Biographical and historical record of Greene and Carroll counties, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each; portraits and biographies of the governors of the state and a concise history of the two counties and their cities and villages, Part 1

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 728


USA > Ohio > Greene County > Biographical and historical record of Greene and Carroll counties, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each; portraits and biographies of the governors of the state and a concise history of the two counties and their cities and villages > Part 1
USA > Ohio > Carroll County > Biographical and historical record of Greene and Carroll counties, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each; portraits and biographies of the governors of the state and a concise history of the two counties and their cities and villages > Part 1


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.


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79


NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES


3 3433 08044192 0


-


-


-


-


a


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from Microsoft Corporation


http://www.archive.org/details/biographicalhist00lewi


BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL


RECORD


OF


Greene and Carroll Counties, lowa.


CONTAINING PORTRAITS OF ALL THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES FROM WASHINGTON TO CLEVELAND, WITH ACCOMPANYING BIOGRAPHIES OF EACH; PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATE; ENGRAVINGS OF PROMINENT CITIZENS IN GREENE AND CARROLL, COUNTIES, WITH PERSONAL HHISTORIES OF MANY OF THE LEADING FAMILIES, AND A CONCISE HIS- TORY OF THE TWO COUNTIES AND THEIR CITIES AND VILLAGES.


THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY, 113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO.


1887.


----------


.


301963


-


معيين


CONTENTS.


PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.


George Washington.


9


John Adams. 14


Thomas Jefferson 20


James Madison


26


James Monroe


John Quincy Adams.


Andrew Jackson


47


Martin Van Buren.


53


William Henry Harrison. 50


John Tyler.


60


James K. Polk. 64


Zachary Taylor 68


Millard Fillmore


Franklin Pierce 76


James Buchanan


80


Abraham Lincoln.


84


Andrew Johnson.


93


Ulysses S. Grant. .


96


Rutherford B. Hayes.


.102


James A. Garfield. .109


Chester A. Arthur. 113


Grover Cleveland. .


117


HISTORY OF 10WA.


Aboriginal 123


('ancasiau


194


Pioneer Life. 133


Lonisiana Territory


137


Ansel Briggs.


179


Stephen Hempstead.


183


James W. Grinies 187


Ralph P. Lowe .. 191


Samuel J. Kirkwood 195


William M. Stone


199


Samuel Merrill


203


Cyrus C. Carpenter 207


Joshua G. Newbold 211


Physical Features.


158


John II. Gear ..


215


Buren R. Sherman


219


William Larrabee


HISTORY OF GREENE COURTY. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


A.


Adams, W. HI. 254


Addy, .360


Addy, W. L. .358


Adkins, H. H. .314


Albert, J. Il.


.413


Allan, William. 439


Allen, Mrs. R. A


433


Allen, Rensselaer .396


Allison, Alfred. .258


Allstott, John G. 442


Ames, W. E. .. .392


Anderson, B. F .323


Anderson, D. B


.313


Anderson, D. P. .370


Anderson, J. W 288


Anderson, S. B. .399


Andrew, George 426


Arch, J. D .. 450


Armstrong, T. J. .297


Atchinson, George 352


B.


Babb, V. S. .362


Barker, A. B .333


Barnes, I. M .315


Barth, W. C 350


Bassett, C. II. .347


Beaty, J. F 452


Beebe, llenry .418


Berrien, E. B .447


Berry, J. E. 266


Bish, Jolın. 374


Bistline, W. H .378


Blake, II. M. 338


Blanshan, D. ] 356


Bofink, Charles 279


Boggs, L. W. 407


Bolin, Benjamin .. 428


Bontz, J. P. 321


Boyden, John. .395


Bradley, J. F. M 450


Bradshaw, Frank. 344


Breiner, P. B. . 403


Bucher, Ilenry 375


Buchmiller, E. S 454


Burk, Archibald. 366


Burk, Joshua. 248


Burk, Leroy 259


Burke, James. .336


Burkholder, C. K 451


C.


