The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1850-07-31
President Fillmore.

PrOvldentially olevdteO, from the VICE iss'
dency, to the Presidency Of this great repub.
lie, is full Of interest, as aAording beautiful
and striking illustration Of the honors and 70. !
wards, which avail, talent and virtue, how.
ever humble their origin, in this LAND Of in-
,eIligsnce and liberty.
Willard Fillmore was born, at Summer
Hill, Gauge county, New.Yoik, Jan. Z,
1900, Of The old patriotic Wing stock Of The
Revolution. John Fillmore, his great grand.
father, and tho common ancestor Of ne name
in the United States, was born in New En'
gland, sbou, the year 100, and, al the sge
If 10, feeling a strong propensity for the sea-
he sailed IN fishing vessel, from Boston,
which, when il had been but few days out,
was captured by a pirate.shlp, commanded
by Capt. Phillips. Young Fillmore remain.
ed . prisoner on boar the pirate vessel, for
nine months, enduring every species o: hard.
ship, and refusing. although frequently lhrsa-
:ened with an instant death Tor his contuma.
cy, 10 JOIN the buccaneers. Subsequently
Two other prisoners, who had been captured,
and had also refused TO join the pirate crew,
united with him, made an attack on the pr.
rates, and, after killing several Of them, took
the vessel aud brough, her safe into Boston.
The pirates were tired and executed, and the
heroic conduct Of their captors was duly &C.
kuowledgsd by the British Gosernmen,.-
John Fillmore afterwards settled at Franklin,
Connecticut, where he Died.
Nathaniel Fillmore, son Of tho gallant
sailor, settled at an early period, in Benning.
ton, Vermont, then called Hampshire Grants,
where he resided, until ais death in 1914,
having proved his devotion to the land Of hi.
birth, by serving in ihs Preach War, and by
bra'ely fighting as a Lieutenant, under Cen
ersl Stark. 10 the battle Of Bennington.
| Nathaniel Fillmore, the mex, ia su:ces.
sion and father Of Pfesiden! Fillmore, was
born at Bennington, in III, and early in
life removed TO New.York. lilo was an IN.
dus'rious farmer, bu, soon lost all his proper.
4 " BY bad title 10 one Of the military lots hs
/ had purchased. About the year lsO2, he
removed to the town Of Sampronus, now
Niles, in Cayuga county, and resided there
until 1919, when he removed to Ere county,
where he still lives, cul,iva,iug a small tntm
uniform supporter Of Jefferson aud Madison,
and is now Wing in politics.
Willard Fillmore enjoyed bu, limited
means Of education in boyhood bu, he made
the most OF his opportunities Al the ago Of
10, when filing the humble post If Cloth
ier's apprentice, lie fortunately made the &C.
quainiance OF the late Hon. " alter w God,
lawyer Of high ai,ainments and grea, wealth,
and afterwards Judge, Who offered The mer.
tta IN he fara and
/ generously advanced him money TO purchase
his indentures snd comp!e,s his education -
Studying law with his benefactar, TO asoid
too heavy a charge on his bounly, he o-ca.
sionally tau. hi school aud practIsed survey.
ing 10 aid 10 hts maintenance ard, 10 ls22
he removed to Buffalo, where no al,o pursued
the study Of law, and sustained hmsei, by
teaching school, until tbs following yenr,
when he s-suued the gown. He then re.
moved 10 Aurorn, where he commenced pr &C.
lice as lawyer and tesided unttl | $50, " hen
he returned TO Buffalo, where he h.s stree
continued 10 reside, having acquired high
, aud commanding reputation IN hts profession.
Ia 1896, he intermarried with Abigail
Powers, the youngest child Of The Rev. Lem,
uel Powers. deceased, by whom he has tao
child en-, a son aud daughter. She is Ia
dy of grea, worth, modes, and unobiru,ive
: in her department, and highly esteemed for
her many virtues.
lie made his first entrance into public life
IN 1929, when he was chosen to the legisla.
iuie OF New York, from Ere Couniy, anil
was reelected the two following years
The confidence aud esteem of his fellow me IN
ocrs were soon won BY his talents, integrity
+ and devotion TO business, TO such a degtee
that II became common saying. ~ The
House, III Fillmore says Il - right, | viii
vote for H." lie early distinguished himself
as The champion Of humanity, by advocating
The abolition of imprisonment for debt and
acquired y huence and popularity so rapidly,
that, IN 1899, he was elected to Congress.
HIS congressional career begun dur,nr the
stormy session Of 1888. '3i, immediately
succeeding the removal OF the depositos, and.
although young, he at once took h IN stand
for legislative ability and usefulness. Al
the close OF his term he resumed bis pr0fcs.
sional pursuits, bat was returned again to
Congress, IN 1886 aud al.o 10 1888; and
was assigned an important place on the
Committee Of Elections. charged with the
famous New jersey election case, IN The in.
vesliga,io0 Of which he displayed consufnmaie
abii'v; and VAS active 10 the overthrow OF
the Van Buren, dynasty. In 1910, he was
re elected TO Congress by larger majority
than was ever before given in The District,
and he was placed q, the head Of The Commit.
tee Of Ways and Means, post more than
usually arduous ,ud responsible IN the then
defanged state Of lie public finances and af
iaira Hc proved himself, however, an able
iinancier, and. with maichess ability, pro.
posed and carried out measures, which speed
Wy relieved the government from its embar.
rassmenlR md restnIed tho nnilnnal cted,i