USA > Iowa > Page County > Biographical history of Page County, Iowa, containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state; engravings of prominent citizens of Page County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families; and a concise history of the county, the cities, and the townships > Part 1
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GC 977.701 P14b 1200037
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01081 4793
금
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018
https://archive.org/details/biographicalhist00lewi 4
1
Presented to the Public Library dec 3-1918
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
-OF-
PAGE COUNTY, IOWA.
CONTAINING PORTRAITS OF ALL THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES FROM WASHINGTON TO HARRISON, WITH ACCOMPANYING BIOGRAPHIES OF EACH; A CONDENSED HISTORY OF IOWA, WITH PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATE; ENGRAVINGS OF PROMINENT CITIZENS IN PAGE COUNTY, WITH PER- SONAL HISTORIES OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS AND LEADING FAMILIES; AND A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY, THE CITIES, AND TOWNSHIPS.
1
LEWIS & DUNBAR, PUBLISHERS, 113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO.
1890.
1
-
‹
Barlow- Sinclair Printing Co.,
Chicago.
1.
1
CONTENTS.
1200037
1
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
-
George Washington 9
John Adams. 14
Thomas Jefferson 20
James Madison. 26
James Monroe.
32
John Quincy Adams
38
Andrew Jackson. 47
Martin Van Buren. 52
William Henry Harrison 56
John Tyler ..
60
James K. Polk 64
Zachary Taylor. 68
Millard Fillmore 72
Franklin Pierce
76
James Buchanan
80
Abraham Lincoln: 84
Andrew Johnson
93
Ulysses S. Grant.
96
Rutherford B. Hayes.
102
James A. Garfield.
109
Chester A. Arthur.
113
Territorial Officers
164
Grover Cleveland.
117
State Officers. ..
165
Benjamin Harrison
121
HISTORY OF IOWA.
Aboriginal.
123
Caucasian ..
124
Pioneer Life
133
Louisiana Territory
137
Iowa Territory
139
State Organization and Subse- quent History . 141
Patriotism.
146
Iowa Since the War. 151
State Institutions.
151
Educational.
154
Statistical.
157
Physical Features.
159
Geology
158
Climate.
163
GOVERNORS OF IOWA.
Robert Lucas .. 171
John Chambers.
173
James Clarke.
175
Ansel Briggs.
179
Stephen Hempstead
183
James W. Grimes.
187
Ralph P. Lowe.
191
Samuel J. Kirkwood
195
William M. Stone.
199
Samuel Merrill.
203
Cyrus G. Carpenter
207
Joshua G. Newbold.
211
John H. Gear ..
215
Buren R. Sherman.
219
William Larrabee. .
223
Horace Boies.
227
HISTORY OF RAGE OUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY
231
CHAPTER II.
NATURAL FEATURES --
Location, Topography and Geology
233
CHAPTER III.
INDIAN OCCUPANCY.
238
CIIAPTER IV.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
243
Original Entries ..
$46
Early Times.
246
First Decade. 249
CHAPTER V.
THE BEGINNING- Organization of the County. 250
Location of the County Seat ...
251
Organization of the Townships
252
CHAPTER VI.
FIRST AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
254
CHAPTER VII.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT-
County Court ..
257
Board Proceedings. 258
Court-Honse History.
263
The Poor Farm ..
265
Financial Standing
266
CHAPTER VIII.
MISCELLANEOUS-
Population 267
Recorded Pla's 269
Valuation of Property.
269
Marriage Record.
270
CIIAPTER IX.
POLITICAL-
Political Issnes
2771
Official Returns
274
TS.
Censns of Iowa.
164
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER X.
EDUCATIONAL
280
School Report for 1889. 281
CHAPTER XI.
AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ---
Agriculture
Stock-Raising 284
Agricultural Society.
285
CHAPTER XII.
RAILROADS
288
CHAPTER XIII.
THE BAR-
Past and Present Attorneys. 292
Early Courts and Judges .. 297
CHAPTER XIV.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION- 299
Past and Present Physicians.
Southwestern Iowa Medical Association. 304
CHAPTER XV.
WAR RECORD ---
The County and the Rebellion 305
Soldiers Furnished .. 308
Banner County and Township. 316
Honored Dead ..
316
CHAPTER XVI.
THE PRESS ---
Page County Newspapers. ..... 317
CHAPTER XVII.
EVENTS OF INTEREST-
Centennial Celebration .. 323
Destructive Storm-High Water 324
Accidental Hanging-Burned .. . 825
Strangled-Killed by Lightning-Shot. 325
Criminal Deeds. 325
Wife-Whipping 327
Shenandoah Tragedies 327
Grasshoppers ... 329
Old Settlers' Reunions 329
Membership of Religious and Secret Societies 329
CHAPTER XVIII.
CITY OF CLARINDA-
Origin of the Name " Clarinda " 331
Beauty of its Location. 332
Early History 333
First Business Events. 335
Postoffice History. 336
Incorporation 336
Water Works. 337
Principal Business Institutions. 338
340
Educational
341
Religious 342
Secular Societies.
346
The Insane Hospital. 350
CIIAPTERS XIX TO XXXIV.
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES-
Nebraska 353
Hawleyville 354
Douglas. . 357
Fremont 360
Pierce. 363
Essex
365
Grant .. 369
Shenandoalı 370
Western Normal College. 380
Bingham. 385
Tarkio. 387
Norwich 388
Nodaway 390
Yorktown 392
Valley . 393
Hepburn 395
East River. 396
Harlan 399
Shambaugh 403
404
Lincoln.
405
Coin
406
Morton
409
Washington
412
North boro 413
Colfax ... 416
Blanchard. 417
Amity .. 420
College Springs
421
Amity College. 423
Buchanan.
428
Braddyville. 429
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Abbott, L. F
.558
1 Bailey, A. S ..
. 441
Beery, S. F. .716
Abbott, J. H
.460
Bailey, Douglas. .530
Beezley, Joseph. 811
Abbott, R. S.
.553
Bailey, E. K 614
Bellis, A. 829
Anderson, A. 827
Baker, W. F. .678
Bender, Jacob. 721
Anderson Bros
734
Barr, F. P. . 465
Benedict, E. 717
Anderson, G. E. 519
Barrett, James L 706
Bennett, J. H. W 545
Anderson, James 789
Bass, David.
663
Bently, Mary 447
752
Ansbach, M. R 507
Baynes; J. K. 781
Binns, H. C.
839
Anshutz, Frank. 549
Beach, J. H. . 728
Black, J. C ..
561
Apple, Amos .. 660
Bearce, Franklin
813
Black, J. M. .575
Apple, Charles 684
Bedford, Mark 563
Black, Samuel
789
Apley, Edwin.
475
Bedison. H. C. 589
Black, Wm. M. 604
Armstrong, J. B. 771
Beery, P. B. 833
Bloom, John
.704
Anderson, W. W 852
Batchelor, J. L 748
Berry, George
Page Center.
"C., B. & Q." Band ...
283
CONTENTS.
Bloom, T. K. .819
Deater, H. E .649
Gray, W. M . 624
Greene, C. P. 708
Green, J. W. 700
Griffey, P. A 713
Groeling, John
.568
Grove, Jephthah 567
Guenther Bros 818
Guild, Elmer G. . . 499
Gutschenritter, Peter 823
Hadden, E. 824
Hakes, Henry. .493
Hall, Mrs. E. A. 737
Hamilton, Henry 739
Hamm, Christian. 774
Hamm, JJacob. 774
Hamm, Jacob
Hardee, Wm. M.
.698
Edmonds, A .. .462
Edmonds, T. A 458
Ehlers, II. .
711
Elliott, J. D. 447
Elrick, S. M. .461
Enfield, M
508
Ericsson, John 596
Cadwell, E. J .573
Caldwell, Alex 583
Caldwell, J .825
Calhoon, David
.580
Calhoon, John.
480
Carroll, A. B
.537
Carter, J. B .619
Caskey, James. .670
Cato, George, Jr.
.640
Cato, George, Sr .. 639
Chandler, J. J.
780
Chandler, Moses. .815
Chantry, M. A. .830
Chapman, F. C 787
Chiles, J. S. .628
Clark, S. J.
503
Clark, T. E ..
.489
Clement, A. T.
.632
Cokenower, H. L. .514
Cole, J. L .. 595
Collier, A. M. .552
Cooper, A. M .. 814
Cooper, Fountain. .666
Cortright, J. R.
519
Cox, C. T.
772
Crabill, J. M 751
Crain, J. B.
