USA > Michigan > Grand Traverse County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 2
USA > Michigan > Leelanau County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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654
Gibbs, Edward B.
678
Gibbs, James L.
725
Gibbs, Lorraine K.
805
Gilbert, George W.
529
Gilbert, I. Burton.
740
Gilbert, Parmius C.
497
Gilbert, William O.
523
Godard, George S.
524
Goodrich, Frank R.
800
Grant, William F.
562
Gray, Addison M.
605
Gray, Albert P
774
Green, J. Wilbur
7II
Greilick, Edward.
772
Greilick, John.
724
Greilick, Joseph E.
801
Greilick, Walter E.
398
Greilick, William M
689
Gunton, James K.
708
H
Hager, Charles M.
562
Hahnenberg, Joseph.
418
Hall, Hiram
601
Hamlin, Frank M.
623
Hammond, Finley M.
395
Hannaford, Charles A.
522
Hannah, Julius T.
439
Hannah, Hon. Perry
413
PAGE
Hannen, J. W. 728
Harrington, Nathaniel W.
566
Hastings, Ernest W
457
Heim, William
716
Heimforth, George H
627
Heimforth, Philip.
534
Heimforth, William.
537
Hess, William M.
720
Hoeflin, Henry.
538
Holden, William O.
478
Holdsworth, William.
665
Holliday, Albert H., M. D .. 446
Horton, John S.
628
Howard, Charles C.
733
Howard, James N.
710
Hoxsie, Alonzo C.
697
Hoxsie, John.
692
Hull, Henry S.
416
Hull, William C ..
732
Hutchins, Daniel C.
584
I
Iles, William.
591
Innis, Alexander
536
J
Jennings, Morris B.
619
Jackson, George
509
Jeor, Joseph.
506
Johnson, Capt. Frederick L ..
764
Johnson, James G.
763
Joynt, Charles L.
470
Joynt, Herbert O
452
K
Kehl Brothers
464
Kehl, John.
674
Kelley, Thomas
781
Kelley, Walter N.
442
Kennedy, John N
633
Keyes, Sidney A.
499
King, Dee
621
Kingsley, Elon
494
Kraitz, Wenzel.
642
Krubner, Joseph
625
L
LaCore, Marvin.
502
Ladd, Emor O.
775
Lane, Josiah W.
614
PAGE
Lardie, George.
744
Larson, Ole ...
681
Lautner, Edward
677
Lautner, Stephen.
671
Leach, Morgan L., M. D. 544
Lee, William
701
Linderman, Ephraim Y
662
Linten, Ira D.
610
Litney, John.
556
Loeffler, Charles W
581
Longshore, Amos
682
Loudon, William.
648
Love, Isaac
384
M
McDonald, John.
390
McGarry, Stephen, Jr.
397
McMachen, William
.456
McManus, George C.
526
McRae, Alexander D.
376
McWethy, George W
746
Markham, James W
462
Marshall, John D.
762
Marshall, William A.
777
Matchett, Thomas.
657
Mebert, Albert W.
543
Merrill, James R.
730
Miller, Archibald A
684
Miller, Edward E.
471
Milliken, James W
448
Mitchell, William.
458
Moffatt, Orlando C.
485
Monroe, Charles H.
668
Monroe, James H
483
Montague, Herbert.
431
Moore, Fred E.
509
Morgan, Birney J
568
Morrison, John
612
Morrison, Peter
722
N
Nerlinger, John.
559
Newcomb, Eddy E.
389
Newmach, Isaac G.
578
Nickerson, George C.
578
Norconk, Alonzo.
615
O
Oberlin, Meinrod
........ 650
INDEX.
PAGE
P
Peterson, Peter
373
Popst, Herman.
607
Porter, Alfred E.
747
Porter, John.
667
Potter, Cyrenus M.
606
Pratt, Edwin S.
495
Pratt, William R.
743
Prouty, Hugh M.
382
Pulcipher, Harrison.
388
Pulcipher, John
402
Pulver, Almon E.
514
Putnam, Benajhar
433
R
Raff, George W
429
Ransom, Elijah L.
386
Rennie, John.
378
Rennie, William A.
700
Revold, Fred, Jr.
561
Rice, Emery.
734
Richter, Fred ..
549
Roberts, George L.
565
Roberts, Lorin
420
Robertson, George
542
Robertson, Hector J
531
Rogers, John
384
Round, Richard W.
799
Ruegsegger, John, M. D.
661
Rushmore, William H.
770
Ruthardt, Louis.
706
S
Sackett, Lavern O.
408
Santo, John R.
474
Saxton, William J.
410
PAGE
Sayler, Samuel H
752
Scott, Andrew
702
Scott, David H
445
Scott, Henry
451
Scott, John.
486
Seegmiller, Henry
593
Selkirk, George.
535
Selkirk, William.
388
Shane, James D.
705
Simpson, Oscar
520
Smith, Franklyn H.
793
Smith, George.
Smith, Henderson.
521
Smith, William W.
374
Snyder, J. A., D. D. S.
794
Sogge, Louis R.
564
Sours, Joseph
551
Speer, Harrison
580
Spencer, John B.
725
Sprague, Elvin L.
410
Steward, George W
437
St. Francis Church.
786
Stinson, Ambrose B.
598
Stone, William R.
755
Stormer, Peter
466
Stover, Flavius J
392
Strack, Ludwig.
505
Sraub, John G.
517
Strohm, Erhard.
571
Sullivan, Jerry.