C'ain, Abram 235


Cain, Edward .274


Cain, Robert. .234


Carey, A. II.


40G


Territorial Officers


.. 164


State Officers


.165


GOVERNORS OF 10WA.


Robert Lucas. 171


John Chambers. 173


James Clarke. .175


lowa Territory. .


.139


State Organization and Subse- quent llistory


141


Patriotism.


146


lowa Since the War 151


State Institutions.


151


Educational


154


Statistical


157


Geology 158


Climate .


163


Census of Iowa.


164


-


CONTENTS.


Carlton, E. O .895


Carter, E. IL. .319


Carter, J. C 337


('ass, F. D. 268


438


Childs, 11. L.


.301


Church, Z. . \


.294


Churdan, Joseph


239


Clark, E. C ..


Cleveland, C. L. .316


Clipperton, William


Clopton, Isaac ..


Cochran, Joseph 305


Conant, David .311


Gallup, J. N


Garland, J. B .277


Garrett, W. R 435


Gaylord, E. W. .156


Gibson, Robert. 361


Gilliland, A. Il 281


Gilliland, G. M


Gilroy, G. W 235


Goodrich, Calvin. 260


Goodrich, Washington 298


Goodwin, Robert ...


Graham, 11. W 314


Gray, A. J


Gray, John. 423


Greene, W. R. 359


Greif, JJ. C ..


451


Groves, W. R. 325


Gulick, J. P. 331


11.


llaight, D. B 427


llall, J. B. . 326


Ham, 11. M. .310


Ham, Kingman 313


Ilanks, George


300


Hanson, Robert. .411


llanson, G. F. 306


Ilarding, E 278


Harmon, Franklin. 441


Harmon, Lafayette. 441


llarmon, O. L


Harris, A. C ..


,347


llatfield, G. B. .413


llaun, J. ( 349


llead, A. M .383


Heath, Il. B. 430


leator, Jacob. 299


lleisel, John .408


Ilenderson, H. L 419


llenderson, J. A 293


Herron, S. W. 4.44


Higgins, James 358


ltillman, G. (


Iloshaw, J. M


Howard, R. L., 433


Huffman, G. A .328


Hughes, Frances. 257


Hughes, F. J. 256


llunt, j. L ..


Hutchinson, Jonathan


1.


Inbody, John.


416


Infield, Henry.


258


J.


Jackson, C. II.


Jackson, G. W. 219


Jaques, N. 1). 240


Jaques, Thomas. 377


Jay, Samuel 4.10


Jetfries, C. L. .323


Jenks, Rev. S. E 257


Jewett, W. F 452


John, D. B. .357


John, J. B. 300


Johnson, 2 230


Johnson, D. E. 445


Johnson, Emmerson. 243


Johnson, Ephraim.


285


Johnson, I. 11 268


.Johnson, Jesse .317


Johnson, J. B. .423


238


Johnson, Joseph. .350


Johnson, S. W 279


Jones, E.


Jones, 1]. . ]


.425


Jones, Josiah. .425


K.


Keller, A. 1) .437


Kelley, Charles .343


Kellogg, 11. W 276


Kendall, G. B.


408


Kettell, Henry .421


Kinsey, U. B. .431


Kions, M. W. .233


Knowles, A .454


Koenig, Angustus 424


Krause, A. F. 267


Krause, C. W


406


Kuder, G. W.


275


Lawrence, G. G


2.44


Lee, William. . 242


Libis, Francis. 404


Lilley, D. M.


Linn, J. J. 411


Linn, Mason 239


Linn, W. S 419


Livermore, IT. N 327


Livingston, W. B. .373


Lloyd, E. L. 409


Long, Charles. 417


Lovejoy, J. C .. .323


Lowery, O. W. 353


Lowry, R. A. 318


Luccock, Rev. G. N -145


Lunnon, George. 432


Lyon, J. L ...