725
Cree, Robert 557
Croan, W. M. 546
Crosby, R. S.
520
Crose, R. B.
540
Cunning, Wm.
533
Cutter, C. D. 527
Damewood, E. C. 711
Darby, J. M ... .638
Dauchy, W. H 803
Davie, W G ..
565
Davis, Ada R., Anna J. and Benj.775 Davis, G. H. 667 Goodman, D. B. .513
Davis, Alex
.607
Gorman, Samuel
.446
Davis, W. C. .682 Graff, Val .. .606
Davis, M. E
.695
Davison, Thomas
703
Granger, Lottie E
.510
Day, Edwin 779 | Granger, S. S .510
Delap, R. H. .498
Delk, J. A. 602
Dougherty, J. W . 758
Borthwick, Oscar .526
Bower, F. A. 611
Bowman, G. W 673
Boyle, Thomas. .673
Brewer, J. W .713
Brewer, O. H.
.689
Brewer, W. H.
.632
Brockman, H. H.
.857
Brown, J. P.
.750
Brownlee, A. E. .782
Bryant, F. E ..
701
Buchanan, Lewis
709
Buck, Joseph. .837
Burch, J. A ... 856
Burkes, Mrs. I. L 593
Burkhard, F. S. .. 588
Burleson, D. G. .515
Burwell, Morgan. 463
Bussard, O
.835
Butler, Wm. 433
Falk, A. P .647
Falk, J. F. 830
Faller, E ..
.699
Farnham, W. T .551
Farrens, A. II.
481
Hensleigh, John
674
Hepburn, W. P.
444
Ilerron, Samuel. 476
Hersey, E. J. 571
Hester, Mrs. L. C. 785 Herzberg. Richard 462
Fish baugh, C. W .648 Hiles, E. J. 859
Hilgerson, J. M. 823
Hill, Arthur .. 818
Hill, J. E.
442
Hill, J. H.
.724
Hite, C. II. 797
Hoar, W. S ..
.826
Holland. Ralph H.
847
Holliday, J. W 798
Holtman, John. 836
Hooker, W. F 722
Hooker, W. S. 722
Hooper, L. H .556
Horning, Anna. 720
Howard & Latimer 769
Howard, L. B. 635
Howser, R. C. 637
Hutson, James 842
Hutton, N. M.
805
Hylt, Charles.
764
Iker, John.
794
Ingram, Silas
855
James, J. J. 726
Jennings, G. I .644
Johnson, C. A. .842
Johnson. F. M .. .623
Johnson, J. G
.672
Johnson, M. C. 479
Johnston, Wm. 836
Jonasson, P A C
Jones, F. M.
.630
Jones, G. R.
.767
587
Heald, Albert. .512
Henn, Karl.
639
Henn. Philip
.796
Farrens, E. T 749
Farrens, H. D. .451
Feltch, C. W 690
Ferris, G. II. 675
Fine, J. M. .576
Fishell, J. L. .697
Fleener, Isaac. .822
Fleming, C. M. .514
Flickinger, D. W .757
Flowers, T. F 587
Frank, S. R.
.612
Freed, J. F 468
Freeman, B. C. .641
Freundlich, Simon 549
Freiermuth, Magdalena. 658
Friesz, Adam G. 680
Frink, O. H. 472
Fulton, Levi. .534
Fulton, R. H. .464
Funk, J. A.
.584
Gale, H. R. 683
Gamble, James. .804
Gibson, J. M .477
Gibson, J. W. .732
Gibson, W. F. M
701
Giese, William.
626
Gifford, David. .494
Giles, J. L. . .776
Gillespie, J. A 782
Gillespie, Thomas 705
Good, J. R ...
.440
Dougherty, R .. .530
Dougherty, W. S. .532
Douglass, J. W. 492
Dowdell, John .645
Drake, A. W 689
Draper, B. V. .526
Driftmeier, J
.. 462
Duke, Isaac ..
800
Duncan, J. W 834
Dunn, William .496
Dutton, Willard. 676
Eads, Mrs. Axa E. 710
.778
Harrell, W. K .. .556
Harrington, E. L. . 808
Harris, Alex.
688
Harris, G. W. 684
IIart, C. S ... .578
Hastings, Franklin 615
Hatch, M. L 802
Hatfield, H. V
.500
Hawley, A. W
Ebbersoll, J. M. 729
Borgs, A. S .. .557
Bohrer, G. W .806
Boles, Fred. . .529
Grafft, Henry. .583
CONTENTS.
