USA > Indiana > Decatur County > A Genealogical and biographical record of Decatur County, Indiana : compendium of national biography > Part 2
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B ENJAMIN FRANKLIN, an eminent American statesman and scientist, was born of poor parentage, January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was appren- ticed to his brother James to learn the print- er's trade to prevent his running away and going to sea, and also because of the numer- ous family his parents had to support (there being seventeen children, Benjamin being the fifteenth). He was a great reader, and soon developed a taste for writing, and pre- pared a number of articles and had them published in the paper without his brother's knowledge, and when the authorship be- came known it resulted in difficulty for the
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young apprentice, although his articles had . been received with favor by the public. James was afterwards thrown into prison for political reasons, and young Benjamin con- ducted the paper alone during the time. In 1823, however, he determined to endure his bonds no longer, and ran away, going to Philadelphia, where he arrived with only three pence as his store of wealth. With these he purchased three rolls, and ate them as he walked along the streets. He soon found employment as a journeyman printer. Two years later he was sent to England by the governor of Pennsylvania, and was promised the public printing, but did not get it. On his return to Philadelphia he estab- lished the "Pennsylvania Gazette," and soon found himself a person of great popu- larity in the province, his ability as a writer, philosopher, and politician having reached the neighboring colonies. He rapidly grew in prominence, founded the Philadelphia Li- brary in 1842, and two years later the American Philosophical Society and the University of Pennsylvania. He was made Fellow of the Royal Society in London in 1775. His world-famous investigations in electricity and lightning began in 1746. He became postmaster-general of the colonies in 1753, having devised an inter-colonial postal system. He advocated the rights of the colonies at all times, and procured the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766. He was elected to the Continental congress of 1775, and in 1776 was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, being one of the commit- tee appointed to draft that paper. He rep- resented the new nation in the courts of Europe, especially at Paris, where his simple dignity and homely wisdom won him the admiration of the court and the favor of the people. He was governor of Pennsylvania four years; was also a member of the con-
vention in 1787 that drafted the constitution of the United States.
His writings upon political topics, anti- slavery, finance, and economics, stamp him as one of the greatest statesmen of his time, while his "Autobiography" and "Poor Richard's Almanac " give him precedence in the literary field. In early life he was an avowed skeptic in religious matters, but later in life his utterances on this subject were less extreme, though he never ex- pressed approval of any sect or creed. He died in Philadelphia April 17, 1790.
D ANIEL WEBSTER .- Of world wide reputation for statesmanship, diplo- macy, and oratory, there is perhaps no more prominent figure in the history of our coun- try in the interval between 1815 and 1861, than Daniel Webster. He was born at . Salisbury (now Franklin), New Hampshire, January 18, 1782, and was the second son of Ebenezer and Abigail (Eastman) Webster. He enjoyed but limited educational advan- tages in childhood, but spent a few months in 1797, at Phillip Exeter Academy. He completed his preparation for college in the family of Rev. Samuel Wood, at Boscawen, and entered Dartmouth College in the fall of 1797. He supported himself most of the time during these years by teaching school and graduated in 1801, having the credit of being the foremost scholar of his class. He entered the law office of Hon. Thomas W. Thompson, at Salisbury. In ISO2 he con- tinued his legal studies at Fryeburg, Maine, where he was principal of the academy and copyist in the office of the register of deeds. In the office of Christopher Gore, at Boston, he completed his studies in 1804-5, and was admitted to the bar in the latter year, and at Boscawen and at Ports- mouth soon rose to eminence in his profes-
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sion. He became known as a federalist but did not court political honors; but, at- tracting attention by his eloquence in oppos- ing the war with England, he was elected to congress in 1812. During the special session of May, 1813, he was appointed on the committee on foreign affairs and made his maiden speech June 10, 1813. Through- 'out this session (as afterwards) he showed his mastery of the great economic questions of the day. He was re-elected in IS14. In 1816 he removed to Boston and for seven years devoted himself to his profession, earning by his arguments in the celebrated " Dartmouth College Case" rank among the most distinguished jurists of the country. In 1820 Mr. Webster was chosen a member of the state convention of