3.18


Lyons, Theodore 405


Mack, A. J .. 364


Mack, Willard. .


Manning, Rev. Joseph ..


Mantz, P. C ...


405


!


Marker, Emanuel.


.339


Franklin, F. M


Franklin, W. A 281


Franklin, W. 204


Free, F. A. .354


Free, Samnel. 348


Free, S. Q .. .361


French, E. K. 363


French, E. P. .957


French, G. Y 411


334


Freund, Leo.


356


Frymier, I. W


286


Councilman, S. J


308


Cowan, J. T.


.352


Crabb, James.


C'randall, L. B. 319


Crow, W. M. 316


Crowder, W. G.


331


('ulley, J. MI 271


Curran, J. F. 140


D).


Davenport, John -101


Dawson, .J. 11 148


Day, G. W. 335


Derry, .I. J


311


Dickinson, Il. W


265


Dickinson, William 302


Dillavon, G. C. 2.17


Dillavon, James 251


Dinan, John 249


Dodge, C. M. 303


Dunterman, William 999


Dwinnell, HI. A. .370


Eagleson, G. G .250


Eason, Robert. .279


Edinborough, C. J 408


Edwards, Daniel. .428


Ellison, Samuel -109


Elmore, W. ... .391


Embree, Daniel .320


Entield, Charles .396


English, C. A. .305


English, J. R. .385


F.


Ferguson, F. M. 341


Ferguson, W. M


Perrin, Zebulon 253 Howard, I. D. .23.1


Fey, 1. 11 .231


Fitz. J. W 281


Fitzpatrick, J. J 426


Fitz Patrick, P. M. ctico


Fleck, G. W. 410


Forbes, E. P'


Forbes, J. M


Forbes, J. R. 137


Ford. I. W. :10


Pov, E. W. 372


M


- -- -


- -


-


----


-


-


Copeland, John


445


Cooper, F. P .301


413


Connell, Robert. 343


Coombs, Joseph 436


242


Johnson, J. F.


244


Kinsman, J. C.


.302


247


CONTENTS.


Marquart, August 409


Reece, T. B 986


Stroud, William .. 400


Suydam, C. H. .280


Swartzendruver


435


T.


Tallman, J. II


325


Taylor, S. M


.364


Terrill, T. M.


.369


Thomas, J. R.


402


Thomas, L. B .. 301


Thompson, C. W 438


Thompson, G. W 480


Thompson, L. S


.392


Thompson, W. A


276


Thornton, James. .


.369


Toliver, Isom.


220


Towers, James


344


Turrill, II. A .. 414


V.


Vader, I. N


.398


Vader, J. W. 283


Vance, T. W


446


Vest, W. H.


138


N.


Neal, A. M. 365


Neary, R. W. 267


Nelson, Swan.


309


Noyes, N. G.


346


Nugent, Jobn.


443


().


O'Connor, John. 415


Odell, G. M. 444


Olds, J. K.


.815


Olive, Richard.


289


Osborn, B. F.


454


Osborne, Jobn


270


Oxley, E. T. 425


P.


Park, C. B .. .379


Park, O. W .429


Park, W. R 403


Parker, James.


326


Parmenter, F. II.


Paul, W. S ..


255


Perkins, W. II.


Perkins, W. H 134


Peterson, Martin 236


Pettit, J. E.


388


Phelps, E. P. 419


Pierce, W. H ..


414


Potter, Harvey 241


Q.


Quayle, John. .


.455


Quirk, Rev. M. J


434


R.


Raver, A. F.


.240


Ray, J. W.


.392


.287


Reese, G. W. 349


Martin, T. W. .442


Remick, L. B .. .371


Mathews, J. R. 303


Matteson, 1. J. .335


Maynard, S. C .. .412


McAllister, W. A 309


MeCarthy, John.