582
Whitney, Chancey L.
779
Sullivan, William.
429
Whitson, George W
699
Swainston, David A
621
Wightman, Willis.
624
Swaney, James.
749
Williams, Hon. Charles W .. 659
Williams, Edgar A.
396
T
Williamson, William
391
Wilson, Frank W
434
Wilson, William L.
587
Woolsey, Byron.
513
Tager, Adam.
558
Taylor, Allison.
714
PAGE
Taylor, Ernest J.
557
Taylor, Joseph ..
692
Thacker, Quincy A.
383
Thomas, Joseph J.
444
Travis, Robert S.
738
V
Vader, Calvin S.
515
Viskochil, Lumeer.
637
Voice, Ernest A.
634
Voorhees, Henry.
695
W
Waagboe, Jacob.
453
Wait, Arthur W
712
Wait, Eugene :
752
Wait, Stephen E.
380
Walker, Frederick R.
560
Walter, Robert E.
426
Warner, Carson
652
Warren, John W.
719
Weiss, John G.
616
Wheelock, Charles W
468
Whipple, Daniel.
797
White, John.
579
White, Otis L. .
40I
Whiteford, William H.
393
Wynkoop, David E.
490
718
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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY . . OF ..
CELEBRATED AMERICANS
G EORGE WASHINGTON, the first president of the Unit- ed States, called the " Father innan of his Country," was one of the most celebrated characters in history. He was born Feb- ruary 22, 1732, in Washing- ton Parish, Westmoreland county, Virginia. His father, Augustine Washington, first married Jane Butler, who bore him four children, and March 6, 1730, he married Mary Ball. Of six children by his second marriage, George was the eldest.
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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 childhood, and that his father there- upon moved to another farm, inherited from his paternal ancestors, situated in Stafford county, on the north bank of the Rappahan- nock, and died there in 1743. From earliest childhood George developed a noble charac- ter. His education was somewhat defective, being confined to the elementary branches taught him by his mother and at a neighbor- ing school. On leaving school he resided some time at Mount Vernon with his half
brother, Lawrence, who acted as bis guar. dian. George's inclinations were for a sea- faring career, and a midshipman's warrant was procured for him; but through the oppo- sition of his mother the project was aban- doned, and at the age of sixteen he was appointed surveyor to the immense estates of the eccentric Lord Fairfax. Three years were passed by Washington in a rough fron- tier life, gaining experience which afterwards proved very essential 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 1752 Lawrence Washington died, leaving his large property to an infant daughter. In his will George was named one of the executors and as an eventual heir to Mount Vernon, and by the death of the infant niece, soon succeeded to that estate. In 1753 George was commis- sioned adjutant-general of the Virginia militia, and performed important work at the outbreak of the French and Indian war, was rapidly promoted, and at the close of that war we find him commander-in-chief of
Copyright 1897, by Gee. A. Ogle & Co.
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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.
all the forces raised in Virginia. A cessation of Indian hostilities on the frontier having followed the expulsion of the French from the Ohio, he 'resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Virginia forces, and then proceeded to Williamsburg to take his seat in the Virginia Assembly, of which he had been elected a member.
January 17, 1759, Washington married Mrs. Martha (Dandridge) Curtis, a young and beautiful widow of great wealth, and devoted himself for the ensuing fifteen years to the quiet pursuits of agriculture, inter- rupted only by the annual attendance in winter upon the colonial legislature at Williamsburg, until summoned by his coun- try to enter upon that other arena in which his fame was to become world-wide. The war for independence called Washington into service again, and he was made com- mander-in-chief of the colonial forces, and was the most gallant and conspicuous figure in that bloody struggle, serving until Eng- land acknowledged the independence of each of the thirteen States, and negotiated with them jointly, as separate sovereignties. December 4, 1783, the great commander took leave of his officers in most affection- ate and patriotic terms, and went to An- napolis, Maryland, where the congress of the States was in session, and to that body, when peace and order prevailed everywhere, resigned his commission and retired to Mount Vernon.
It was in 1789 that Washington was called to the chief magistracy of the na- tion. The inauguration took place April 30, in the presence of an immense multi- tude which had assembled to witness the new and imposing ceremony. In the manifold de- tails of his civil administration Washington proved himself fully equal to the requirements of his position. In 1792, at the second presi-
dential election, Washington was desirous to retire; but he yielded to the general wish of the country, and was again chosen presi- dent. At the third election, in 1796, he was again most urgently entreated to con- sent to remain in the executive chair. This he positively refused, and after March 4, 1797, he again retired to Mount Vernon for peace, quiet, and repose.
Of the call again made on this illustrious chief to quit his repose at Mount Ver- non and take command of all the United States forces, with rank of lieutenant-gen- eral, when war was threatened with France in 1798, nothing need here be stated, ex- cept to note the fact as an unmistakable testimonial of the high regard in which he was still held by his countrymen of all shades of political opinion. He patriotic- ally accepted this trust, but a treaty of peace put a stop to all action under it. He again retired to Mount Vernon, where he died December 14, 1799, in the sixty-eighth year of his age. His remains were depos- ited in a family vault on the banks of the Potomac, at Mount Vernon, where they still lie entombed.
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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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.
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 1802 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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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.
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 1814. 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 1822 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 184r. 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 wight 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 JORACE 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, 1811, 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 1826 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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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.
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 amnesty 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 ENRY 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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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.
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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 slightly 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 from 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 1847. 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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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.
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.
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