Dwight Brooker Davidson (1894 - 1982)

Born 30 Nov 1894 in New Rumley, Harrison, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Janet Stewart (McKechnie) Davidson — married 23 Oct 1941 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Died 5 Mar 1982 at age 87 in Zanesville, Muskingum, Ohio, United States

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Biography

Dwight was born November 30, 1894 in New Rumley, Harrison, Ohio, USA. He was the son of Rev David George Davidson and Clara Ellen Brooker.^[1]

1900 CENSUS - Bethlehem Township, Navarre Village, Stark, Ohio, USA ^[2]

Household Role Age Birthplace

D G Davidson Head 38 Ohio

Clara E Davidson Wife 32 Ohio

Helen F Davidson Dau 9 Ohio

Dwight B Davidson Son 6 Ohio

1910 CENSUS - Jersey, Licking, Ohio, USA ^[3]

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

David G Davidson Head M 48 Ohio

Clara E Davidson Wife F 42 Ohio

Hellen F Davidson Dau F 18 Ohio

Dwight B Davidson Son F 15 Ohio

As of May 30, 1917, Dwight was a Theological Student Missionary employed by the Home Mission Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Canada located in Andover, New Brunswick, Canada. He was described as tall, medium build, dark blue eyes, black hair and he had a bad knee.^[4]

By the summer of 1922, he was speaking at the Sylvan Lake Memorial Church in Sylvan Lake, Alberta:

The opening dedication services of the Sylvan Lake Memorial Church will be held on Sunday, August 6th, 1922 when Rev. A. Rannie, B.A., will preach the dedicatorial sermon. Other ministers of the Presbytery will be present and assist in the services.

On Monday evening a Social and Concert will be held in which Miss Gertrude Smith, Mr E G Johns, Mr James Frew, and Mr Reg Taylor will take part. Rev. Dwight Brooker Davidson, B.A., of Detroit, will deliver a sermon on The Collapse of Evolution.

The public are cordially invited to attend the Sunday services on Sunday and the concert on Monday evening.

Although engaged to his future wife as early as 1926, Dwight Brooker Davidson didn't marry Jean Stewart McKechnie until October 23, 1941 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

In 1942 when his US World War II Draft Registration card was filled, he was residing in Rittman, Wayne county, Ohio.^[5]

Dwight died at the age of 87 on March 5, 1982 in Zanesville, Muskingum, Ohio and was buried in Valley View Cemetery in Warsaw, Coshocton county.^[6][7]

Religious Calling & Career

(Excerpt from a small booklet compiled by the Historical Committee of the Mount Prospect Presbyterian Church in Hickory, PA to celebrate their 125th anniversary from 1825 to 1950)

DWIGHT B. DAVIDSON (1923-1927)

"In March 1923, a unanimous call was extended to the Rev. Dwight B. Davidson. He began his work April 1, 1923, no time elapsing between the release of Dr. Alexander and the beginning of this pastorate. Mr. Davidson received his training at Wooster College, Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary.

His ordination took place at Detroit, Michigan, in May 1919, immediately preceding his work as assistant pastor of the Woodward Avenue Presbyterian Church of that city.

Then followed a year’s work on the mission field in Alberta, Canada, after which he came to this church.

In June 1923, the Christian Endeavor Society was re-organized and since that time the Young People’s work has been significant. The need of trained leadership was felt and resulted in the adoption of the plan of sending delegates each year to Young People’s Summer Conferences.

It was during this pastorate that our Church rounded out One Hundred Years of glorious history. This event was suitably celebrated with an Anniversary observance which was held at the Church on Saturday and Sunday, August 8 and 9, 1925.

For this occasion, a very complete history of the Church had been prepared and published and was read by the Pastor. A Congregational basket picnic was held on Saturday on the Church lawn, and during the same afternoon a very enjoyable historical program was presented. All members of the choir in costumes dating back to the early days of the Church rendered several special musical numbers. The main address was delivered by the Rev. B. F. Heany, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of McDonald, and other visiting ministers brought greetings. The Anniversary Sermon was delivered on Sunday morning by our former pastor, the Rev. James E. Miller of Pittsburgh.

During Rev. Davidson’s pastorate the New Service Pension Plan for ministers was adopted by Mt. Prospect Church. In the summer of 1926 the Board of Trustees had the church building re-modeled which resulted in the creation of several additional class rooms {for the use of the children’s and young peoples’ classes of the Sunday School.

The church was re-dedicated in an impressive service held on Sunday morning October 17, 1926. Again the sermon was delivered by Rev. James E. Miller. A grand piano for use of the church was purchased about this time.

Mr. Davidson’s pastorate was marked by a net gain in the membership of the church of 129, the total of communicants at the close being 342 members.

Having received a call to a church at Barnesville, Ohio, on Feb. 20, 1927 Mr. Davidson asked to be released from the pastorate here. He served the Barnesville Church for 14 years and since 1942 he has been pastor of the Milton Presbyterian Church at Rittman, Ohio.

Although this pastorate was relatively short, yet on account of the major events occurring within it, it is rated as one of the outstanding in the Church’s history.

Mr. Davidson’s ability as an expounder of the truth of the Scriptures in Bible Class and pulpit and his kindly and effective leadership of session and congregation marked a high point in the Church’s history as she started her second century of service in this community."

Sources

1. ↑ "Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNWG-G3N : 8 March 2021), Dwight B. Davidson, 1894.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMX3-8LZ : accessed 9 October 2021), Dwight B Davidson in household of D C Davidson, Bethlehem Township Navarre village, Stark, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 88, sheet 2B, family 47, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,321.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLF7-PMP : accessed 9 October 2021), Dwight B Davidson in household of David G Davidson, Jersey, Licking, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 60, sheet 1B, family 22, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1203; FHL microfilm 1,375,216.
4. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6J2-FNC : 23 February 2021), Dwight Brooker Davidson, 1917-1918.
5. ↑ "United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5HW-RPL : 10 March 2021), Dwight Brooker Davidson, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ "Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKK3-VYD), Dwight B Davidson, 1982.
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #90588882