History of Greencastle, (Putnam County) Indiana United States of America

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Biographies:

Samuel Thompson Busey, soldier, was born at Greencastle, Ind., Nov. 16, 1835. When but a child he was taken by his parents to Urbana, Ill., where he labored on a farm, attended a district school at intervals, and was clerk in a store. In 1862, as 2nd lieutenant in the recruiting service, he organized a company of volunteers, of which he was elected captain, and on the organization of the 76th Illinois regiment was commissioned lieutenant-colonel; in the ensuing January he succeeded to the command of the regiment, and in May was mustered in as colonel. He was on several occasions mentioned in general orders for meritorious services and distinguished bravery, and was brevetted brigadier-general for leading the assault on Fort Blakeley, Ala., on April 9, 1865, when he scaled the enemy's works alone, and engaged, unsupported, in a hand-to-hand encounter with a gun squad, killing the gunner and wounding two others of the squad. Though severely wounded himself, he received in person the surrender of the Confederate officer and his staff. He was mustered out of service in August, 1865, with the rank of brevet brigadier-general. In 1867 he organized Busey's bank at Urbana, which he successfully managed for twenty-one years, when he retired from business in 1888. In 1880 he was elected mayor, and president of the board of education of the city of Urbana, by five successive elections held those offices for nine years, and in 1890 was elected a representative to the 52nd Congress as a Democrat, defeating Joseph G. Cannon, the Republican incumbent, in a district that had been Republican for years, and had been represented by Mr. Cannon continuously from 1873.

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

Andrew H. Burke, governor of North Dakota, was born in New York city, May 15, 1850. He was left an orphan at an early age, and until he was eight years old was cared for by the New York charitable aid society, by whom he was sent to Indiana. At the age of twelve years he enlisted as a drummer boy in the 75th regiment Indiana volunteers. At the close of the war he went to Asbury college, Greencastle, Ind., after which he followed commercial pursuits until 1880, when he settled in North Dakota. He became cashier of the first national bank of Casselton, and treasurer of Cass county. After serving three terms in that office he was, in 1890, elected by the Republican party governor of North Dakota. After the adjournment of the legislature of 1891, the grasshoppers began the devastation of crops in the northern part of the state, when he immediately took such vigorous measures to exterminate them through concerted action, that, by means of large drafts on his private fortune, in the absence of a state appropriation, the pest was soon destroyed, and thousands of acres of grain were saved. He engaged in business in Duluth, Minn., in 1893.

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

Andrew Jackson Hunter, representative, was born at Greencastle, Ind., Dec. 17, 1831; son of John and Nancy Hunter; grandson of John and Susan (Kellam) Hunter, and a descendant of John Hunter, born in Williamsburgh, Va. He removed in infancy with his parents to Edgar county, Ill., was educated in the public schools and at Edgar academy, and engaged in civil engineering for three years. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1854, and practised in Paris, Ill. He was a member of the state senate, 1865-69; Democratic nominee for congress in 1870 and in 1882; county judge of Edgar county, 1886-92, and Democratic representative from the state at large in the 53d and 65th congresses, serving 1893-95 and 1897-99.

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

Edward W. McGaughey, representative, was born near Greencastle, Ind., Jan. 16, 1817; son of Arthur O. and Sarah (Bell) McGaughey. His father, born March 3, 1788, at Johnstown, Pa, removed to Putnam county, Ind., with a company of settlers. At an early age he became deputy to his father, who was clerk of the county court for twenty-four years, and he was admitted to the bar in 1835. He was married at Greencastle, Jan. 18, 1838, to Margaret Matlock. He was elected state senator in 1842, and resigned in 1843 to accept nomination for representative to the 28th congress, but was defeated by Joseph A. Wright by three votes. He was a Whig representative from the fifth district of Indiana in the 29th congress, 1845-47; removed to Rockville, Parke county, in 1848, where he practised law with Gov. Joseph A. Wright; was a representative in the 31st congress, 1840-51, and was defeated for the 32d congress in 1850 by John G. Davis, Democrat. President Taylor nominated him governor of Minnesota Territory in 1849, but the senate failed to confirm the nomination. He went to California in 1852 by way of the Isthmus of Panama, where he contracted the fever from which he died while a guest at Jones's hotel in San Francisco, Cal., Aug. 6, 1852.

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