Progressive men and women of Kosciusko County, Indiana : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography, Part 5

Author:
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Logansport, Ind. : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1350

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drawn and General Sheridan started on a raid against the Confederate lines of com- munication with Richmond and on May 25 he rejoined the army, having destroyed con- siderable of the confederate stores and de- feated their cavalry under General Stuart at Yellow Tavern. The outer line of defences around Richmond were taken, but the sec- oad line was too strong to be taken by as- sault, and accordingly Sheridan crossed the Chickahominy at Meadow Bridge, reaching James River May 14, and thence by White House and Hanover Court House back to the army. The cavalry occupied Cold Harbor May 31, which they held until the arrival of the infantry. On General Sheri- dan's next raid he routed Wade Hampton's cavalry, and August 7 was assigned to the command of the Middle Military division, and during the campaign of the Shenan- doah Valley he performed the unheard of feat of " destroying an entire army." He was appointed brigadier-general of the reg- ular army and for his victory at Cedar Creek he was promoted to the rank of major-gen- cral. General Sheridan started out Febru- ary 27, 1865, with ten thousand cavalry and destroyed the Virginia Central Railroad and the James River Canal and joined the army again at Petersburg March 27. He commanded at the battle of Five Forks, the decisive victory which compelled Lee to evacuate Petersburg. On April 9, Lee tried to break through Sheridan's dismounted command but when the General drew aside his cavalry and disclosed the deep lines of infantry the attempt was abandoned. Gen- eral Sheridan mounted his men and was about to charge when a white flag was flown at the head of Lee's column which betokened the surrender of the army. After the war Gen- eral Sheridan had command of the army of the southwest, of the gulf and the depart-

ment of Missouri until he was appointed lieutenant-general and assigned to the di- vision of Missouri with headquarters at Chi- cago, and assumed supreme command of the army November 1, 1883, which post he held until his death, August 5, 1888.

DHINEAS T. BARNUM, the greatest showman the world has ever seen, was born at Danbury, Connecticut, July 5, 1810. At the age of eighteen years he began busi- ness on his own account. He opened a re- tail fruit and confectionery honse, including a barrel of ale, in one part of an old car- riage house. He spent fifty dollars in fitting up the store and the stock cost him seventy dollars. Three years later he put in a full stock, such as is generally carried in a country store, and the same year he started a Democratic newspaper, known as the "Herald of Freedom." He soon found himself in jail under a sixty days' sentence for libel. During the winter of 1834-5 he went to New York and began soliciting busi- ness for several Chatham street houses. In 1835 he embarked in the show business at Niblo's Garden, having purchased the cele- brated " Joice Heth" for one thousand dol- lars. He afterward engaged the celebrated athlete, Sig. Vivalia, and Barnum made his "first appearance on any stage, " acting as a "super" to Sig. Vivalia on his opening night. He became ticket seller, secretary and treasurer of Aaron Turner's circus in 1836 and traveled with it about the country. His next venture was the purchase of a steamboat on the Mississippi, and engaged a theatrical company to show in the princi- pal towns along that river. In 1840 he opened Vaux Hall Garden, New York, with variety performances, and introduced the celebrated jig dancer, John Diamond, to the public. The next year he quit the show

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business and settled down in New York as agent of Scar's Pictorial Illustration of the Bible, but a few months later again leased Vaux Hall. In September of the same year he again left the business, and became " puff" writer for the Bowery Amphitheater. In December he bought the Scudder Museum, and a year later introduced the celebrated Tom Thumb to the world, taking him to England in 1844, and remaining there three years. He then returned to New York, and in 1849, through James Hall Wilson, he en- gaged the .Swedish Nightingale," Jenny Lind, to come to this country and make a tour under his management. He also had sent the Swiss Bell Ringers to America in IS44. He became owner of the Baltimore Museum and the Lyceum and Museum at Philadelphia. In 1850 he brought a dozen elephants from Ceylon to make a tour of this country, and in 1851 sent the "Bateman Children " to London. During 1851 and 1852 he traveled as a temperance lecturer, and became president of a bank at Pequon- nock, Connecticut. In 1852 he started a weekly pictorial paper known as the " Illus- trated News." In 1865 his Museum was destroyed by fire, and he immediately leased the Winter Garden Theatre, where he played his company until he opened his own Museum. This Was destroyed by hro in 1868, and he then purchased an interest in the George Wood Museum.

