Bliss N. Davis (December 8, 1801 – February 11 1885) was a

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

politician and

lawyer A lawyer is a person who is qualified to offer advice about the law, draft legal documents, or represent individuals in legal matters. The exact nature of a lawyer's work varies depending on the legal jurisdiction and the legal system, as w ...

who served as

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

of the

Vermont State Senate The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The senate consists of 30 members elected from multi-member districts. Each senator represents at least 20,300 citizens. ...

Biography

Bliss Nash Davis was born in

Vergennes, Vermont Vergennes is a city located in the northwest quadrant of Addison County, Vermont, United States. The municipality is bordered by the towns of Ferrisburgh, Vermont, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Vermont, Panton, and Waltham, Vermont, Waltham. As of the 2 ...

on December 8, 1801. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced, first in Hardwick, and later in Danville. Davis served in local offices, including Justice of the Peace. He was also involved in several businesses, including serving as President of the Caledonia National Bank. Originally a Whig, and later a Republican, Davis served as

Caledonia County Caledonia County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,233. Its shire town (county seat) is the town of St. Johnsbury. The county was created in 1792 and organi ...

State's Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...

from 1843 to 1844 and 1848 to 1850. In 1850 Davis prosecuted William Warburton, alias " Bristol Bill" for counterfeiting. Upon hearing the guilty verdict Bristol Bill stabbed Davis in the back of the neck. Davis recovered, and the next day Bristol Bill was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He served in the Vermont Senate from 1858 to 1860 and was Senate President in 1859. Davis maintained an active law practice until just a few weeks before his death. He died in Danville on February 11, 1885.New York Times
Obituary, Bliss N. Davis, February 12, 1885

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Bliss N. 1801 births 1885 deaths People from Vergennes, Vermont Politicians from Caledonia County, Vermont Vermont lawyers State's attorneys in Vermont Vermont Whigs Vermont Republicans Members of the Vermont House of Representatives Vermont state senators Presidents pro tempore of the Vermont Senate 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century members of the Vermont General Assembly