying law in SalisburySalisbury is a city located in Rowan County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 26,462. It is the county seat of Rowan County 6. Geography Salisbury is located at 35°40'6" North, 80°28'43" West (35. 668289, -80. before joining the state militia in 1777Events The Cornish language died out 2nd edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica published January 3 American general George Washington defeats British general Charles Cornwallis at the Battle of Princeton. January 12 Mission Santa Clara de Asis is founded in.

Davie was promoted to the rank of majorFor non-military meanings, see major (disambiguation). In the US Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and the British Army, a major is a commissioned officer superior to a captain and inferior to a lieutenant colonel. The equivalent rank in the US Navy is Lieute in the militia and fought in the Battle of Stono . He returned to legal studies and received his law license in 1780Events January 16 American Revolutionary War: Battle of Cape St. Vincent February, Armed Neutrality of the North alliance formed between Denmark, Sweden, and Russia. March 26 The British Gazette and Sunday Monitor the first Sunday newspaper in Britain May but came back to the service in 1781Events January 5 American Revolutionary War: Richmond, Virginia is burned by British naval forces led by Benedict Arnold. January 30 Articles of Confederation ratified by 13th state, Maryland. January William Pitt the Younger, later Prime Minister, enters, defending the city of Charlotte agains the British forces under Gen. Cornwallis.

Davie rose to prominence in North Carolina as a traveling circuit court lawyer and orator; he was elected to the North Carolina House of Commons on multiple occasions through the 1780s and 1790s. He served as a member of the United States' Constitutional Convention of 1787 and argued (unsuccessfully) for its passage at the North Carolina State Conventions in 1788 and 1789.

Davie was remained active in the state militia and in the newly formed United States Army; he served in the state militia during the 1797 crisis with France and was appointed brigadier general in the U.S. Army by President John Adams. During the later War of 1812, Davie served in the army as well.

Davie was elected North Carolina Governor in 1798; during his administration, the state settled boundary disputes with South Carolina and Tennessee to the west.

As a member of the North Carolina General Assembly, Davie had sponsored the bill which chartered the University of North Carolina; he is recognized as the university's founder and served on its baord fo trustees from 1789 to 1807, including a term as its president in 1798. Davie also received the institution's first honorary degree in 1811, an LL.D.

In 1806 Davie retired to his estate in South Carolina; he died there in 1820.