245


McCrory, W. L. 439


McChry, G. B. 307


Rice, Columbus 368


Mer aald, William


357


Mccuffie, M. B. .265


Mckay, John .349


McNaught, W. A. J .355


Richardson, M. II


252


Mecum, C. B ... .367


Ridle, J. H .287


Riley, E. Il. 343


Rinehart, Ellanan 290


Meyer, Philip.


346


Miller, R. W. 319


Rittgers, H. C.


456


Millett, T. A. 260


Rittgers, S. R.


400


Mish, J. J. 397


Moore, R. C. 402


Morden, R. P 274


Roberts, Roland. 337


Roberts, Thomas. 404


Roberts, Rev. Willam 279


Robinson, George


259


Robinson, I. E.


447


Robinson, Jonathan.


304


Roby, W. G. 424


Rogers, II. D.


Root, D. P. . 420


Rosa, Francis 284


Rowles, J. A. .285


Russell, Caleb. 327


Russell, J. J


389


Russell, N. F


293


Rutter, S. S. 453


S.


Sanders, James. .427


Sayers, M. (' 270


Schermerhorn, W. S. .255


Seaman, R. G ..


.363


Seaman, W. P.


.378


Semmons, W. J


310


Shannon, A. F .278


Shaw, Joel .. . 820


Shearman, Willian 380


Sherman, J. M . 416


Shipman, Horace.


453


Shreve, James


291


Smith, Aaron 386


Smith, J. W 246


Smith, P. A. 429


Smittle, Anton 453


Smittle, J. A. 397


States, G. W


422


Steele, J. M. 269


Stevens, W. R. 317


Stevens, William. .301


Stewart, Mrs. L. J 360


Stillman, E. B. 393


Stilson, Rev. Lyman 381


Stockwell, Levi 341


Stream, P. C .. 414


Stream, W. C.


.386


Stream, Wilson 388


Y


Yates, William.


.345


Young, F. W.


.456


Youngman, H. A.


449


.243


Wherry, J. P.


201


White, O. J


263


Whiteside, Samuel


266


Wiggins, S. W.


.349


Wight, Marion.


266


Wilkinson, John


.384


Will, Christian .. .385


Williams. J. D. 303


Williams, M. .345


Williamson, J. B. . 341


Williamson, J. J


421


Wilson, John. 348


Wilson, S. E. 374


Wilson, William 431


Winkelman, Benjamin. 375


Wood, Robert. 256


Woods, B. G. .337


Woods, C. A. 245


Wright, Ervin. .371


Wright, G. W .394


Wyant, G. W. 365


Walrad, Ilorace


321


Walton, Charles.


250


Ward, E. S.


.395


Warner, S. E ..


322


Watson, George.


.398


Way, C. W .. . .283


Weatherson, G. A. .366


Weatherson, J. II. 289


Wells, A. C ..


.369


Wessling, Daniel.


.336


West, B. F. 306


Morris, D. J


.449


Moss, J. E. . 390


Muir, Robert, Jr .399


Munn, G. W 308


Myers, H. R.


419


Reynolds, Patrick .420


Reynolds. Terrence. .859


Rhoads, J. M. 251


Rhoad, Samuel. 334


Rice, F. T. 422


Rice, John. 441


Richardson, Matthew. .351


Merrill, Mrs. E. II. 4.48


Metzger. C. C. 328


Ritchie, L. I. 307


Robbins, F. E.


239


Roberts, Eli .. 397


Martin, S. S. . .289


Reeder, J. M 418


Martin, T. B


Renner, William. 332


Renner, W. II ..


----


Westervelt, M. B


- -


-


--


CONTENTS.


Zellhoefer, W. F .920


Zimmerman, Stephen .. .. . . 370


GENERAL HISTORY.


Introductory. 459


Early Ilistory. 465


Official Register


474


Towns and V.llages.


511


RECORD OF CARROLL COUNTY, PERO


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


.1.


Adams, Edwin


.622


Amos, II. W. .612


Anderson, L. T .594


Annear, Joseph.


.597


Armstrong, Alexander


.537


Arts, William .613


B.


