Davidson - William Clarence - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Source: American Biographical Library, "The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans," Volume 3, D, page 145.

Davidson, William Clarence, clergyman, was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, March 31, 1848; son of Gideon L. and Mary A. (Bowyer) Davisson; and grandson of Samuel and Eleanor (Lay) Davisson. The family came of Scotch stock, emigrating from Ireland to Pennsylvania, thence to North Carolina, and to Virginia, where the family divided, one section settling in Davidson county, Tenn., and the other in Ohio and Indiana. William was graduated from DePauw university in 1876, and the following year became a missionary to Japan. He also [p.145] held the office of U.S. consul in Hakodate, Japan, and was professor of English and mathematics in Too Giguku college, Hirosaki, Japan. He was presiding older of the Hakodate district, 1878-82, and of Yokohama district, 1882-84. In 1884 he returned to the United States, and was pastor of the First church, Plymouth, Ind., 1885-87. In the latter year he again went to Japan, returning however in 1888 to become pastor of a church at Verona, N.Y. He afterward held charges at Clinton, N.Y., 1889-91; at Herkimer, N.Y., 1891-96; and at Trinity, Oswego, N.Y., from 1897. While pastor in Herkimer he was professor of comparative religion in Folt's mission institute. He published a short Old Testament, History (Japanese) for use by Japanese preachers. He was married in 1876 to Mary C. McDaniel, who died in 1884; and in 1886 he was married to Helen Marr Oakes.