Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1872-01-28
HON. O. H. BREWSTER.

pralSlnS our IrlenuS or c6nsurlnS
our enemies unless for cause, but
when We see public man striving
year after year in the cause of equal
rights and honest government, and
gaining strength at every step, be-
cause he puts in practice the prin-
ciples he advocates, we feel that we
are justified in approving his course.
We propose to give to our rea-
ders a brief sketch of the life of the
man whose name heads this article.
o. H. Brewster, the newly elected
Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives, was born in Citaque
county, New York, in the year 1882,
and at the age of six years was
taken by his parents to the State Of
Illinois, where he remained, with
the exception Of few years spent
in the Rocky Mountains, until the
commencement of the late war.
Immediately after the first battle
was fought, he left his family at his
residence, in Montgomery county,
went to Springfield and enlisted as
a private in Company X, 33d Hi
nois Infantry, was wounded twice
during his service, and SO complete
ly disabled that it was found ne
cessary to give him discharge.
On his return home, he was
elected LIST Lieutenant, and imme-
diately after advanced to the rank
of Major of a regiment, which was
held in readiness by the Governor
of Illinois, to be used in case of in
vasion or disturbance at home.
This position he held until the close
of the war, when be determined,
according to desire he had long
felt, to make his home in the South.
He, accordingly, came to Louis
lana in the fall of 1865, and engaged
in planting the following year, on
the Culbertson place, Walnut bayou,
Madison parish, in connection with
his brother-in-law, Jerome Taylor,
Esq.
Our planters remember we'll how
disastrous the year proved to the
planting interest, and it left Mr..
Brewster, like thousands of others,
with scarcely dollar to call his
own. But while struggling with
the inclement season, the children
on that and the adjoining planta-
tions were not forgotten. One of
his first acts was to secure the SER
vices of a frst-class teacher and
open free school-the first ever
established in that parish fer colored
Finding himself unable to secure
supplies and pay the rent demanded
for another year, he concluded to
remove to Texas, but while waiting
in New Orleans for boat, he be-
came acquainted with one of the
most esteemed citizens of Morehouse
parish, Robert Mailman, Esq, and
was induced by him to take charge
of his plantation, located five miles
from Bastrop, where he removed
with his family early in the year of
1867. The untimely death of Mr..
only a few months after,
terminated the engagement, and
MIR. Brewster then took up his resi-
dence in Ouachita parish.
Reduced to extreme poverty, but
not discouraged, he went to work
with determination, well-known
to many of our citizens. The thought
OF taking part in politics had never
entered his mind, and his only am
bition was to secure comfortable
home and living for himself and
family.
The first election under our pre-
sent Constitution came on, one Of
the candidates for Representative
was killed in Morehouse parish, and
on the morning of the election Mr..
name was plf led on the
ticket, and men were voting for him,
in all parts of the parish, before he
was even made aware of the fact.
When informed what had been done,
he positively declined, giving as a
reason that an older citizen more |
ahle than himself should have the