The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-03-11
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR EsKRrDGE
Biographical Sketch and Resolutions o.
Thanks by the Senate.

The following biographical sketch of
our fellow -citizen Lieutenant Governor
EskFidge appeared among the "Senate
Pencilings" of the Topeka Daily Com
naonacealth some days ago, and should
have been published by us sooner, but
was unavoidably delayed till now:
The Topeka correspondent of the
AtcsiSO1s Champion E Press, writes to
that paper as follows, concerning the
State Senate: ta1
1HFhe President of the Senate is an
honor to that body. He is impartial
and clear, that no appeal has yet been
attempted. He is dignified, courteous,
and ever at his post" - e. .aL+
The Lieutenant Governor of Kansas,
is certainly entitled to more than the
above brief notice, when we consider
that from a poor boy he has by his own
unaided energies reached a position in
wealth and influence rarely attained by
any one who starts in life under much
more favorable circumstances. His
character, course and success in life, may
be profitably studied by young men
just beginning the struggle of life and
depending upon their own unaided re-
sources. Governor Eskridge is, as the
writer has been informed, in his thirty
eighth year. He was born in Virgins,
but at the age of one or two years, his
parents moved to Ohio, where, after o
residence of near four years, they re-
moved to Illinois. His parents were
poor, his father supporting the family
by daily labor. At the age of about
fourteen years, he ran away from home
and went to st. Louis, where he obtained
employment as a cabin-boy on a steam
H. Il &I,
trade. He remained in this business for
near six months, when his mother learn
ing his whereabouts, sent for him and
he returned home. He continued with
his parents about three months and with
their consent returned to the river,
where he continued but short time,
and again returned home and entered a
printing Office to learn the business,
which he followed until the spring Of
1856, when he came to Kansas and set
tied at Lawrence. He was identified
with the free State party in the early
Kansas troubles, and was correspond
ent of three or four papers published
near his old Illinois home. In the
spring of 1857, he moved to Emporia,
Kansas, where he has resided ever since.
He was elected county clerk and re-
corded upon the organization of Lyon
county, and was afterwards appointed
probate judge. He was elected repre-
sentative to the Legislature in 1851, and
reelected in 1862, and again reelected
| in 1863. In the fall of 1864, he was elect.
| ed State Senator. During his legisla.
tive career he did much to advance tht
interest of his district and the State al
large, and made for himself splendid
and consistent record. He introduced
and secured the passage of bill chang
| ing the name of his county from Breck
inridge to Lyon. He also procured al
act authorizing the school district il
which he resided to Issue bonds to builC
a school house, There was much oppo
sition to this bill, as it was the first cas-
of the kind that had ever come before
the legislature of the State. It wa
looked upon with suspicion and distrust
He overcome the opposition, and it be
came a law. BY its provisions the bond
were issued and sold, and the finest dis
trict school building then in the Stat
was erected at Emporia with the mean
thus secured. The law worked so wei
in this special instance that the mex
Legislature, upon the recommendation
INSTRUCTION. made it general, appiyin;
to every school district in the State
/ Under the sa1utary provisions of thi
law, school houses of elegant design
substantial structure and beautiful fin
ish, have sprung up in all parts of tn
State, awakening an unusual Interest i
common schools everywhere, and ere
lating desire to secure good teacher
, to occupy these commodious and health
ful buildings. A good house and goo,
Teacher became boding idea. AT th
same session of the legislature that Nj
Eskridge inaugurated the plan 70
erecting good school houses, he secure
the location of the State Normal Scheo
at Emporia, now one of the best educa
i tional institutions of the West an
!; largely attended, and in happy an
. most prosperous condition, the prid
, | of our State at home aud abroads Thi
; institution and the Influences CROWN
ont of the law which stimulated til
people to at once secure good commo
, schools, has done morc to create an ed
ucafional enthusiasm and raise teaehin
, to the dignity of profession than an
/: and all other measures, the law for il
: suing bonds to build school houses, an
: the normal school, have served As . basi
Il upon which our efficient ana energeti
!; State superineendents have prosecute
/; the Werk of building mp an unsurpassed
/; live educational system. 200
!: Mr.. Eskridge has also been urgeI
, and consistent in his efforts to aid in ID
: development of the resources fthe Stat
u by encouraging measures for the pros