Brother Davis was born in Maysville, Ky., January 17, 1840, and was educated in the public schools of that city, with one term in the old Maysville Seminary, leaving that institution at the age of fourteen. He learned the printing business in Louisville and Memphis, Tenn., from 1855 to 1858, when he went to Philadelphia, where he enlisted in 1861 in the famous Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, from which he was discharged for disability. Subsequently he became war correspondent with the Army of the Potomac for the Philadelphia "Enquirer." Later he rejoined the army as private in Company L, 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry, serving under General Sheridan, and was mustered out in 1865, then being adjutant of that regiment. He returned to Maysville in 1866, where he founded the Maysville Republican, which later became the Daily Public Ledger, which publication he edited for forty-two years.
At the institution of Wyandotte Tribe, No. 16, in 1871, he became a charter member, and was immediately elected Sachem. He was admitted to the Great Council of Kentucky in 1874 and was elected Great Sachem in 1875. Unfortunately, his Tribe surrendered its charter before the expiration of his term, and though he did not transfer his membership to another Tribe, he ranked as a Past Great Sachem of the old Great Council. At the institution of the present Wyandotte Tribe, No. 3, he became a charter member, and his honors were recognized. He was admitted to the present Great Council in G. S. D. 412 (1903).
Brother Davis was Postmaster of Maysville under the Harrison administration, 1891-5, and is now State Labor Inspector for Kentucky. Besides his affiliation with the Red Men, he is a valued member of the Masonic Orders, Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, G. A. R., Elks, Maccabees, etc.
PAST GREAT SACHEM J. HULL DAVIDSON
1895
Brother Davidson was a native of Lexington, and was interested in many merchantile enterprises. At the time of the rennaisance of Redmanship in Kentucky he was proprietor of a daily newspaper called the "Argonaut." He was a charter member of Winona Tribe, No. 4, which was instituted in Hot Moon, G. S. D., 404, and was its first Sachem, which stump he filled with marked ability, and with such zeal, that at the institution of the Great Council of Kentucky he was selected as its first Great Prophet, retiring at the end of his term as Past Great Sachem. Shortly afterward Brother Davidson moved from Lexington to embark in the hotel business in New York City, where he is at the present time. Unfortunately for him and for the Order, his interest waned, and when Winona Tribe consolidated with No. 1, he not being present, lost his membership.
PAST GREAT SACHEM JOHN B. MENDENHALL
1895-6
Nothing is known of the nativity of John B. Mendenhall. During the summer of 1894 he came to Lexington and occupied the position of operator with the Postal Telegraph Company. Several great suns previous he had been adopted into Ninegret Tribe, of Connecticut, and there received the degrees. Shortly after arriving at Lexington he was appointed Deputy Great Incohonee for the Reservation of Kentucky by Andrew H. Paton, of Massachusetts, Great Incohonee of the Great Council of the United States, the hope being that there might be a rennaisance in Redmanship in "the dark and bloody ground." The hope was fully realized. Mendenhall was an organizer, and with the assistance of several local palefaces he soon had a petition for a charter for Miantonomo Tribe, No. 1, bearing 121 accepted signatures. The Tribe was instituted on the sleep of the 5th of Hunting Moon, G. S. D. 403, by Great Incohonee Paton. During the ensuing great sun seven other Council Brands were lighted, and pursuant to Deputy Great Incohonee Mendenhall's call the Past Sachems of the nine Tribes then in Kentucky assembled in Lexington on the 27th of Hunting Moon, G. S. D. 404, and the Great Council of Kentucky was instituted, Mendenhall being chosen as its first Great Sachem. He served his term as Great Sachem and was elected Great Prophet and Great Representative to the Great Council of the United States, but before the lighting of the council brand of that Great Council in the Corn Moon following, he was tried on charges in Paughcaughnaughsinque Tribe, No. 6, of Augusta, to which Tribe he had transferred his membership, preferred by Tribes he had instituted at Louisville for obtaining wampum from the said Tribes fraudulently and under false pretenses, and being found guilty, was expelled from the Order. He soon after left the Reservation, and his whereabouts at the present time are unknown.
JAMES R. McCONNELL