Jones, Sylvester . 663
Journey, J. C .570
Keener, James .814
Kennon, E. L. .646
Kesling, M. C. .743
King, A. H. .601
King, G. A.
753
King, J. F. .594
Knost, Henry .809
Knox, W. J.
833
Krabill, Jolın .858
Kunkle, Henry. .585
Kyle, J. A. .629
Lake, D. S. .559
Lancey, E. I. .608
Laport, Eliza .459
Large, A. F
.843
Larrabee, H.
.605
Laub, Henry. .854
Laughlin, J. D .502
Lawson, J. R .686
Ledingham, W. D. .504
Lee, J. H .800
Leljedahl, Frank .820
Leljedahl, John .820
Lewellen, P. W 509
Lewis, D. R. 730
Lindburg, Andrew .567
Linderman, C. . 487
Linebaugh, Christey 758 Morrill, G. E.
Lingo, S. S.
645
Lisle, C. A 445
Long, C.A ... .691
Longwell, O. H. .620
Loranz, Anthony .478
Loranz, Henry 485
Loranz, Raymond. 455
Loudon, D. S
.799
Loudon, J. M.
.610
Loughlin, J B. .848
Love, W. P. 738
Lowry, G. H. 727
Loy, Jacob .. .555
Lundgren, C. J .806
Lundy, W. L. .484
Lutton, W. S.
Lymer. R. H.
. 657
Lyon, H. A 718
Maddock, W. E . 613
Mann, Stephen . .664
Martin, Nathan C
759
Martin, Robert ...
.787
Marvin, C. N. .613
Masch, John. . 742
Mathews, W. C. -541
Mawhinney, A. J.
.795
Patterson, Frank. 467
Patton, J. C. 801
Paul, G. T. 517
Peck, D. A. 642
Peck, Peter .681
Pendleton. C. B .661
Peterson, H. P 736
Peterson, O. P. 761
Pfander, Abraham 495
Pfander, Charles
.811
Mccullough, George. 580 Phipps, W. J. 828
Pike, Edward. 655
Piper, Benjamin 652
Piper, E. 470
Pittman, W. H. 749
Pollock, James 472
Porter, David. .570
Porter, J. II.
Potter, F. E. 747
Prest, T. A. 662
Preston, I. C ..
563
Prosser, Thomas .609
Pruitt, G. A. .648
Quimby, G. A.
.625
Quist, John.
840
Rankin Bros. 586
Ray, M. S .. 671
Read, Charles 723
Reed, G. E .736
Reed, Mitchell. 744
Reeves, J. M 817
Reid, J. A. 844
Remington, A. 651
Richards, T. J. 640
Ridenour, D. E 466
Ridenour, N. C. 482
Rinehart, T
516
Roberts, W. M .. 450
Robinson, A. B. 438
Ross, J. S. .525
Ross, Thomas .572
Rozelle, Arthur 602
Rush, William
489
Russell, N. J. 793
Saunders, James .745
Schneider, J. G. 561
Scidmore, Jolın. 955
Scott, J. E.
.531
Scotton, D. E. 783
Seablom, A. E. .860
Seablom, A. P.
Sederquist, F. O. 766
Shaw, Joseph 675
Sherman, David.
Shields, Joseph C., .755
Shoemaker, Charles B 611
Showen, D. E 560
Shum, Alex. .817
Sidell, John .. 617
Sigler, David .. 745
Simmons, J. W .763
Simpson, J. W 734
Skinner, D. H .506
Smith, T. C. 600
Snider, S. F. 741
Snodderly, John 719
Snodderly, N. 702 Snodgrass, Joseph .658
Sollars, David. .703
Sollars, Hiram. G66
Spangler, Morris 458
Spaulding, Mary E 499
McCormick, A. .554
McCowen, James. 456
McCoy, Daniel . . .449
McCurdy, Franklin. 853
McElhose, Robert . 654
McFerrin, W. A .705
McIntosh, J. .566
McKee, David. . 668
McKee, J. A. 783
McKeown, Alex .669
McKie, Robert.