After dipping into politics to some ex- tent, he began his career as a really great showman in 1871. Three years later he erected an immense circular building in New York, in which he produced his panoramas. He has frequently appeared as a lecturer, some times on temperance, and some times on other topics, among which were "Hum- bugs of the World," "Struggles and Triumphs," etc. He was owner of the im-

mense menagerie and circus known as the "Greatest Show on Earth," and his famne extended throughout Europe and America .. Ile died in 1891.

JAMES MADISON, the fourth president of the United States, 1809-17, was born at Port Conway, Prince George coun- ty, Virginia, March 16, 1751. He was the son of a wealthy planter, who lived on a fine estate called " Montpelier," which was but twenty-five miles from Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Madison was the eldest of a family of seven children, all of whom attained maturity. He received his early education at home under a private tutor, and consecrated himself with unusual vigor to study. At a very early age he was a proficient scholar in Latin, Greek, French and Spanish, and in 1769 he entered Prince- ton College, New Jersey. He graduated in 1771, but remained for several months after his graduation to pursue a course of study under the guidance of Dr. Witherspoon. He permanently injured his health at this time and returned to Virginia in 1772, and for two years he was immersed in the study of law, and at the same time made extend- ed researches in theology, general literature, and philosophical studies. He then directed his full attention to the impending struggle of the colonies for independence, and also took a prominent part in the religious con- troversy at that time regarding so called persecution of other religious denominations by the Church of England. Mr. Madison was elected to the Virginia assembly in 1776 and in November, 1777, he was chosen a member of the council of state. He took his seat in the continental congress in March, 17So. He was made chairman of the committee on foreign relations, and drafted an able memoranda for the use of

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the American ministers to the French and Spanish governments, that established the c'aims of the republic to the territories be- tween the Alleghany Mountains and the Mississippi River. He acted as chairman of the ways and means committee in 1783 and as a member of the Virginia legislature in 1784-86 he rendered important services to the state. Mr. Madison represented Vir- giana in the national constitutional conven- tion at Philadelphia in 1787, and was one of the chief framers of the constitution. He was a member of the first four congresses, 1789-97, and gradually became identified with the anti-federalist or republican party of which he eventually became the leader. He remained in private life during the ad- ministration of John Adams, and was secre- tary of state under President Jefferson. Mr. Madison administered the affairs of that post with such great ability that he was the natural successor of the chief magistrate and was chosen president by an electoral vote of 122 to 53. He was inaugurated March 4, 1809, at that critical period in our history when the feelings of the people were embittered with those of England, and his first term was passed in diplomatic quarrels, which finally resulted in the declaration of war, June 18, 1812. In the autumn of that year President Madison Was roepleeted by # vote of 128 to 89, and conducted the war for three years with varying success and defeat in Canada, by glorious victories at sea, and by the battle of New Orleans that wis fought after the treaty of peace had been signed at Ghent, December 24, 1814. During this war the national capitol at Washington was burned, and many valuable papers were destroyed, but the declaration of independence was saved to the country by the bravery and courage of Mr. Madi- son's illustrious wife. A commercial treaty

was negotiated with Great Britain in 1815, and in April, 1816, a national bank was in- corporated by congress. Mr. Madison was succeeded, March 4, 1817, by James Monroe, and retired into private life on his estate at Montpelier, where he died June 28, 1836.

F FREDERICK DOUGLASS, a noted American character, was a protege of the great abolitionist, William Lloyd Garri- son, by whom he was aided in gaining his education. Mr. Douglass was born in Tuck- ahoe county, Maryland, in February, 1817, his mother being a negro woman and his father a white man. He was born in slav- ery and belonged to a man by the name of Lloyd, under which name he went until he ran away from his master and changed it to Douglass. At the age of ten years he was sent to Baltimore where he learned to read and write, and later his owner allowed him to hire out his own time for three dollars a week in a shipyard. In September, 1838, he fled from Baltimore and made his way to New York, and from thence went to New Bedford, Massachusetts. Here he was mar- ried and supported himself and family by working at the wharves and in various work- shops. In the summer of 1841 he attended an anti-slavery convention at Nantucket, and inade a speech which was so well re- ceived that he was offered the agency of the Massachusetts Anti-slavery Society. In this capacity he traveled through the New En- gland states, and about the same time he published his first book called "Narrative of my Experience in Slavery." Mr. Doug- lass went to England in 1845 and lectured on slavery to large and enthusiastic audi- ences in all the large towns of the country, and his friends made up a purse of seven hundred and fifty dollars and purchased his freedom in due form of law.

