History of Brookville, (Franklin County) Indiana United States of America

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Biographies:

John Pierce St. john, governor of Kansas, was born in Brookville, Ind., Feb. 25, 1833; son of Samuel and Sophia (Snell) St. John; grandson of Daniel and Mercy (Gardner) St. John. The St. Johns are of Huguenot descent. He worked on his father's farm and in a country store; attended the district school, and removed to California in 1853, where he shipped for a voyage to South America, Mexico, Central America and the Sandwich Islands. He also served in the Indian wars in California and Oregon, engaged in mining, and removed to Charleston, Ill., in 1859. He was married, March 28, 1860, to Susan J. Parker, daughter of Col. Nathaniel Parker of Charleston, Ill. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1861, practised in Charleston, and in 1862 was arrested and tried under the Illinois "Black Laws," on the criminal charge of harboring a colored person, and was acquitted. He aided in organizing the 68th Illinois volunteers in 1862, in which he served as captain; was detached and assigned as acting assistant adjutant-general, under Gen. John P. Slough; commanded the troops at Camp Mattoon, Ill., in 1864; was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 143d Illinois infantry, and served in the Mississippi valley until the close of the war. He practised law in Independence, Mo., 1865?69, and in Olathe, Kan., from 1869; was a member of the Kansas senate, 1873?74; was Republican governor of the state for two terms, 1879?83, and was nominated for President of the United States on the Prohibition ticket in 1884, from which year he advocated prohibition, woman suffrage, and the free coinage of both gold and silver. He also opposed the war in the Philippines, 1898?1901, and lectured extensively on these subjects.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Courtland Cushing Matson, representative, was born in Brookville, Ind., April 25, 1841; son of the Hon. John A. and Margaretta M. Matson, and grandson of John A. and Mary (Anderson) Matson. He was graduated from Indiana Asbury (De Pauw) university, A.B., 1862, A.M., 1865. In 1861 he enlisted as a private in the 16th Indiana voluhteers and in 1862 entered the 6th Indiana cavalry, with which he served until the close of the war, rising to the rank of colonel. In 1865 he began the study of law with his father and he settled in practice at Greencastle, Ind. He was three times elected prosecuting attorney; was chairman of the Democratic state central committee, 1878; a Democratic representative from the fifth Indiana district in the 47th, 48th, 49th and 50th congresses, 1881-89; and candidate for governor of Indiana, 1888. He was married, Dec, 12, 1871, to Mary Nelson Farrow, who died, Feb. 6, 1893. After the close of his term in congress he resumed the practice of law at Greencastle.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor