History of Vicksburg, (Warren County) Mississippi United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Vicksburg, (Warren County) Mississippi, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

George Boardman Boomer, soldier, was born at Sutton, Mass., July 26, 1832. He learned engineering and the construction of bridges, and followed this occupation in St. Louis, Mo. At the breaking out of the civil war he joined the army, and served gallantly in several important engagements, notably those of Iuka and Champion Hills. He was colonel of the 22d Missouri volunteers and died at Vicksburg, Miss., May 22, 1863.

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

Robert Crittenden, acting-governor of Arkansas Territory, was born near Versailles, Woodford county, Ky., Jan. 1, 1797; the youngest son of Maj. John Crittenden. He was given & liberal education, studied law and immigrated to Missouri Territory, resettling in that portion set apart in 1818 as Arkansas Territory. He assisted in the formation of a provisional government, vested in a governor and three judges of the superior court, preparatory to the regular territorial government organized in 1819. He was appointed by President Monroe the first secretary of the territory, and in the protracted and frequent absence of Governor Miller he was acting governor. As such he convened the legislature at Arkansas Post, the temporary capital, Aug. 3, 1819. This legislature enacted the first six laws framed for the government of the territory, and after promulgating the same adjourned on the evening of the same day sine die. He was sent to Washington, D.C., to secure special legislation for the territory in 1820 and was its secretary, 1819-29. He was one of the famous "townsite committee" which purchased and became the owner of the site of Little Rock and made the place the state capital. He founded the Advocate as a Whig organ in Little Rock. In 1827 his Support of Robert C. Olden against Henry W. Conway as territorial delegate to congress led to a challenge from Delegate Conway. Crittenden appealed to Conway to perform his duty to the territory by meeting the obligations of his office and if on his return from Washington nothing short of what he then demanded would satisfy him, he (Crittenden) would meet his demands. On receiving this conciliatory note Conway published Crittenden as a coward and thus cut off all honorable accommodation but the field. The duel was fought Oct. 29, 1827. Mr. Crittenden was accompanied to the field by his brother, John J. Crittenden, with whom he had studied law and who had just been removed from the office of U.S. district attorney by President Jackson, and Col. Ben Dosha acted as his second. Mr. Conway was mortally wounded and Mr. Crittenden escaped uninjured. He was prominently mentioned as an available candidate for U.S. senator when the territory should be admitted to statehood, but he died before that event. He was married Oct. 1, 1822, to Ann Innes Morris, near Frankfort, Ky., and they had four children born in Little Rock, Ark. He died at Vicksburg, Miss., Dec. 18, 1834.

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

Oliver Christian Bosbyshell, soldier, was born at Vicksburg, Miss., Jan. 3, 1839. He was educated in the public schools of Schuylkill county, Pa., and started life as a telegraph messenger boy. When the civil war broke out he enlisted at Pottsville, April 16, 1861, for thirty days, and on April 18, as he marched through Baltimore amidst a turbulent mob, was assaulted, and claimed to be the first soldier wounded in the war. The same evening he arrived with his company in Washington city. The commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in 1891, presented each of these first defenders with a medal of honor. At the expiration of his term he re-enlisted, was commissioned 2d lieuteuant, and was advanced to the rank of major, gaining distinction at the battles of New Berne, second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg. In the spring of 1863 he was made provost marshal at Lexington, Ky. He was then appointed acting assistant adjutant-general of his brigade, and served in the East Tennessee campaign, in the battles of Blue Springs, Campbell's station, and at the siege of Knoxville. In 1864 he served with Grant in the campaign from the Wilderness to Petersburg as acting assistant adjutant-general of the 1st brigade, 4th (colored) division, 9th army corps, which shared in the Petersburg mine fight of July 30, 1864. He commanded his regiment in the battle at the Weldon railroad, and had charge of the left wing at Poplar grove church, on Sept. 30, 1864. He was mustered out of service Oct. 1, 1864. Returning to Pottsville, Pa., he engaged in the banking business, and in 1869 was appointed register of deposits in the United States mint at Philadelphia. He was made assistant coiner in 1872, and in 1877 was appointed coiner. In 1879 President Harrison appointed him to the superintendency of the mint, which position he resigned in 1894. In 1878 he was elected major of the 2d regiment national guard of Pennsylvania, was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1879, and made colonel in 1890. He was elected commander of Post 2, G. A. R. of Philadelphia, in 1879. He was one of the founders of the Pennsylvania society of the sons of the revolution. In 1884 he became one of the directors of the Fidelity mutual life association, in 1887 was elected vice-president of the company, and in 1894 became its treasurer.

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

William Forbes Adams, second bishop of Easton, and 109th in succession in the American Episcopate, was born in Enniskillen, Ireland, Jan. 2, 1833. At an early age he was brought to America by his parents, who settled in Kentucky. Young Adams was fitted for Yale, but pecuniary reverses attendant upon the failure of his father in business, obliged him to forego his plans. He bravely accepted the change in his circumstances, obtained a mercantile situation, and in his leisure time studied law. At the age of twenty-one he was admitted to the Mississippi bar. He removed to Tennessee, and pursued his theological studies with a view to entering the church; he returned to Mississippi before the completion of his course, and was ordained a deacon in St. Andrew's church, Jackson, Miss., in 1859; he was admitted to full orders July 29, 1860. His first charge, which he held for six years, was St. Paul's, Woodville, Miss.; in 1866 he became rector of St. Peter's, New Orleans, and took charge of St. Paul's in the same city the following year, where he remained until his consecration as first missionary bishop of New Mexico and Arizona, in 1875. He accepted the duties of his charge with every promise of abundant success, but the fatigues of the long and painful journeys, necessary in so new and extensive a diocese, undermined a constitution already impaired by his ministrations to sufferers from yellow fever in Louisiana, and compelled his resignation, which in 1877 was accepted by the house of bishops. From 1876 to 1887 Dr. Adams was rector of Holy Trinity, Vicksburg, Miss., when he was again elected to the episcopal office, as bishop of Easton. He received the degree of D.C.L. from the university of the South, Sewanee, Tenn.

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