USA > Indiana > Decatur County > A Genealogical and biographical record of Decatur County, Indiana : compendium of national biography > Part 3
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In 1796 Mr. Adams was chosen presi-
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dent of the United States, his competitor being Thomas Jefferson, who became vice- president. In 1800 he was the Federal candidate for president, but he was not cordially supported by Gen. Hamilton, the favorite leader of his party, and was de- feated by Thomas Jefferson.
Mr. Adams then retired from public life to his large estate at Quincy, Mass., where he died July 4, 1826, on the same day that witnessed the death of Thomas Jefferson. Though his physical frame began to give way many years before his death, his mental powers retained their strength and vigor to the last. In his ninetieth year he was glad- dened by .the elevation of his son, John Quincy Adams, to the presidential office.
H JENRY WARD BEECHER, one of the most celebrated American preachers and authors, was born at Litchfield, Connec- ticut, June 24, 1813. His father was Dr. Ly- man Beecher, also an eminent divine. At an early age Henry Ward Beecher had a strong predilection for a sea-faring life, and it was practically decided that he would fol- 'low this inclination, but about this time, in consequence of deep religious impressions which he experienced during a revival, he renounced his former intention and decided to enter the ministry. After having grad- uated at Amherst College, in 1834, he stud- ied theology at Lane Seminary under the tuition of his father, who was then president of that institution. In 1847 he became pas- tor of the Plymouth Congregational church in Brooklyn, where his oratorical ability and original eloquence attracted one of the larg- . est congregations in the country. He con- tinued to served this church until the time of his death, March 8, 1887. Mr. Beecher also found time for a great amount of liter- ary work. For a number of years he was
editor of the "Independent " and also the " Christian Union. " He also produced many works which are widely known. Among his principal productionsare "Lectures to Young Men," "Star Papers," "Life of Christ," "Life Thoughts," "Royal Truths" (a novel), "Norwood," "Evolution and Rev- olution," and " Sermons on Evolution and Religion." Mr. Beecher was also long a prominent advocate of anti-slavery princi- ples and temperance reform, and, at a later period, of the rights of women.
JOHN A. LOGAN, the illustrious states- man and general, was born in Jackson county, Illinois, February 9, 1824. In his boyhood days he received but a limited edu- cation in the schools of his native county. On the breaking out of the war with Mexico he enlisted in the First Illinois Volunteers and became its quartermaster. . At the close of hostilities he returned home and was, elected clerk of the courts of Jackson county in 1849. Determining to supplement his education Logan entered the Louisville Uni- versity, from which he graduated in 1852 and taking up the study of law was admitted to the bar. He attained popularity and suc- cess in his chosen profession and was elected to the legislature in 1852, 1853, 1856 and 1857. He was prosecuting attorney from 1853 to 1857. He was elected to congress in 1858 to fill a vacancy and again in 1860. At the outbreak of the Rebellion, Logan re- signed his office and entered the army, and in September, 1861, was appointed colonel of the Thirty-first Illinois Infantry, which he led in the battles of Belmont and Fort Don- elson. In the latter engagement he was wounded. In March, 1862, he was pro- moted to be brigadier-general and in the following month participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing. In November, 1862,
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DAL EL MESSTER
RALPH HAMERSON
WENDELL PHILLIPS
JAS. R. LOWELL
SWAPRIETE B.STORE
WASHINGTON IRVING
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for gallant conduct he was made major-gen- eral. Throughout the Vicksburg campaign he was in command of a division of the Sev- enteenth Corps and was distinguished at Port Gibson, Champion Hills and in the siege and capture of Vicksburg. In October, 1863, he was placed in command of the Fifteenth Corps, which he led with great credit. During the terrible conflict before Atlanta, July 22, 1864, on the death of General McPherson, Logan, assuming com- mand of the Army of the Tennessee, led it on to victory, saving the day by his energy "and ability. He was shortly after succeeded by General O. O. Howard and returned to the command of his corps. He remained in command until the presidential election, when, feeling that his influence was needed at home he returned thither and there re- mained until the arrival of Sherman at Sa- vannah, when General Logan rejoined his command. In May, 1865, he succeeded General Howard at the head of the Army of the Tennessee. He resigned from the army in August, the same year, and in November was appointed minister to Mexico, but de- clined the honor. He served in the lower house of the fortieth and forty-first con- gresses, and was elected United States sena- tor from his native state in 1870, 1878 and 1885. He was nominated for the vice-presi- dency in 1884 on the ticket with Blaine, but was defeated. General Logan was the author of "The Great Conspiracy, its origin and history," published in 1885. He died at Washington, December 26, 1886.
OHN CHARLES FREMONT, the first J Republican candidate for president, was born in Savannah, Georgia, January 21, 1813. He graduated from Charleston Col- lege (South Carolina) in 1830, and turned his attention to civil engineering. He was shortly
afterward employed in the department of government surveys on the Mississippi, and constructing maps of that region. He was made lieutenant of engineers, and laid be- fore the war department a plan for pone- trating the Rocky Mountain regions, which was accepted, and in 1842 he set out upon his first famous exploring expedition and ex- plored the South Pass. He also planned an expedition to Oregon by a new route further south, but afterward joined his expedition with that of Wilkes in the region of the Great Salt Lake. He made a later expedi- tion which penetrated the Sierra Nevadas, and the San Joaquin and Sacramento river valleys, making maps of all regions explored.
In 1845 he conducted the great expedi- tion which resulted in the acquisition of California, which it was believed the Mexi- can government was about to dispose of to England. Learning that the Mexican gov- ernor was preparing to attack the American settlements in his dominion, Fremont deter- mined to forestall him. The settlers rallied to his camp, and in June, 1846, he defeated the Mexican forces at Sonoma Pass, and a month later completely routed the governor and his entire army. The Americans at once declared their independence of Mexico, and Fremont was elected governor of Cali- fornia. By this time Commodore Stockton had reached the coast with instructions from Washington to conquer California. Fre- mont at once joined him in that effort, which resulted in the annexation of California with its untold mineral wealth. Later Fremont became involved in a difficulty with fellow officers which resulted in a court martial, and the surrender of his commission. He declined to accept reinstatement. He af- terward laid out a great road from the Mis- sissippi river to San Francisco, and became the first United States senator from Califor-
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. nia, in 1849. In 1856 he was nominated by the new Republican party as its first can- didate for president against Buchanan, and received 114 electoral votes, out of 296.
In 1861 he was made major-general and placed in charge of the western department. He planned the reclaiming of the entire Mississippi valley, and gathered an army of thirty thousand men, with plenty of artil- lery, and was ready to move upon the con- federate General Price, when he was de- prived of his command. He was nominated for the presidency at Cincinnati in 1864, but withdrew. He was governor of Arizona in 1878, holding the position four years. He was interested in an engineering enterprise ' looking toward a great southern trans-con- tinental railroad, and in his later years also practiced law in New York. He died July 13, 1 890.
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W TENDELL PHILLIPS, the orator and abolitionist, and a conspicuous figure in American history, was born November 29, 18II, at Boston, Massachusetts. He received a good education at Harvard College, from which he graduated in 1831, and then entered the Cambridge Law School. After completing his course in that institu- tion, in 1833, he was admitted to the bar, in 1834, at Suffolk. He entered the arena of life at the time when the forces of lib- erty and slavery had already begun their struggle that was to culminate in the Civil war. William Lloyd Garrison, by his clear- headed, courageous declarations of the anti- slavery principles, had done much to bring about this struggle. Mr. Phillips was not a man that could stand aside and see a great struggle being carried on in the interest of humanity and look passively on. He first attracted attention as an orator in 1837, at a meeting that was called to protest against
the murder of the Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy. The meeting would have ended in a few perfunctory resolutions had not Mr. Phillips by his manly eloquence taken the meeting out of the hands of the few that were in- clined to temporize and avoid radical utter- ances. Having once started out in this ca- reer as an abolitionist Phillips never swerved from what he deemed his duty, and never turned back. He gave up his legal practice and launched himself heart and soul in the movement for the liberation of the slaves. He was an orator of very great ability and by his earnest efforts and eloquence he did much in arousing public sentiment in behalf of the anti-slavery cause-possibly more than any one man of his time. After the abolition of slavery Mr. Phillips was, if pos- sible, even busier than before in the literary and lecture field. Besides temperance and women's rights, he lectured often and wrote much on finance, and the relations of labor and capital, and his utterances on whatever subject always bore the stamp of having emanated from a master mind. Eminent critics have stated that it might fairly be questioned whether there has ever spoken in America an orator superior to Phillips. The death of this great man occurred Feb- ruary 4, 1884.
W ILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN was one of the greatest generals that the world has ever produced and won im- mortal fame by that strategic and famous " march to the sea," in the war of the Re- bellion. He was born February 8, 1820, at . Lancaster, Ohio, and was reared in the family of the Hon. Thomas Ewing, as his father died when he was but nine years of age. He entered West Point in 1836, was graduated from the same in 1840, and ap- pointed a second lieutenant in the Third
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Artillery. He passed through the various grades of the service and at the outbreak of the Civil war was appointed colonel of the Thirteenth Regular Infantry. A full history of General Sherman's conspicuous services would be to repeat a history of the army. He commanded a division at Shiloh, and was instrumental in the winning of that bat-
tle, and was also present at the siege of Vicks- burg. On July 4, 1863, he was appointed brigadier-general of the regular. army, and shared with Hooker the victory of Mission- ary Ridge. He was commander of the De- partment of the Tennessee from October 27th until the appointment of General Grant as lieutenant-general, by whom he was appointed to the command of the De- partment of the Mississippi, which he as- sumed in March, 1864. He at once began organizing the army and enlarging his com- munications preparatory to his march upon Atlanta, which he started the same time of the beginning of the Richmond campaign by Grant. He started on May 6, and was op- posed by Johnston, who had fifty thousand Inen, but by consummate generalship, he captured Atlanta, on September 2, after several months of hard fighting and a severe loss of men. General Sherman started on his famous march to the sea November 15, 1864, and by December 10 he was before Savannah, which he took on December 23. This campaign is a monument to the genius of General Sherman as he only lost 567 inen from Atlanta to the sea. After rest- ing his army he moved northward and occu-
pied the following places: Columbia, Cheraw, Fayetteville, Ayersboro, Benton- ville, Goldsboro, Raleigh, and April IS, he accepted the surrender of Johnston's army on a basis of agreement that was not re- ceived by the Government with favor, but finally accorded Johnston the same terms as
Lee was given by General Grant. He was present at the grand review at Washington, and after the close of the war was appointed to the command of the military division of the Mississippi; later was appointed lieu- tenant-general, and assigned to the military division of the Missouri. When General Grant was elected president Sherman became general, March 4, 1869, and succeeded to the command of the army. His death oc- curred February 14, 1891, at Washington.
A LEXANDER HAMILTON, one of the most prominent of the early American statesmen and financiers, was born in Nevis, an island of the West Indies, January II, 1757, his father being a Scotchman and his mother of Huguenot descent. Owing to the death of his mother and business reverses which came to his father, young Hamilton was sent to his mother's relatives in Santa Cruz; a few years later was sent to a gram- mar school at Elizabethtown, New Jersey, and in 1773 entered what is now known as Columbia College. Even at that time he began taking an active part in public affairs and his speeches, pamphlets, and newspaper articles on political affairs of the day at- tracted considerable attention. In 1776 he received a captain's commission and served in Washington's army with credit, becoming aide-de-camp to Washington with rank of lieutenant-colonel. In 1781 he resigned his commission because of a rebuke from Gen- eral Washington. He next received com- mand of a New York battalion and partici- pated in the battle of Yorktown. After this Hamilton studied law, served several terms in congress and was a member of the convention at which the Federal Constitu- tion was drawn up. His work connected with "The Federalist" at about this time attracted much attention. Mr. Hamilton
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was chosen as the' first secretary of the United States treasury and as such was the author of the funding system and founder of the United States Bank. In 1798 he was made inspector-general of the army with the ' rank of major-general and was also for a short time commander-in-chief. In 1804 Aaron Burr, then candidate for governor of New York, challenged Alexander Hamilton to fight a duel, Burr attributing his defeat to Hamilton's opposition, and Hamilton, though declaring the code as a relic of bar- barism, accepted the challenge. They met . at Weehawken, New Jersey, July 11, 1804. Hamilton declined to fire at his adversary, but at Burr's first fire was fatally wounded · and died July 12, 1804.