Babcock, C. W. .540


Bannister, William .561


Becker, W. L.


.629


Bedford, Alfred .5.12


Bedford, Charles.


.542


Beiter, Nicholas.


.578


Bell, Harvey 568


Bell, John. . 635


Berger, Peter. 535


Bingham, Samuel 555


Bohnenkamp, J. IF


.591


Bowman, Samuel. 578


Boyce, John ..


.559


Brand, Jacob .. .545


Brigham, L. P' 615


Bruning, Clemens. 609


Bruning. J. Il.


560


Byerly, J. H .594


C.


Carpenter, Henry 561


Charles. I .. ... 583


Chevalier, J. F. 586


Christmas, Daniel.


Colclo, C. C. .


549


C'onner, George 563


Cooley, II. J .632


Cooley, I. N


592


Cooney, John. 632


Coppock. J. J. .631


Couch, C. F. .556


Coulter, J. N.


533


Culver, M. M .571


Davis, Daniel.


.628


Deal, J. K.


515


Deshler, J. J 583


Diekey, J. II


.617


Diekson, Robert


530


Drees, J. M.


.564


Elliott, Asa


589


Elwood, Thomas


.558


Engleman, J. C.


.622


English, J. W.


.592


Erp, W. F.


.596


Everts, D. F. ,579


F.


Fendrich, Rev. John .597


Ferguson, George.


.611


Florencourt, F. F.


.619


Fobes, E.


.541


Frisbee, II. M


.608


Fuerth, J. J.


.552


Funk, E. M


.. 549


G.


Gabel, 11. . J .552


Gardner, J. W. 552


Gates, II. H ... 595


Geiselhart, Conrad. ,558


George, Ilenry.


,562


Gilley, Wil 573


Gnam, J. Il. .628


Graham, J. B. 623


Graves, J. J .625


Griffith, I. N 557


Griffith, J. E


Grote, Henry. .609


Guthrie, P. MI


11.


Harris, Arista


565


Harris, Isaac. 56-1


Hatfield, A. R. 618


llavens, J. ( ...


,591


Hayner, Robert. 604


le Helfinger, U. S. 536


Ilemesath, Rev. II. J


Henry, S. D. 609


Hess, J. P.


Hesslingh, George


565


Hesslingh, Herman 634


IIilan, David.


582


Hinkley, J. D. .618


Hobbs, J. W 560


Hoff, W. 555


Iloffman, Rev. J. P. 546


Hood, J. A .. 595


Horton, Oliver


,590


Howard, J. R. .587


lloyt, M. A.


.620


llungerford, J. B.


628


I.


Ingledue, O. C.


580


J.


Jeffries, George


562


Jerome, Orin. .614


Jobnson, I'. J.


621


Jones, U. C ..


576


K.


Kay, J. W.


Kloke, Ilenry. 613


Kniest, Lambert. 630


Kotas, John


587


Krause, F. W


586


Kuhn, Jacob. 539


L.


Lamont, Peter


577


Lawrence, C. S. 624


Leibfreid, F. M. 585


louthan, .I. II


599


Lynch, William


614


Lyons, L. M. .611


MI.


Maclean, P. M 599


Med'lue, T. B .. 608


MeCormack, G. W. .565


McKenna, T. S.


590


McQuaid, I. L.


.601


Politieal Ilistory 477


The Civil War. 484


The Press .. 489


Professional .


492


Miscellaneous.


496


Jefferson.


503


Zellhoefer, Rev. George.


Zavitz, W. D


280


Zeitler, Hillburu 271


Zeller, .1.


Zeller, James.


298


- ---


..


CONTENTS.


Meis, Conrad .. ,697


Miller, Michael . 615


Moershell, Ferdinand. .546


Mohler, Isaac.


.550


Moore, O.M.


538


Morlan, J. W.


.548


Morris, C. E.


626


Morrow, W. J. 603


N.


Nestle, John .568


Neu, Charles. .539


0.