McKinley, J. W .. .845
McLarnon; David. .665
McLean, John 516
McLean, Wm .. 715
McMullen, J. G. 473
McPherrin, John .569
McPike, F. M. 656
Mc Vay, E .. 448
Mc Vitty, John.
469
Melin, Charles A .763
Mell, M. S. 552
Mentzer Bros.
.717
Miller, John .790
Miller, R. O. 678
Monzingo, Edward .794
Moore, C. C.
489
Moore, Ed.
.592
Moore, G. W.
.841
Moore, O. E ..
781
Moore, W. H. C.
650
Morgan, C. W.
560
Morgan, David .
501
Morgan, S. D.
.861
Muller, F. H.
.812
Myattway, A. K. 536
Needham, Josiah. .550
Nelson, F. .851
Nelson, F. C. .779
Newman, J. B. .861
Nies, Peter.
.618
Noble, J. B.
791
Nordholm, C. A. .712
North, Wm. .535
Orme, Nathan .450
Orth, C. J. .751 Sheets, Edwin .. .659
Orth, J. A. .747
Osborn, Wm .487
Otte, Henry. .490
Pace, T. N. .538
Paden, D. J. .686
Palmer, J. H .. 486
Palmer, Trojan. 765
Parish, F. W. .454
Park, O. H .. 506
Parslow, H. E. 560
Patterson, A .. .740
Maxwell, James D .577
Maxwell, Wm. 802
McAfee, David 579 McClelland, C. B. .846 McClelland, G. M. 603
McClelland, Wm. J. 605
McClenahan, R. U. .453
Spunaugle, W. J 862
Stambaugh, George 522
Standage, Peter
.791
Stearns, M. A.
.642
.
Pearce, G. C 777 Snyder, J. T. 785
760
.626
CONTENTS.
Steele, James. 457
Steeve, Henry. 807 Vardaman, F. M. .653
Stitt, W. D. .465
Vinacke, J. W. .697
Stockton, James M .694
Stockton, T. R.
443
Stone, E. P.
.863
Stotler, Silas W. .636
Strickland, J. N. .565
Strong, E. A. . 708
Sullivan, P. J. 714
Sullivan Bros. & Co 768
Sundermann, Fred. 469
Sundermann, Wm. D 491
Sutherland, Donald. .609
Sutton, Robert .544
Taylor, C. M. .456
Terry, Seth ... .810
Thompson, J. C. .832
Thompson, Josiah 855
Thompson, Robert. .864
Tidball, John
746
Todd, Benj.
.756
Trotter, G. E .. .548
Tunnicliff, J. S. .677
Turnbull, R. A.
.733
Turnbull, T. G 528
Turner, Asa S .. .687
Tyler, Jeremiah .597
Ubil, J. R. 518
Van Arsdol, Isaac. .497
Van Arsdol, L. .599
Van Buskirk, Joseph .590
Van Heusen, A. S. 692
Young, W. A. 604
Youngberg, Charles.
. . 821
Younggren, G ..
739
ILLUSTRATIONS.
FACING-
Anderson, G. E. .519
Butler, William. 433
Butler, Mrs. Ellen D. 433
Caldwell, Alexander. .583
Caldwell, Mrs. M. J 583
Clark, Seth J 503
Davis, Benjamin 775
Davis, Mrs. C. 775
Davis, William.
695
Davis, Mrs. M. E. 695
Falk, Anders P. 647
Falk, Mrs. M. C 647
Farnham, W. T .. 551
Farnham, Mrs. W. T 551
Grove, Jephthah. .567
Hastings, L. R 615
Kesling, J. L. 743
Kesling, Mrs. M. C 743
Lindermann, C .. 487
Lindermann, Mrs. S. E. 487
Loranz, Raymond 455
Noble, Jolın B. 791
Noble, Mrs. R. E. 791
North, William 535
North, Mrs. E. J 535
Sidell, John. 618
Van Sandt, N. L. 471
Walker, J. T. .631
Walker, Lydia A .631
Wingert, David. .523
Wingert, Mrs. E. .523
Waggoner, W. II. .633
Wagoner, Henry .808
Walker, J. T. .631
Warner, G. B. 731
Warner, Myron 601
Weech, H. G. .594
Welty, A. J ..
636
Wenstrand, G 741
Wetmore, O .651
Whipp, Charles 474
White, Daniel. 838
White, Silas .. .849
Whiting, E. C.
