Centennial celebration of John W. Davis’ presidential nomination on Sunday in Clarksburg

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. – 100 years ago, a West Virginian accepted the nomination for President of the United States and that nomination will be celebrated with events in Clarksburg on Sunday.

Clarksburg native John W. Davis is the only West Virginia native to be nominated for president by a major political party.

His nomination was the result of the nearly three-week Democratic Party Convention in New York City in 1924, the longest party convention in history.

On August 11, 1924, Davis accepted the nomination at a rally at Goff Plaza in Clarksburg. More than 70,000 people reportedly attended. The event was also broadcast live on KDKA radio in Pittsburgh. Davis lost to incumbent President Calvin Coolidge a few months later.

The John W. Davis Centennial Celebration will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Waldomore Mansion in downtown Clarksburg.

The event’s special guest, Cyrus Vance Jr., is the son of Clarksburg native and former attorney, politician and diplomat Cyrus Vance, who had a close relationship with Davis.

“John W. Davis was a lawyer and a person who went in and out of government and had a huge influence on my father. Interestingly, I think some of that career choice was passed down to me, and I feel very fortunate to have a connection to Clarksburg and to John W. Davis,” Vance said Friday during an appearance on MetroNews’ “Talkline.” “It’s great to be back here, where I went a lot as a kid.”

When John Vance, Cyrus Vance’s father, died unexpectedly in 1922, Davis took him in and adopted him. Davis, who was born in Clarksburg in 1873, had previously served as ambassador to Great Britain and ran for president for the first time in 1920.

“My father was born in West Virginia and lost his father at the age of five, and John W. Davis became his surrogate father,” Vance said. “John W. Davis, as you know, had an extraordinary career as a lawyer and also in public service.”

Cyrus Vance Sr. later served as Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter. He resigned in protest in 1980 after the secret attempt to free the American hostages in Iran failed. Vance also served as Assistant Secretary of Defense, General Counsel of the Department of Defense, Secretary of the Army, and Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations.

“It was clear to me and to all of us in our family that John W. Davis had a tremendous and positive influence on my father’s life and career,” Vance said. “That’s the message I received as a child.”

Cyrus Vance Jr. served as a district attorney and assistant district attorney in Manhattan and led grand jury investigations, including one involving the Trump Organization. He now works at the law firm Baker McKensie and specializes in corporate cybersecurity issues.

Later in life, Davis continued to practice law, arguing over 100 cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, more than any other American lawyer.