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Mr. Douglass applied himself to the de- livery of lyceum lectures after the abolition of slavery, and in 1870 he became the editor of the " New National Era " in Washington. In 1871 he was appointed assistant secretary of the commission to San Domingo and on his return he was appointed one of the ter- ritorial council for the District of Colorado by President Grant. He was elected presi- dential elector-at-large for the state of New York and was appointed to carry the elect- oral vote to Washington. He was also United States marshal for the District of Columbia in 1876, and later was recorder of deeds for the same, from which position he was removed by President Cleveland in 1886. In the fall of that year he visited England to inform the friends that he had made while there, of the progress of the colored race in America, and on his return he was appointed minister to Hayti, by President Harrison in 1889. His career as a benefactor of his race was closed by his death in February, 1895, near Washington.

W ILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT .- The ear for rhythm and the talent for graceful expression are the gifts of nature, and they were plentifully endowed on the above named poet. The principal charac- teristic of his poetry is the thoughtfulness and intellectual process by which his ideas ripened in his mind, as all his poems are bright, clear and sweet. Mr. Bryant was born November 3, 1794, at Cummington, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, and was educated at Williams College, from which he graduated, having entered it in 1810. He took up the study of law, and in 1815 was admitted to the bar, but after practicing successfully for ten years at Plainfield and Great Barrington, he removed to New York in 1825. The following year he became

the editor of the "Evening Post," which he edited until his death, and under his di- rection this paper maintained, through a long series of years, a high standing by the boldness of its protests against slavery be- fore the war, by its vigorous support of the government during the war, and by the fidelity and ability of its advocacy of the Democratic freedom in trade. Mr. Bry- ant visited Europe in 1834, 1845, 1849 and 1857, and presented to the literary world the fruit of his travels in the series of "Let- ters of a Traveler," and "Letters from Spain and Other Countries." In the world of literature he is known chiefly as a poct, and here Mr. Bryant's name is illustrious, both at home and abroad. He contributed verses to the "Country Gazette " before he was ten years of age, and at the age of nine- teen he wrote "Thanatopsis," the most im- pressive and widely known of his poems. The later outgrowth of his genius was his translation of Homer's "Iliad" in 1870 and the "Odyssey" in 1871. He also made several speeches and addresses which have been collected in a comprehensive vol- ume called " Orations and Addresses." He was honored in many ways by his fellow citizens, who delighted to pay tributes of respect to his literary eminence, the breadth of his public spirit, the faithfulness of his service, and the worth of his private char- acter. Mr. Bryant died in New York City June 12, 1878.

W ILLIAM HENRY SEWARD, the secretary of state during one of the most critical times in the history of our country, and the right hand man of Presi- dent Lincoln, ranks among the greatest statesmen America has produced. Mr. Seward was born May. 16, 1801, at Florida, Orange county, New York, and with such

CHARLES S JENER

R B HAYES

GENT ER CLEVELAND

BECK'S JEFFERSON!

WOH SEWARD

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facilities as the place afforded he fitted him- . f for a college course. He attended Umton College at Schenectady, New York, at the age of fifteen, and took his degree in the regular course, with signs of promise in re, after which he diligently addressed i ... . If to the study of law under competent i: tractors, and started in the practice of a profession in 1823.

Mr. Seward entered the political arena .4 in 1828 we find him presiding over a Eventtion in New York, its purpose being : . Robination of John Quincy Adams for a bad term. He was married in 1824 and 1 1:30 was elected to the state senate. P. M. 1838 to 1842 he was governor of the : de of New York. Mr. Seward's next im- Runt position was that of United States autor from New York.