Massachusetts, to revise the constitution. The same year he delivered the famous discourse on the " Pil- grim fathers," which laid the foundation for his fame as an orator. Declining a nomi- nation for United States senator, in IS22 he was elected to the lower house of congress and was re-elected in 1824 and 1826, but in 1827 was transferred to the senate. He retained his seat in the latter chamber until 1841. During this time his voice was ever lifted in defence of the national life and honor and although politically opposed to him he gave his support to the administra- tion of President Jackson in the latter's con- test with nullification. Through all these years he was ever found upon the side of right and justice and his speeches upon all the great questions of the day have be- come household words in almost every family. In 1841 Mr. Webster was appointed secretary of state by President Harrison and was continued in the same office by President Tyler. While an incumbent of this office he showed consummate ability as a diplomat in the negotiation of the "Ash-
burton treaty " of August 9, 1849, which settled many points of dispute between the United States and England. In May, 1843, he resigned his post and resumed his pro- fession, and in December, 1845, took his place again in the senate. He contributed in an unofficial way to the solution of the Oregon question with Great Britain in 1847. He was disappointed in 1848 in not receiv- ing the nomination for the presidency. He became secretary of state under President Fillmore in 1850 and in dealing with all the complicated questions of the day showed a wonderful mastery of the arts of diplomacy. Being hurt in an accident he retired to his home at Marshfield, where he died Octo- ber 24, 1852.
H TORACE GREELEY. - As journalist, author, statesman and political leader, there is none more widely known than the man whose name heads this article. He was born in Amherst, New Hampshire, Feb- ruary 3, 18II, and was reared upon a farm. At an early age he evinced a remarkable intelligence and love of learning, and at the age of ten had read every book he could borrow for miles around. About 1821 the family removed to Westhaven, Vermont, and for some years young Greeley assisted in carrying on the farm. In IS26 he entered the office of a weekly newspaper at East Poultney, Vermont, where he remained about four years. On the discontinuance of this paper he followed his father's family to Erie county, Pennsylvania, whither they had moved, and for a time worked at the printer's trade in that neigh- borhood. In 1831 Horace went to New York City, and for a time 'found employ- ment as journeyman printer. January, 1833, in partnership with Francis Story, he published the Morning Post, the first penny
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paper ever printed. This proved a failure and was discontinued after three weeks. The business of job printing was carried on, however, until the death of Mr. Story in July following. In company with Jonas Winchester, March 22, 1834, Mr. Greeley commenced the publication of the New Yorker, a weekly paper of a high character. For financial reasons, at the same time, Greeley wrote leaders for other papers, and, in 1838, took editorial charge of the Jeffer- sonian, a Whig paper published at Albany. In 1840, on the discontinuance of that sheet, he devoted his energies to the Log Cabin, a campaign paper in the interests of the Whig party. In the fall of 1841 the latter paper was consolidated with the New Yorker, un- der the name of the Tribune, the first num- ber of which was issued April 10, 1841. At the head of this paper Mr. Greeley remained until the day of his death.
In 1848 Horace Greeley was elected to the national house of representatives to fill a vacancy, and was a member of that body until March 4, 1849. In 1851 he went to Europe and served as a juror at the World's Fair at the Crystal Palace, Lon- don. In 1855, he made a second visit to the old world. In 1859 he crossed the plains and received a public reception at San Francisco and Sacramento. He was a member of the Republican national con- vention, at Chicago in 1860, and assisted in the nomination of Abraham Lincoln for President. The same year he was a presi- dential elector for the state of New York, and a delegate to the Loyalist convention at Philadelphia.
At the close of the war, in 1865, Mr. Greeley became a strong advocate of uni- versal ainnesty and complete pacification, and in pursuance of this consented to be- come one of the bondsmen for Jefferson
Davis, who was imprisoned for treason. In 1867 he was a delegate to the New York state convention for the revision of the constitution. In 1870 he was defeated for congress in the Sixth New York district. At the Liberal convention, which met in Cincinnati, in May, 1872, on the fifth ballot Horace Greeley was nominated for presi - dent and July following was nominated for the same office by the Democratic conven- tion at Baltimore. He was defeated by a large majority. The large amount of work done by him during the campaign, together with the loss of his wife about the same time, undermined his strong constitution, and he was seized with inflammation of the brain, and died November 29, 1872.
