History of Perry County Ohio United States of America

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Biographies:

William A. Calderhead, representative, was born in Perry county, Ohio, Sept. 26, 1844. He was educated in the public schools; served in the Ohio volunteer infantry, 1862-65, and in 1872 settled in Kansas, where he taught school and fitted for the law. He was admitted to the bar; engaged in practice in Marysville, and served as county attorney, 1889-91. He was elected a representative in congress as a Republican, 1895-1905.

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

James Madison Cornley, journalist, was born in Perry county, Ohio, March 6, 1832. He learned the trade of a printer in his boyhood and was graduated at the high school in Columbus in 1848. In 1859 he was admitted to the bar and in 1861 entered the Federal army as a private. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel in August, 1861, and in October succeeded Rutherford B. Hayes as major of the 23rd Ohio infantry, having requested a transfer to an active regiment. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel, colonel and brevet brigadier-general. In 1865 he returned to Columbus, Ohio, where he practised law and later became proprietor and principal owner in the Ohio State Journal. In 1872 he was appointed by President Grant postmaster of Columbus, and on the accession of Mr. Hayes to the presidency he was appointed U.S. minister to Hawaii. He returned to Ohio in 1883 and became editor and owner of the Toledo Commercial. He died in Toledo, Ohio, July 26, 1887.

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

Stephen Benton Elkins, senator, was born in Perry county, Ohio, Sept. 26, 1841; son of Col. Philip Duncan and ?? (Withers) Elkins. His father was born in Virginia; removed to Perry county, Ohio, in 1827 with his parents; served in the Florida war, 1836-37; removed to Westport, Jackson county, Mo., in 1844, and in 1861 joined the Confederate forces under Gen. Sterling Price, with his son John, a boy of sixteen, continuing in the service during the existence of the Confederacy. He died in 1897. Stephen's grandfather Elkins was a supporter of President Jefferson's plan of emancipation, and removed to Perry county, Ohio, where he purchased a large tract of land in the Hocking valley. Stephen was graduated at the University of Missouri in 1860, and at the outbreak of the civil war enlisted in the Union army as captain in the 77th Missouri volunteers. He resigned in 1864, engaged as a cattle driver on the plains, and went to Albuquerque, N.M., where he took part in settling disputes among the ranchmen. He continued the study of law, was admitted to the bar, and settled in Santa F?, where he obtained indictment against the Mexicans who held peons in bondage contrary to the laws of the United States, and his prosecution of these offenders resulted in breaking up this species of slavery in the territory. He is said to have secured the release of at least 10,000 peons, and the government rewards, added to his legal fees, he loaned at the prevailing rates of interest, and thus acquired wealth which he invested in mining property and ranches in New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. He was a representative in the legislature of the territory of New Mexico, 1866-67; attorney-general, 1868-69, and U.S. district attorney, 1870-72. He was a delegate to the 43d and 44th congresses, 1873-77, and while in congress made strenuous efforts to gain the territory admission to statehood. He made a notable speech on the resources of the territory and her treaty claims, but the bill for admission, as prepared in the house, was so amended in the senate as to fail to receive the concurrence of the house. In 1875 he married as his second wife, Hattie, daughter of Henry G. Davis, U.S. senator from West Virginia, and they made their home in New York city where he opened a business office. He sold large interests of his western property and reinvested in West Virginia coal lands. He founded the town of Elkins, W. Va., and with his father-in-law constructed a railroad to their property. He built at Elkins a palatial summer house and removed his family from New York city, making a winter home in Washington, D.C. He was a conspicuous member of the Republican national committee and took an active part in the presidential campaigns of 1884, 1888 and 1892. President Harrison made him secretary of war in his cabinet Dec. 17, 1891, and he served for the remainder of the administration. In February, 1894, the legislature of West Virginia elected him to the U.S. senate for the term ending, March 3, 1901, as successor to Johnson N. Camden, whose term was to expire March 3, 1895. In February, 1896, he announced himself as a candidate for the presidential nomination, and he was supported by the delegates from several states, but when the convention assembled he gave his support to William McKinley. In the senate he was chairman of the select committee on geological survey, and a member of the committees on civil service and retrenchment, commerce, interstate commerce, military affairs, railroads and territories.

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

History of Perry County Ohio

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