O'Connor, Rev. P. J. . .. .... .607


P.


Paine, G. W. 589


Park, Andrew. .542


Parker, Cephas. 634


Parker, John .. .602


Parker, T. L.


581


Steigerwalt, W. F 600


Stevens, J. W. 619


Stevens, Robert 607


Stokes, George. 551


Stoll, L. S. 579


Stouffer, P. B 594


Strunk, H. J. 626


T.


Talbott, A. A


.569


Thorn, M. S. 624


Toune, E. B .. 580


Tregloan, W. G 553


Trowbridge, William


543


Tuel, Alexander.


.634


Turechek, Frank ..


.581


W.


Wagner, Theodore $19


Waldron, W. F. 567


Wegmann, Rev. Theo. 623 Weiland, G. A. 602


Weiland, J. J. 617


Westbrook, C. H. .575


Wetter, George. 535


Whitman, C. S .616


Whitney, J. R .. 623


Wiedemeier, Joseph. 567


Williams, R. R. 596


Wilson, Samuel. ,598


Wine, E. S. . .


.588


Winnett, G. M


.548


GENERAL HISTORY.


Introductory. 639


Early and Civil History .643


Political and Official .. .661


The Civil War.


The Press ..


Professional 674


Miscellaneous .678


Carroll ..


685


Towns and Villages.


.694


ILLUSTRATIONS.


Adams, John .. 15


Adams, John Quincy 39


Armstrong, T. J. 296


Arthur, Chester A. . 119


Briggs, Ansel 178


Buchanan, James. 81


Carpenter, Cyrus C. 206


Chambers, John. 170


Clarke, James. 170


Cleveland, Grover 116


Fillmore, Millard.


Garfield, James A .. 108


Gear, John H. 214


Gilley, William. 572


Grant, Ulysses S. 97


Grimes, James W. .186


Gulick, .I. P. 330


Gulick, Mrs .. 330


Harrison, William Henry. 57


Ilayes, Rutherford B. 103


Hempstead, Stephen. 182


Iowa State House. 192


Jackson, Andrew 46


Jefferson, Thomas. 21


.Johnson, Andrew. 92


Kirkwood, Samuel J 194


Larrabee, William 299


Lincoln, Abraham. 85


Lowe, Ralph P 190


Lucas, Robert. 170


Madison, James.


Merrill, Samuel. 202


Monroe, James.


Newbold, Joshua G. 210


Pierce, Franklin.


Polk, James K. . 65


Sherman, Buren R. 218


Stevens, Robert .. 60G


Stone, William M 198


Taylor, Zachary 69


Tyler, John .. 61


Van Buren, Martin.


Washington, George.


White, O. J


969


Q.


Quint, S. C.


.. 589


R


Radeleff, II. D 593


Reever, E. II. 604


Reid, T. C ... .629


Rhoades, Cyrus.


625


Ribble, Crockett .616


Richman, E. F .556


Ricke, J. II. .557


Ricke, Richard. 697


Roberts, Moses .. 563


Roderick, Thomas


566


Roush, Valentine.


566


S.


Salinger, B. I. 584


Schelle, F. J .610


Schmich, Michael 554


Schulze, D. & Son. .574


Shirk, D.


538


Smith, M. S. 624


Smith, Seth.


575


Soat, HI. F


.556


Soper, O.J.


570


Staak, August. .551


Stearns, L. A. 603


Parsons, E. M. 540


Patton, U. L. . 559


Platner, W. II. 621


Powell, Henry


569


Preston, Sylvester 633


19


11:1/号/ウノラ////元/有//電


IHajhunter


GEORGE WASHINGTON.


GEORGE WASHINGTON.