W. II. Seward was chosen by President Lincoln to fill the important office of the rotary of state, and by his firmness and "piomacy in the face of difficulties, he aided in piloting the Union through that period of strife, and won an everlasting fame. This gre .t statesman died at Auburn, New York, Grober 10, 1872, in the seventy-second Svar of his eventful life.

JOSEPH JEFFERSON, a name as dear as it is familiar to the theater-going .. : Al in America, suggests first of all a fun- : . org drink-loving, mellow voiced, good- A .t .red Dutchman, and the name of "Rip ! in Winkie " suggests the pleasant features : je Jefferson, so intimately are play and ; Ser associated in the minds of those who He had the good fortune to shed tears of . .. ter and sympathy as a tribute to the atness of his art. Joseph Jefferson was : mti in Philadelphia, February 20, 1829. !! genius was an inheritance, if there be s. h. as his great-grandfather, Thomas 3

Jefferson, was a manager and actor in Eng , land. His grandfather, Joseph Jefferson, was the most popular comedian of the New York stage in his time, and his father, Jos- eph Jefferson, the second, was a good actor also, but the third Joseph Jefferson out- shone them all.

At the age of three years Joseph Jeffer- son came on the stage as the child in "Pi- zarro," and his training was upon the stage from childhood. Later on he lived and acted in Chicago, Mobile, and Texas. After repeated misfortunes he returned to New Orleans from Texas, and his brother-in-law, Charles Burke, gave him money to reach Philadelphia, where he joined the Burton theater company. Here his genius soon as- serted itself, and his future became promis- ing and brilliant. His engagements through- out the United States and Australia were generally successful, and when he went to England in 1865 Mr. Boucicault consented to make some important changes in his dramatization of Irving's story of Rip Van Winkle, and Mr. Jefferson at once placed it in the front rank as a comedy. He made a fortune out of it, and played nothing else for many years. In later years, however, Mr. Jefferson acquitted himself of the charge .of being a one-part actor, and the parts of "Bob Acres," "Caleb Plummer" and "Golightly " all testify to the versatility of his genius.

G EORGE BRINTON MCCLELLAN, a noted American general, was born in Philadelphia, December 3, 1826. He graduated from the University of Pennsyl- vania, and in 1846 from West Point, and was breveted second lieutenant of engineers. He was with Scott in the Mexican war, taking part in all the engagements from Vera Cruz to the final capture of the Mexi-

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can capital, and was breveted first lieuten- ant and captain for gallantry displayed on various occasions. In 1857 he resigned his commission and accepted the position of chief engineer in the construction of the Illinois Central Railroad, and became presi- 1 dent of the St. Louis & Cincinnati Railroad Company. He was commissioned major- general by the state of Ohio in 1861, placed in command of the department of the Ohio, and organized the first volunteers called for from that state. In May he was appointed major-general in the United . States army, and ordered to disperse the confederates overrunning West Virginia. He accomplished this task promptly, and received the thanks of congress. After the first disaster at Bull Run he was placed in command of the department of Wash- ington, and a few weeks later of the Army of the Potomac. Upon retirement of General Scott the command of the en- tire United States army devolved upon Mc- Clellan, but he was relieved of it within a few months. In March, 1862, after elabor- ate preparation, he moved upon Manassas, only to find it deserted by the Confederate army, which had been withdrawn to im- pregnable defenses prepared nearer Rich- mond. He then embarked his armies for Fortress Monroe and after a long delay at Yorktown, began the disastrous Peninsular campaign, which resulted in the Army of the Potomac being cooped up on the James River below Richmond. His forces were then called to the support of General Pope, near Washington, and he was left without an army. After Pope's defeat Mcclellan was placed in command of the troops for the de- fense of the capital, and after a thorough or- ganization he followed Lee into Maryland and the battles of Antietam and South Moun- tain ensued: The delay which followed

caused general dissatisfaction, and he was re- lieved of his command, and retired from active service.

In 1864 Mcclellan was nominated for the presidency by the Democrats, and over- whelmingly defeated by Lincoln, three states only casting their electoral votes for McClellan. On election day he resigned his commission and a few months later went to Europe where he spent several years. He wrote a number of military text- books and reports. His death occurred October 29, 1885.

S AMUEL J. TILDEN .- Among the great statesmen whose names adorn the pages of American history may be found that oi the subject of this sketch. Known as a lawyer of highest ability, his greatest claim to immortality will ever lie in his successful battle against the corrupt rings of his native state and the elevation of the standard of official life.