A LEXANDER HAMILTON STEPH- ENS, vice-president of the southern confederacy, a former United States senator and governor of Georgia, ranks among the great men of American history. He was born February 11, 1812, near Crawfordsville, Georgia. He was a graduate of the Uni- versity of Georgia, and admitted to the bar in 1834. In 1837 he made his debut in political life as a member of the state house of representatives, and in 1841 declined the nomination for the same office; but in 1842 he was chosen by the same constituency as state senator. Mr. Stephens was one of the promoters of the Western and Atlantic Railroad. In 1843 he was sent by his dis- trict to the national house of representatives, which office he held for sixteen consec- utive years. He was a member of the house during the passing of the Compromise Bill, and was one of its ablest and most active supporters. The same year (1850) Mr. Stephens was a delegate to the state convention that framed the celebrated " Georgia Platform," and was also a dele-
gate to the convention that passed the ordi- nance of secession, though he bitterly op- posed that bill by voice and vote, yet he readily acquiesced in their decision after it received the votes of the majority of the convention. He was chosen vice-president of the confederacy without opposition, and in 1865 he was the head of the commis- sion sent by the south to the Hampton Roads conference. He was arrested after the fall of the confederacy and was con- fined in Fort Warren as a prisoner of state but was released on his own parole. Mr. Stephens was elected to the forty-third, forty-fourth, forty-fifth, forty-sixth and for- ty-seventh congresses, with hardly more than nominal opposition. He was one of the Jeffersonian school of American politics. He wrote a number of works, principal among which are: "Constitutional View of the War between the States," and a " Compendium of the History of the United States." He was inaugurated as governor of Georgia November 4th, 1882, but died March 4, 1883, before the completion of his term.
R OSCOE CONKLING was one of the most noted and famous of American statesmen. He was among the most fin- ished, fluent and eloquent orators that have ever graced the halls of the American con- gress; ever ready, witty and bitter in de- bate he was at once admired and feared by his political opponents and revered by his followers. True to his friends, loyal to the last degree to those with whom his inter- ests were associated, he was unsparing to his foes and it is said " never forgot an injury."
Roscoe Conkling was born at Albany, New York, on the 30th of October, 1829, being a son of Alfred Conkling. Alfred Conkling was also a native of New York.
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born at East Hampton, October 12, 1789, and became one of the most eminent law- yers in the Empire state; published several legal works; served a term in congress; aft- erward as United States district judge for Northern New York, and in 1852 was min- ister to Mexico. Alfred Conkling died in 1874.
Roscoe Conkling, whose name heads this article, at an early age took up the study of law and soon became successful and prominent at the bar. About 1846 he re- moved to Utica and in 1858 was elected mayor of that city. He was elected repre- sentative in congress from this district and was re-elected three times. In 1867 he was elected United States senator from the state of New York and was re-elected in 1873 and 1879. In May, 1881, he resigned on account of differences with the president. In March, 1882, he was appointed and con- firmed as associate justice of the United States supreme court but declined to serve. His death occurred April 18, 1888.
W ASHINGTON IRVING, one of the most eminent, talented and popu- lar of American authors, was born in New York City, April 3, 1783. His father was William Irving, a merchant and a native of Scotland, who had married an English lady and emigrated to America some twenty years prior to the birth of Washington. Two of the older sons, William and Peter, were partially occupied with newspaper work and literary pursuits, and this fact naturally inclined Washington to follow their example. Washington Irving was given the advantages afforded by the common schools until about sixteen years of age when he began studying law, but continued to acquire his literary training by diligent perusal at home of the older English writers.
When nineteen he made his first literary venture by printing in the " Morning Chroni- cle," then edited by his brother, Dr. Peter Irving, a series of local sketches under the nom-de-plume of "Jonathan Oldstyle." In 1804 he began an extensive trip through Europe, returned in 1806, quickly com- pleted his legal studies and was admitted to the bar, but never practiced the profession. In 1807 he began the amusing serial " Sal- magundi," which had an immediate suc- cess, and not only decided his future career but long determined the charac- ter of his writings. In 1808, assisted by his brother Peter, he wrote " Knickerbock- er's History of New York," and in 1810 an excellent biography of Campbell, the poet. After this, for some time, Irving's attention was occupied by mercantile interests, but the commercial house in which he was a partner failed in 1817. In 1814 he was editor of the Philadelphia "Analectic Maga- zine." About 1818 appeared his "Sketch- Book," over the nom-de-plume of "Geoffrey Crayon," which laid the foundation of Ir- ving's fortune and permanent fame. This was soon followed by the legends of "Sleepy Hollow," and "Rip Van Winkle," which at once took high rank as literary productions, and Irving's reputation was firmly established in both the old and new worlds. After this the path of Irving was smooth, and his subsequent writings ap- peared with rapidity, including " Brace- bridge Hall," "The Tales of a Traveler," " History of the Life and Voyages of Chris- topher Columbus," "The Conquest of Granada," "The Alhambra," "Tour on the Prairies," " Astoria," "Adventures of Captain Bonneville," "Wolfert's Roost," " Mahomet and his Successors," and "Life of Washington," besides other works.