EORGE WASHING- TON, the " Father of his Country" and its first President, 1789- '97, was born Febru- ary 22, 1732, in Wash- ington Parish, West- moreland County, Virginia. His father, Augustine Wash- ington, first married Jane But- ler, who bore him four chil- dren, and March 6, 1730, he married Mary Ball. Of six children by his second mar- riage, George was the eldest, the others being Betty, Samuel, John, Au- gustinc, Charles and Mildred, of whom the youngest died in infancy. Little is known of the early years of Washington, beyond the fact that the house in which he was born was burned during his early child- hood, and that his father thereupon moved to another farm, inherited from his paternal ancestors, situated in Stafford County, on the north bank of the Rappahannock, where he acted as agent of the Principio Iron Works in the immediate vicinity, and died there in 1743.


From earliest childhood George devef- oped a noble character. He had a vigorous constitution, a fine form, and great bodily strength. His education was somewhat de-


fective, being confined to the elementary branches taught him by his mother and at a neighboring school. He developed, how- ever, a fondness for mathematics, and en- joyed in that branch the instructions of a private teacher. On leaving school he re- sided for some time at Mount Vernon with his half brother, Lawrence, who acted as his guardian, and who had married a daugh- ter of his neighbor at Belvoir on the Poto- mac, the wealthy William Fairfax, for some time president of the executive council of the colony. Both Fairfax and his son-in-law, Lawrence Washington, had served with dis- tinction in 1740 as officers of an American battalion at the siege of Carthagena, and were friends and correspondents of Admiral Vernon, for whom the latter's residence on the Potomac has been named. George's inclinations were for a similar career, and a midshipman's warrant was procured for him, probably through the influence of the Admiral ; but through the opposition of his mother the project was abandoned. The family connection with the Fairfaxes, how- ever, opened another career for the young man, who, at the age of sixteen, was ap- pointed surveyor to the immense estates of the eccentric Lord Fairfax, who was then on a visit at Belvoir, and who shortly after- ward established his baronial residence at Greenway Court, in the Shenandoah Valley.


10


PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.


Three years were passed by young Wash- ington in a rough frontier life, gaining ex- perience which afterward proved very cs- sential to him.


In 1751, when the Virginia militia were put under training with a view to active service against France, Washington, though only nineteen years of age, was appointed Adjutant with the rank of Major. In Sep- tember of that year the failing health of Lawrence Washington rendered it neces- sary for him to seek a warmer climate, and George accompanied him in a voyage to Barbadoes. They returned early in 1752, and Lawrence shortly afterward died, leav- ing his large property to an infant daughter. In his will George was named one of the executors and as eventual heir to Mount Vernon, and by the death of the infant niece soon succeeded to that estate.


On the arrival of Robert Dinwiddie as Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia in 1752 the militia was reorganized, and the prov- ince divided into four districts. Washing- ton was commissioned by Dinwiddie Adju- tant-General of the Northern District in 1753, and in November of that year a most important as well as hazardous mission was assigned him. This was to proceed to the Canadian posts recently established on French Creek, near Lake Erie, to demand in the name of the King of England the withdrawal of the French from a territory claimed by Virginia. This enterprise had been declined by more than one officer, since it involved a journey through an ex- tensive and almost unexplored wilderness in the occupancy of savage Indian tribes, either hostile to the English, or of doubtful attachment. Major Washington, however, accepted the commission with alacrity ; and, accompanied by Captain Gist, he reached Fort Le Bœuf on French Creek, delivered his dispatches and received reply, which, of course, was a polite refusal to surrender the posts. This reply was of such a character


as to induce the Assembly of Virginia to authorize the executive to raise a regiment of 300 men for the purpose of maintaining the asserted rights of the British crown over the territory claimed. As Washing- ton declined to be a candidate for that post, the command of this regiment was given to Colonel Joshua Fry, and Major Washing- ton, at his own request, was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel. On the march to Ohio, news was received that a party previously sent to build a fort at the confluence of the Monongahela with the Ohio had been driven back by a considerable French force, which had completed the work there be- gun, and named it Fort Duquesne, in honor of the Marquis Duquesne, then Governor of Canada. This was the beginning of the great "French and Indian war," which con- tinned seven years. On the death of Colonel Fry, Washington succeeded to the com- mand of the regiment, and so well did he fulfill his trust that the Virginia Assembly commissioned him as Commander-in-Chief of all the forces raised in the colony.


