Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-06-20
Biographical sketch Of stephen
A. Douglas.


A. Douglas.
Mr.. Douglas was a native Of Brandon
Rutland County, Vermont and was borl
on the 23d Of April, 1913. His father
who was physician, died when Stepher
was an infant Of but two months Old
At the age Of fifteen, after having received
common school education, and not hav
ing meanes to go to college, which he
earnestly desired. Stephen became an ap
prentice to the cabinet msking, and work.
ed at that business about year and a
half. at Middlebury and Brandon. His
health failed him, and he was obliged to
seek other employment He entered the
academy at Brandon, studied there year
and then removed to Ontario county, New
York, where his mother resided, she hav.
ing married second husband. Mr.. Gran.
ger. He studied law with Mr.. Hub.
bell, Of Canandaigua. New York, and
was admitted by the Courts of the
State to the practice Of law in 1893 In
the spring Of that year he emigrated to
the west He was detained at Cleveland
the whole of that summer by severe i'll.
nesss. Upon his recovery he went to
Cincinnati, st. Louis and jackson lille
Illinois, at which latter place his funds
had got reduced to the low ebb Of thirty
seven and half cents He travelled on
foot to Winchester, a town six, cen miles
distant. Here his first employment was
as clerk to trancient auctioneer for three
days, for which he was paid the sum oil
six dollars. He then opened select
school in Winchester, studying law in
the interval of morning and evening and
Saturday afternoons. In March, 1884
he opened law office in Winchester, and
abandoned his school. So successful was
he and SO high his reputation for ability,
that in 1925, when he was not twenty. one
years old, he was elected by the Legisla.
ture Attorney General of the State. He
resigned it for seat in the Legislature,
to which body he was chosen by the Dem
ocrats of Morgan County in 1886. He
was the youngest member of that body
that time. In 1887 President Martin
Van Buren, appointed him Register of the
Land office at Springfield, Illinois. The
same year he was nominated by the Dem
ocrats for congress-, and at the election IN
August, 1888, he received a majority of
the votes, but as some ballots cast for him
were imperfect and were rejected, the
Wing candidate John 7. Stuart, received
the certificate Of election and got the seat.
There was then but three congressional
Districts in the State and the one in which
Mr.. Doug as resided em brased all the Nor
thern part OF it, but now sends five or six
members. In 1910 he was the prominent
canvasser in Illinois for Mr.. Van Buren,,
and addressed over two hundred meetings
in his behalf. Owing to his exertions.
more than any other mans, Illinois voted
for Van Buren, and against II arrison and
Tyler, who carried every other Northern
and Western State, save New Hamshire.
In December ls40, Mr.. Douglas was ap-
pointed Secretary of State of Illinois bv
the Legislature. In 1S4l the same body
chose him as Judge ofthe Supreme Court
of the State. In lS43 he was nominated
and elected to the House of Representa-.
tives ofthe United States by 400 majority.
In lS46 he was again reelected by nearly
5000 majority. In lS47 he was elected
by the Legislature of Illinois to the Sen
ate of the United States. In 1S4s he was
the choice of the Democracy of Illinois
for the Office of President of the United
States. In 1852 he was a prominent can
didate for President to succeed Mr.. Fill
more, and in the Baltimore Convention
he received. on several ballots, about 100
votes. In 1858 he was again elected by
the Legislature Of Illinois to the United
States Senate. In 1856 he was again
pressed by his friends for President, and
in the Cincinnati Convention of 1856 OBJ
tanned 1872 against Mr.. Bpchansn's 15s.
In 1859, after an exciting dSttvass, he was
again reelected to the Senate from Illinois,
beating Abraham Lincoln, now President
of the United States. Mr. Lincoln receiv-
ed 46 votes in the Legislature to Mr. Doug
las 54. In 1860 Mr. Douglas was nom
mated for President by the Democratic
Convention at Baltimore, and although
he received small electoral vote, he re.
ceived more votes than any man ever re-
ceived, except Mr.. Lincoln. his successful
competitor.
Mr.. Douglas has, therefore, served
nineteen years in the Cangress of the
United States-fourteen in the Senate and
five in the House. His course in that
body is too well known to need recapitu-
lation here. He was either the author or
one Of the most prominent supporters Of
every measurers which has passed Con-
gress since lS43. He was twice married
first in lS47, to Miss Martin. daughter
of Colonel Martin, of Rockingham. Coun-
ty, North Carolina, by whom he had three
two of whom are now living
In January 1858, she died. On the
Goth Of November, 1856, he was again
m married to Miss Adele Cults. of Wash
ngton City, a niece of Mrs. James Madi-
son, who, as well as his venerable mother,
survives to mourn his loss.