Washington Irving was never married.
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He resided during the closing years of his life at Sunnyside (Tarrytown) on the Hud- son, where he died November 28, 1859.
C HARLES SUMNER .- Boldly outlined on the pages of our history stands out the rugged figure of Charles Sumner, states- man, lawyer and writer. A man of unim- peachable integrity, indomitable will and with the power of tireless toil, he was a fit leader in troublous times. First in rank as an anti-slavery leader in the halls of con- gress, he has stamped his image upon the annals of his time. As an orator he took "front rank and, in wealth of illustration, rhetoric and lofty tone his eloquence equals anything to be found in history.
Charles Sumner was born in Boston, Massachusetts, January 6, 1811, and was the son of Charles P. and Relief J. Sumner. The family had long been prominent in that state. Charles was educated at the Boston Public Latin School; entered Harvard Col- lege in 1826, and graduated therefrom in 1830. In 1831 he joined the Harvard Law School, then under charge of Judge Story, and gave himself up to the study of law with enthusiasm. His leisure was devoted to contributing to the American Jurist. Ad- mitted to the bar in 1834 he was appointed reporter to the circuit court by Judge Story. He published several works about this time, and from 1835 to 1837 and again in 1843 was lecturer in the law school. He had planned a lawyer's life, but in 1845 he gave his attention to politics, speaking and working against the admission of Texas to the Union and subsequently against the Mexican war. In 1848 he was defeated for congress on the Free Soil ticket. His stand on the anti- slavery question at that time alienated both friends and clients, but he never swerved from his convictions. In 1851 he was elected
to the United States senate and took his seat therein December I of that year. From this time his life became the history of the anti-slavery cause in congress. In August, 1852, he began his attacks on slavery by a masterly argument for the repeal of the fugitive slave law. On May 22, 1856, Pres- ton Brooks, nephew of Senator Butler, of South Carolina, made an attack upon Mr. Sumner, at his desk in the senate, striking him over the head with a heavy cane. The attack was quite serious in its effects and kept Mr. Sumner absent from his seat in the senate for about four years. In 1857, 1863 and 1869 he was re-elected to the office of senator, passing some twenty-three years in that position, always advocating the rights of freedom and equity. He died March II, 1874.
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THOMAS JEFFERSON, the third pres- ident of the United States, was born near Charlottesville, Albemarle county, Vir- ginia, April 13, 1743, and was the son of Peter and Jane (Randolph) Jefferson. He received the elements of a good education, and in 1760 entered William and Mary Col- lege. After remaining in that institution for two years he took up the study of law with George Wythe, of Williamsburg, Virginia, one of the foremost lawyers of his day, and was admitted to practice in 1767. He ob- tained a large and profitable practice, which he held for eight years. The conflict be- tween Great Britain and the Colonies then drew him into public life, he having for some time given his attention to the study of the sources of law, the origin of liberty and equal rights.
Mr. Jefferson was elected to the Virginia house of burgesses in 1769, and served in that body several years, a firm supporter of liberal measures, and, although a slave-
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holder himself, an opponent of slavery. . With others, he was a leader among the op- position to the king. He took his place as a member of the Continental congress June 21, 1775, and after serving on several com- mittees was appointed to draught a Declara- tion of Independence, which he did, some corrections being suggested by Dr. Franklin and John Adams. This document was pre- sented to congress June 28, 1776, and after six days' debate was passed and was signed. In the following September Mr. Jefferson resumed his seat in the Virginia legislature, · and gave much time to the adapting of laws of that state to the new condition of things. He drew up the law, the first ever passed by a legislature or adopted by a government, which secured perfect religious freedom. June 1, 1779, he succeeded Patrick Henry as governor of Virginia, an office which, after co-operating with Washington in de- fending the country, he resigned two years later. One of his own estates was ravaged by the British, and his house at Monticello was held by Tarleton for several days, and Jefferson narrowly escaped capture. After the death of his wife, in 1782, he accepted the position of plenipotentiary to France, which he had declined in 1776. Before leaving he served a short time in congress at Annapolis, and succeeded in carrying a bill for establishing our present decimal sys- tem of currency, one of his most useful pub- lic services. He remained in an official ca- pacity until October, 1789, and was a most active and vigilant minister. Besides the onerous duties of his office, during this time, he published "Notes on Virginia," sent to the United States seeds, shrubs and plants, forwarded literary and scientific news and gave useful advice to some of the leaders of the French Revolution.
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