A cessation of all Indian hostility on the frontier having followed the expulsion of the French from the Ohio, the object.of Washington was accomplished and he re- signed his commission as Commander-in- Chief of the Virginia forces. He then pro- ceeded to Williamsburg to take his seat in the General Assembly, of which he had been elected a member.


January 17, 1759, Washington married Mrs. Martha (Dandridge) Custis, a young and beautiful widow of great wealth, and de- voted himself for the ensuing fifteen years to the quiet pursuits of agriculture, inter- rupted only by his annual attendance in winter upon the Colonial Legislature at Williamsburg, until summoned by his country to enter upon that other arena in which his fame was to become world wide.


It is unnecessary here to trace the details of the struggle upon the question of local


25


-


. ...


-


-


.


-


GEORGE WASHINGTON.


self-government, which, after ten years, cul- minated by act of Parliament of the port of Boston. It was at the instance of Virginia that a congress of all the colonies was called to meet at Philadelphia September 5, 1774, to secure their common liberties-if possible by peaceful means. To this Congress Colonel Washington was sent as a dele- gate. On dissolving in October, it recom- mended the colonies to send deputies to another Congress the following spring. In the meantime several of the colonies felt impelled to raise local forces to repel in- sults and aggressions on the part of British troops, so that on the assembling of the next Congress, May 10, 1775, the war prepara- tions of the mother country were unmis- takable. The battles of Concord and Lex- ington had been fought. Among the earliest acts, therefore, of the Congress was the selection of a commander-in-chief of the colonial forces. This office was unani- mously conferred upon Washington, still a member of the Congress. He accepted it on June 19, but on the express condition he should receive no salary.


He immediately repaired to the vicinity of Boston, against which point the British ministry had concentrated their forces. As early as April General Gage had 3,000 troops in and around this proscribed city. During the fall and winter the British policy clearly indicated a purpose to divide pub- lic sentiment and to build up a British party in the colonies. Those who sided with the ministry were stigmatized by the patriots as " Tories," while the patriots took to them- selves the name of " Whigs."


As early as 1776 the leading men had come to the conclusion that there was no hope except in separation and indepen- dence. In May of that year Washington wrote from the head of the army in New York: " A reconciliation with Great Brit- ain is impossible. .When I took command of the army, I abhorred the idea


of independence ; but I am now fully satis- fied that nothing else will save us."


It is not the object of this sketch to trace the military acts of the patriot hero, to whose hands the fortunes and liberties of the United States were confided during the seven years' bloody struggle that ensued until the treaty of 1783, in which England acknowledged the independence of each of the thirteen States, and negotiated with them, jointly, as separate sovereignties. The merits of Washington as a military chief- tain have been considerably discussed, espe- cially by writers in his own country. Dur- ing the war he was most bitterly assailed for incompetency, and great efforts were made to displace him ; but he never for a moment lost the confidence of either the Congress or the people. December 4, 1783, the great commander took leave of his offi- cers in most affectionate and patriotic terms, and went to Annapolis, Maryland, where the Congress of the States was in session, and to that body, when peace and order prevailed everywhere, resigned his com- mission and retired to Mount Vernon.


It was in 1788 that Washington was called to the chief magistracy of the nation. He received every electoral vote cast in all the colleges of the States voting for the office of President. The 4th of March, 1789, was the time appointed for the Government of the United States to begin its operations, but several weeks elapsed before quorums of both the newly constituted houses of the Congress were assembled. The city of New York was the place where the Congress then met. April 16 Washington left his home to enter upon the discharge of his new duties. He set out with a purpose of traveling privately, and without attracting any public attention ; but this was impossi- ble. Everywhere on his way he was met with thronging crowds, eager to see the man whom they regarded as the chief de- fender of their liberties, and everywhere




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.