Samuel J. Tilden was born in New Leb- anon, New York, February 9, 1814. He pursued his academic studies at Yale Col- lege and the University of New York, tak- ing the course of law at the latter. He was admitted to the bar in 1841. His rare ability as a thinker and writer upon public topics attracted the attention of President Van Buren, of whose policy and adminis- tration he became an active and efficient champion. He made for himself a high place in his profession and amassed quite a fortune as the result of his industry and judgment. During the days of his greatest professional labor he was ever one of the leaders and trusted counsellors of the Demo- cratic party. He was a member of the conventions to revise the state constitution, both in 1846 and 1867, and served two terms in the lower branch of the state leg-

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where He was one of the controlling s hits in the overthrow of the notorious " Tweed ring " and the reformation of the ;: ruthent of the city of New York. In per. he was elected governor of the state ( New York. While in this position he . tel corruption in high places, success- fog battling with the iniquitous " canal ra, and crashed its sway over all depart- mats . the government. Recognizing his character and executive ability Mr. Tilden was nominated for president by the na- : :.!! Democratic convention in 1876. At !!. Wetion he received a much larger popu- heerde than His opponent, and 184 uncon- te .: I electoral votes. There being some c. " Fal votes contested, a commission ap- pat d by congress decided in favor of the W : Wheat electors and Mr. Hayes, the can- Mike of that party was declared elected. 1. 5. the Democratic party, feeling that Mr Thien had been lawfully elected to the pottery tendered the nomination for the fire to Mr. Tiden, but he declined, pasta from all public functions, owing to :: health. He died August 4, 1586. : . !. will he bequeathed several millions of : hrs toward the founding of public libra- : R.n New York City, Yonkers, etc.

N° JOAH WEBSTER. - As a scholar, law. Ter, author and journalist, there is no the who stands on a higher plane, or whose : ation is better established than the In Red gentleman whose name heads this watch. He was a native of West Hartford, Connecticut, and was born October 17, He came of an old New England Me .... y. his mother being a descendant of Governor William Bradford, of the Piy- ... win colony. After acquiring a solid edu- cotton in early life Dr. Webster entered Yule College, from which he graduated in

1778. For a while he taught school in Hartford, at the same time studying law, and was admitted to the bar in 1781. He taught a classical school at Goshen, Orange county, New York, in 1782-83, and while there prepared his spelling book, grammar and reader, which was issued under the title of "A Grammatical Institute of the English Language," in three parts, -so successful a work that up to 1876 something like forty million of the spelling books had been sold. In 1786 he delivered a course of lec- tures on the English language in the seaboard cities and the following year taught an academy at Philadelphia. From December 17, 1787, until November, 1788, he edited the "American Magazine, " a periodical that proved unsuccessful. In 1789-93 he prac- ticed law in Hartford having in the former year married the daughter of William Green- leaf, of Boston. He returned to New York and November, 1703, founded a daily paper, the "Minerva, " to which was soon added a semi-weekly edition under the name of the "Herald." The former is still in existence under the name of the "Commercial Adver- tiser ." In this paper, over the signature of "Curtius," he published a lengthy and schol- arly defense of " John Jay's treaty."

In 1758, Dr. Webster moved to New Haven and in 1807 commenced the prepar- ation of his great work, the "American Dic- tionary of the English Language," which was not completed and published until 1823. He made his home in Amherst, Massachu- setts, for the ten years succeeding 1812, and was instrumental in the establishment of Amherst College, of which institution he was the first president of the board of trustees. During 1824-5 he resided in Europe, pursu- ing his philological studies in Paris. He completed his dictionary from the libraries of Cambridge University in 1825, and de-

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voted his leisure for the remainder of his life to the revision of that and his school books.

Dr. Webster was a member of the legis- latures of both Connecticut and Massachu- setts, was judge of one of the courts of the former state and was identified with nearly all the literary and scientific societies in the neighborhood of Amherst College. He died in New Haven, May 28, 1843.

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Progressive men and women of Kosciusko County, Indiana : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography, Part 5

Author: Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Logansport, Ind. : B. F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1350

Author:
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Logansport, Ind. : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1350