Whitney, H. H. .786
Wiar, Henry. .634
Wilfley, David .534
Williams, John 731
Williams, J. G .. .574
Williams, T. J. .682
Wilson, J. C. .680
Wingert, D .. .523
Winney, E. H
Winter, N. C.
.628
Wolford, F. A. 524
Wolford, W. & J. A. 521
Woodrow, E. G. 757
Woodruff, N 598
Woodworth, O. . 685
Wright, W. H. .591
.652
Wolcott, L. E. .693
.543
Van Sandt, N. L ... 471
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Loveland Public Library,
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
9
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
EORGE WASHING- TON, the " Father of his Country" and its first President, 1789- '97, was born Febru- ary 22, 1732, in Wash- ington Parish, West- moreland County, Virginia. His father, Augustine Wash- ington, first married Jane But- ler, who bore him four chil- dren, and March 6, 1730, he married Mary Ball. Of six children by his second mar- riage, George was the eldest, the others being Betty, Samuel, John, Au- gustine, Charles and Mildred, of whom the youngest died in infancy. Little is known of the early years of Washington, beyond the fact that the house in which he was born was burned during his early child- hood, and that his father thereupon moved to another farm, inherited from his paternal ancestors, situated in Stafford County, on the north bank of the Rappahannock, where he acted as agent of the Principio Iron Works in the immediate vicinity, and died there in 1743 .-
From earliest childhood George devel- oped a noble character. He had a vigorous constitution, a fine form, and great bodily strength. His education was somewhat de-
fective, being confined to the elementary branches taught him by his mother and at a neighboring school. He developed, how- ever, a fondness for mathematics, and en- joyed in that branch the instructions of a private teacher. On leaving school he re- sided for some time at Mount Vernon with his half brother, Lawrence, who acted as his guardian, and who had married a daugh- ter of his neighbor at Belvoir on the Poto- mac, the wealthy William Fairfax, for some time president of the executive council of the colony. Both Fairfax and his son-in-law, Lawrence Washington, had served with dis- tinction in 1740 as officers of an American battalion at the siege of Carthagena, and were friends and correspondents of Admiral Vernon, for whom the latter's residence on the Potomac has been named. George's inclinations were for a similar career, and a midshipman's warrant was procured for him, probably through the influence of the Admiral; but through the opposition of his mother the project was abandoned. The family connection with the Fairfaxes, how- ever, opened another career for the young man, who, at the age of sixteen, was ap- pointed surveyor to the immense estates of the eccentric Lord Fairfax, who was then on a visit at Belvoir, and who shortly after- ward established his baronial residence at Greenway Court, in the Shenandoah Valley.
1716
10
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Three years were passed by young Wash- ington in a rough frontier life, gaining ex- perience which afterward proved very es- sential to him.
In 1751, when the Virginia militia were put under training with a view to active service against France, Washington, though only nineteen years of age, was appointed Adjutant with the rank of Major. In Sep- tember of that year the failing health of Lawrence Washington rendered it neces- sary for him to seek a warmer climate, and George accompanied him in a voyage to Barbadoes. They returned early in 1752, and Lawrence shortly afterward died, leav- ing his large property to an infant daughter. In his will George was named one of the executors and as eventual heir to Mount Vernon, and by the death of the infant niece soon succeeded to that estate.
On the arrival of Robert Dinwiddie as Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia in 1752 the militia was reorganized, and the prov- ince divided into four districts. Washing- ton was commissioned by Dinwiddie Adju- tant-General of the Northern District in 1753, and in November of that year a most important as well as hazardous mission was assigned him." This was to proceed to the Canadian posts recently established on French Creek, near Lake Erie, to demand in the name of the King of England the withdrawal of the French from a territory claimed by Virginia. This enterprise had been declined by more than one officer, since it involved a journey through an ex- tensive and almost unexplored wilderness in the occupancy of savage Indian tribes, either hostile to the English, or of doubtful attachment. Major Washington, however, accepted the commission with alacrity ; and, accompanied by Captain Gist, he reached Fort Le Bœuf on French Creek, delivered his dispatches and received reply, which, of course, was a polite refusal to surrender the posts. This reply was of such a character
as to induce the Assembly of Virginia to authorize the executive to raise a regiment of 300 men for the purpose of maintaining the asserted rights of the British crown over the territory claimed. As Washing- ton declined to be a candidate for that post, the command of this regiment was given to Colonel Joshua Fry, and Major Washing- ton, at his own request, was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel. On the march to Ohio, news was received that a party previously sent to build a fort at the confluence of the Monongahela with the Ohio had been driven back by a considerable French force, which had completed the work there be- gun, and named it Fort Duquesne, in honor of the Marquis Duquesne, then Governor of Canada. This was the beginning of the great "French and Indian war," which con- tinued seven years. On the death of Colonel Fry, Washington succeeded to the com- mand of the regiment, and so well did he fulfill his trust that the Virginia Assembly commissioned him as Commander-in-Chief of all the forces raised in the colony.
