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Professor Charles Davies was born, Jan. 22, 1798, in Washington, Litchfield, County, Ct.; and died, Sep. 17, 1876, at Fishkill-on-Hudson, N. Y., aged 79
Davies was of Welsh extraction. His father, a man of ability and influence, was at one time a County Judge, and his mother possessed uncommon energy and intelligence. Young Davies, when very young, had removed to St. Lawrence County, N.Y., from which he was appointed a Cadet, Dec. 27, 1813, through the influence of General Joseph G. Swift, for services rendered to Wilkinson's army in the Descent of the St. Lawrence in the autumn of 1813. Brought up in backwoods on the frontier, he had little education or acquaintance with the outside world; but with a bright mind and accustomed to hard work, he found little difficulty in mastering the simple curriculum of studies then pursued at the Military Academy, from which after two years he was graduated and promoted, Dec. 11, 1815, to be a Bvt. Second Lieut. in the Light Artillery. With his regiment he served in garrison at New England posts till Aug. 31, 1816, when he was transferred to the Corps of Engineers, resigning therefrom, Dec. 1, 1816, to accept the position of Assistant Professor of Mathematics in the Military Academy...
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He was a teacher for 32 years; eventually promoted to Professor of Mathematics at the Academy; he wrote numerous published text books)...
In the life of the man and the citizen, Professor Davies was equally distinguished as pure, useful, and honorable. Marrying while quite young the daughter of Professor Mansfield, of West Point, he lived for more than half a century in uninterrupted domestic happiness. After leaving West Point in 1846, where he had been for several years Paymaster, he bought a beautiful place at Fishkill-on-the-Hudson, where he resided for thirty years in peace and quietness. His home was the home of hospitality, and nothing delighted him more than to entertain the friends, and neighbors, and strangers, who were often visitors at his house. As a host, he was almost unequaled. He was scarcely excelled as a talker, and had a great fund of anecdote and illustration; and that still greater talent of discerning and studying the entertainment and comfort of his guests. In fine, he was one with whom having met you would not like to part, and having parted from you would wish to meet again. With a most amiable temper and benevolent disposition, he lived among his fellow-men so that they were better for his having lived. He had long been a member of the Episcopal Church, and performed all his duties as a practical Christian, so that, when disease met him under painful circumstances and death was near, he had little to regret, nothing to fear. West Point was in life the object of his pride and his regard. West Point may well honor his memory, and place his name among her greatest and worthiest. ...
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[Transcripted Jan 2014 by Find A Grave Contributor Graves ]