In addition to his journalistic work, Mr. Greeley was the author of several meritori- ous works, among which were: "Hints toward reform," "Glances at Europe," "History of the struggle for slavery exten sion," "Overland journey to San Francis- co," " The American conflict," and " Rec- ollections of a busy life." -
H' LIENRY CLAY .- In writing of this em- inent American, Horace Greeley once said: "He was a matchless party chief, an admirable orator, a skillful legislator, wield- ing unequaled influence, not only over his friends, but even over those of his political antagonists who were subjected to the magic of his conversation and manners." A law- yer, legislator, orator, and statesman, few men in history have wielded greater influ- ence, or occupied so prominent a place in the hearts of the generation in which they lived.
Henry Clay was born near Richmond, in Hanover county, Virginia, April 12, 1777, the son of a poor Baptist preacher who died when Henry was but five years
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old. The mother married again about ten years later and removed to Kentucky leav- ing Henry a clerk in a store at Richmond. Soon afterward Henry Clay secured a posi- tion as copyist in the office of the clerk of the high court of chancery, and four years later entered the law office of Robert Brooke, then attorney general and later governor of his native state. In 1797 Henry Clay was licensed as a lawyer and followed his mother to Kentucky, opening an office at Lexington and soon built up a profitable practice. Soon afterward Kentucky, in separating from Virginia, called a state convention for the purpose of framing a constitution, and Clay at that time took a prominent part, publicly urging the adoption of a clause providing for the abolition of slavery, but in this he was overruled, as he was fifty years later, when in the height of his fame he again ad- vised the same course when the state con- stitution was revised in 1850. Young Clay took a very active and conspicuous part in the presidential campaign in 1800, favoring the election of Jefferson; and in 1803 was chosen to represent Fayette county in the state legislature. In 1806 General John Adair, then United States senator from Kentucky, resigned and Henry Clay was elected to fill the vacancy by the legislature and served through one session in which he at once assumed a prominent place. In
1807 he was again a representative in the legislature and was elected speaker of the house. At this time originated his trouble with Humphrey Marshall. Clay proposed that each member clothe himself and family wholly in American fabrics, which Marshall characterized as the " language of a dema- gogue." This led to a duel in which both parties were sliglitly injured. In 1809 Henry Clay was again elected to fill a va- cancy in the United States senate, and two
years later elected representative in the low- er house of congress, being chosen speaker of the house. About this time war was de- clared against Great Britain, and Clay took a prominent public place during this strug- gle and was later one of the commissioners sent to Europe by President Madison to ne- gotiate peace, returning in September, 1815, having been re-elected speaker of the house during his absence, and was re-elect- ed unanimously. He was afterward re- elected to congress and then became secre- tary of state under John Quincy Adams. In 1831 he was again elected senator front Kentucky and remained in the senate most of the time until his death.
Henry Clay was three times a candidate for the presidency, and once very nearly elected. He was the unanimous choice of the Whig party in 1844 for the presidency, and a great effort was made to elect him but without success, his opponent, James K. Polk, carrying both Pennsylvania and New York by a very slender margin, while either of them alone would have elected Clay. Henry Clay died at Washington June 29, 1852.