A cessation of all Indian hostility on the frontier having followed the expulsion of the French from the Ohio, the object of Washington was accomplished and he re- signed his commission as Commander-in- Chief of the Virginia forces. He then pro- ceeded to Williamsburg to take his seat in the General Assembly, of which he had been elected a member.
January 17, 1759, Washington married Mrs. Martha (Dandridge) Custis, a young and beautiful widow of great wealth, and de- voted himself for the ensuing fifteen years to the quiet pursuits of agriculture, inter- rupted only by his annual attendance in winter upon the Colonial Legislature at Williamsburg, until summoned by his country to enter upon that other arena in which his fame was to become world wide.
It is unnecessary here to trace the details of the struggle upon the question of local
II
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
self-government, which, after ten years, cul- minated by act of Parliament of the port of Boston. It was at the instance of Virginia that a congress of all the colonies was called to meet at Philadelphia September 5, 1774, to secure their common liberties-if possible by peaceful means. To this Congress Colonel Washington was sent as a dele- gate. On dissolving in October, it recom- mended the colonies to send deputies to another Congress the following spring. In the meantime several of the colonies felt impelled to raise local forces to repel in- sults and aggressions on the part of British troops, so that on the assembling of the next Congress, May 10, 1775, the war prepara- tions of the mother country were unmis- takable. The battles of Concord and Lex- ington had been fought. Among the earliest acts, therefore, of the Congress was the selection of a commander-in-chief of the colonial forces. This office was unani- mously conferred upon Washington, still a member of the Congress. He accepted it on June 19, but on the express condition he should receive no salary.
He immediately repaired to the vicinity of Boston, against which point the British ministry had concentrated their forces. As early as April General Gage had 3,000 troops in and around this proscribed city. During the fall and winter the British policy clearly indicated a purpose to divide pub- lic sentiment and to build up a British party in the colonies. Those who sided with the ministry were stigmatized by the patriots as " Tories," while the patriots took to them- selves the name of " Whigs."
As early as 1776 the leading men had come to the conclusion that there was no hope except in separation and indepen- dence. In May of that year Washington wrote from the head of the army in New York: " A reconciliation with Great Brit- ain is impossible. When I took command of the army, I abhorred the idea
of independence ; but I am now fully satis- fied that nothing else will save us."
It is not the object of this sketch to trace the military acts of the patriot hero, to whose hands the fortunes and liberties of the United States were confided during the seven years' bloody struggle that ensued until the treaty of 1783, in which England acknowledged the independence of each of the thirteen States, and negotiated with them, jointly, as separate sovereignties. The merits of Washington as a military chief- tain have been considerably discussed, espe- cially by writers in his own country. Dur- ing the war he was most bitterly assailed for incompetency, and great efforts were made to displace hini; but he never for a moment lost the confidence of either the Congress or the people. December 4, 1783, the great commander took leave of his offi- cers in most affectionate and patriotic terms, and went to Annapolis, Maryland, where the Congress of the States was in session, and to that body, when peace and order prevailed everywhere, resigned his com- mission and retired to Mount Vernon.
It was in 1788 that Washington was called to the chief magistracy of the nation. He received every electoral vote cast in all the colleges of the States voting for the office of President. The 4th of March, 1789, ivas the time appointed for the Government of the United States to begin its operations, but several weeks elapsed before quorums of both the newly constituted houses of the Congress were assembled. The city of New York was the place where the Congress then met. April 16 Washington left his home to enter upon the discharge of his new duties. He set out with a purpose of traveling privately, and without attracting any public attention ; but this was impossi- ble. Everywhere on his way he was met with thronging crowds, eager to see the man whom they regarded as the chief de- fender of their liberties, and everywhere
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