JAMES GILLESPIE BLAINE was one of the most distinguished of American statesmen and legislators. He was born January 31, 1830, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and received a thorough edu- cation, graduating at Washington College in IS47. In early life he removed to Maine and engaged in newspaper work, becoming editor of the Portland "Advertiser." While. yet a young man he gained distinction as a debater and became a conspicuous figure in political and public affairs. In 1862 he was elected to congress on the Republican ticket in Maine and was re-elected five times. In March, 1869, he was chosen speaker of the
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house of representatives and was re-elected in 1871 and again in 1873. In 1876 he was a representative in the lower house of con- gress and during that year was appointed United States senator by the Governor to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Morrill, who had been appointed secretary of the treasury. Mr. Blaine served in the senate until March 5, 1881, when President Garfield appointed him sec- retary of state, which position he resigned in December, 1881. Mr. Blaine was nom- inated for the presidency by the Republic- ans, at Chicago in June, 1884, but was de- feated by Grover Cleveland after an exciting and spirited campaign. During the later years of his life Mr. Blaine devoted most of his time to the completion of his work "Twenty Years in Congress," which had a remarkably large sale throughout the United States. Blaine was a man of great mental ability and force of character and during the latter part of his life was one of the most noted men of his time. He was the origina- tor of what is termed the "reciprocity idea" in tariff matters, and outlined the plan of carrying it into practical effect. In 1876 Robert G. Ingersoll in making a nominating speech placing Blaine's name as a candidate for president before the national Republican convention at Cincinnati, referred to Blaine as the "Plumed Knight " and this title clung to him during the remainder of his life. His death occurred at Washington, January 27, 1893.
JOHN CALDWELL CALHOUN, a dis- tinguished American statesman, was a native of South Carolina, born in Abbeville district, March 18, 1782. He was given the advantages of a thorough education, graduating at Yale College in 1804, and adopted the calling of a lawyer. A Demo- 1
crat politically, at that time, he took a fore- most part in the councils of his party and was elected to congress in 1811, supporting the tariff of 1816 and the establishing of the United States Bank. In 1817 he be- came secretary of war in President Monroe's cabinet, and in 1 824 was elected vice-president of the United States, on the ticket with John Quincy Adams, and re-elected in 1828, on the ticket with General Jackson. Shortly after this Mr. Calhoun became one of the strongest advocates of free trade and the principle of sovereignty of the states and was one of the originators of the doctrine that "any state could nullify unconstitutional laws of congress." Meanwhile Calhoun had be- come an aspirant for the presidency, and the fact that General Jackson advanced the interests of his opponent, Van Buren, led to a quarrel, and Calhoun resigned the vice- presidency in 1832 and was elected United States senator from South Carolina. It was . during the same year that a convention was held in South Carolina at which the " Nul- lification ordinance " was adopted, the ob- ject of which was to test the constitution- ality of the protective tariff measures, and to prevent if possible the collection of im- port duties in that state which had been levied more for the purpose of "protection" than revenue. This ordinance was to go into effect in February, 1833, and created a great deal of uneasiness throughout the country as it was feared. there would be a clash between the state and federal authori- ties. It was in this serious condition of public affairs that Henry Clay came forward with the the famous "tariff compromise " of 1833, to which measure Calhoun and most of his followers gave their support and the crisis was averted. In 1843 Mr. Cal- houn was appointed secretary of state in President Tyler's cabinet, and it was under
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his administration that the treaty concern- ing the annexation of Texas was negotiated. In 1845 he was re-elected to the United States senate and continued in the senate until his death, which occurred in March, 1850. He occupied a high rank as a scholar, student and orator, and it is conceded that he was one of the greatest debaters America has produced. The famous debate between Calhoun and Webster, in 1833, is regarded as the most noted for ability and eloquence in the history of the country.
B' ENJAMIN FRANKLIN BUTLER, one of America's most brilliant and pro- found lawyers and noted public men, was a' native of New England, born at Deer- field, New Hampshire, November 5, 1818. His father, Captain John Butler, was a prominent man in his day, commanded a company during the war of 1812, and served under Jackson at New Orleans. Benjamin F. Butler was given an excellent education, graduated at Waterville College, Maine, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1840, at Lowell, Massachusetts, where he commenced the practice of his profession and gained a wide reputation for his ability at the bar, acquiring an extensive practice and a fortune. Early in life he began taking an active interest in military affairs and served in the state militia through all grades from private to brigadier-general. In 1853 he was elected to the state legisla- ture on the Democratic ticket in Lowell, and took a prominent part in the passage of legislation in the interests of labor. Dur- ing the same year he was a member of the constitutional convention, and in 1859 rep- resented his district in the Massachusetts senate. When the Civil war broke out General Butler took the field and remained at the front most of the time during that
bloody struggle. Part of the time he had charge of Fortress Monroe, and in Febru- ary, 1862, took command of troops forming part of the expedition against New Orleans, and later had charge of the department of the Gulf. He was a conspicuous figure dur- ing the continuance of the war. After the close of hostilities General Butler resumed his law practice in Massachusetts and in 1866 was elected to congress from the Es- sex district. In 1882 he was elected gov- ernor of Massachusetts, and in 1884 was the nominee of the "Greenback" party for president of the United States. He con- tinued his legal practice, and maintained his place as one of the most prominent men in New England until the time of his death, which occurred January 10, 1893.
JEFFERSON DAVIS, an officer, states- J man and legislator of prominence in America, gained the greater part of his fame from the fact that he was president of the southern confederacy. Mr. Davis was born in Christian county, Kentucky, June 3, 1808, and his early education and surround- ings were such that his sympathies and in- clinations were wholly with the southern people. He received a thorough education, graduated at West Point in 1828, and for a number of years served in the army at west- ern posts and in frontier service, first as lieutenant and later as adjutant. In 1835 he resigned and became a cotton planter in Warren county, Mississippi, where he took an active interest in public affairs and be- came a conspicuous figure in politics. In 1844 he was a presidential elector from Mississippi and during the two following years served as congressman from his dis- trict. He then became colonel of a Missis- sippi regiment in the war with Mexico ano participated in some of the most severe pat-
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tles, being seriously wounded at Buena Vista. Upon his return to private life he again took a prominent part in political af- fairs and represented his state in the United States senate from 1847 to 1851. He then entered President Pierce's cabinet as secre- tary of war, after which he again entered the United States senate, remaining until the outbreak of the Civil war. He then be- came president of the southern confederacy and served as such until captured in May, 1865, at Irwinville, Georgia. He was held as prisoner of war at Fortress Monroe, until 1867, when he was released on bail and finally set free in 1868. His death occurred December 6, 1889.
Jefferson Davis was a man of excellent abilities and was recognized as one of the best organizers of his day. He was a forceful and fluent speaker and a ready writer. He wrote and published the " Rise and Fall of the Southern Confederacy," a work which is considered as authority by the southern people.
JOHN ADAMS, the second president of the United States, and one of the most conspicuous figures in the early struggles of his country for independence, was born in the present town of Quincy, then a portion of Braintree, Massachusetts, October 30, 1735. He received a thorough education, graduating at Harvard College in 1755, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1758. He was well adapted for this profes- sion and after opening an office in his native town rapidly grew in prominence and public favor and soon was regarded as one of the leading lawyers of the country. His atten- tion was called to political affairs by the passage of the Stamp Act, in 1765, and he drew up a set of resolutions on the subject which were very popular. In 1768 he re-
moved to . Boston and became one of the most courageous and prominent advocates of the popular cause and was chosen a member of the Colonial legislature from Boston. He was one of the delegates that represented Massachusetts in the first Con- tinental congress, which met in September, 1774. In a letter written at this crisis he uttered the famous words: "The die is now cast; I have passed the Rubicon. Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish with my country, is my unalterable determination." He was a prominent figure in congress and advocated the movement for independence when a majority of the members were in- clined to temporize and to petition the King. In May, 1776, he presented a resolution in congress that the colonies should assume the duty of self-government, which was passed. In June, of the same year, a reso- lution that the United States "are, and of right ought to be, free and independent," was moved by Richard H. Lee, seconded by Mr. Adams and adopted by a small majority. Mr. Adams was a member of the committee of five appointed June II to prepare a declaration of independence, in support of which he made an eloquent speech. He was chairman of the Board of War in 1776 and in 1778 was sent as commissioner to France, but returned the following year. In 1780 he went to Europe, having been appointed as minister to negotiate a treaty of peace and commerce with Great Britain. Con- jointly with Franklin and Jay he negotiated a treaty in 1782. He was employed as a minister to the Court of St. James from 1785 to 1788, and during that period wrote his famous "Defence of the American Con- stitutions." In 1789 he became vice-presi- dent of the United States and was re-elected in 1792.
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