The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-02-14
GAa81IA FREEMAN.
Death of Er-Gorc,nor Geary.

The sudden and tragic death of kX-GoV. !
John w. Geary. which occurred at his res (
idence III Harrisburg, on last saturday
morning. y,Iile at the breakfast table, has |
called forth an expression of deep and gen
nine sorrow throughout the State, irrespec-
tive Of party predictions. 1t is honorable
to our nature That al the bitter political
aspirations of tie past have been buried in
his grave He was born at Mt. Pleasant,
Westmorcgand county, in December, 1919,
and was therefore in his ffty-fourth year
at the time OF his death. lie received a
liberal education at jefferson College, at
Cahuonsburg, in this State, and subse-
quently followed the profession of teach
er; then became clerk i'll Il Wholesale
store in Pittsburgh, and for few years
afterwards engaged as a civil engineer i'll
Kentucky. He came TO this county Cam
bria), about fS43 and acted as clerk to John
Snodgrass, Esq, of Westmoreland county,
who was then Superintendent Of the Ale
gheny Portage Rail Road, an institution
which in the days of its successful opera
tiOn exercised powerful and controlling
=. 9uence over the politics Of this county.
Ia $40 lac resided at what was then known
as the Summit, now Summitville, and in
the fan of that year, the war against
Mexico having been declared, he raised a
company of volunteers for the war, known
as the "Highlanders, '!and marched them
to Pittsburgh, the point from which the
Pennsylvania troops We're to embark on
their perilous undertaking. lie was thero
elected Lieutenant Colonel of the Second
Pennsylvania Regiment, William b. Rob
eIts, Of Fayette county, being its Colonel.
About the time of the capture of the city
of Mexico by General Scott, Col. Roberts
died, aud Geary was elected by the Regi-
ment his successor. 1t cannot with due
regard to the truth of history be said that
his ca reer as an officer of that war conferred
any marked honor or distinction upon Col.
GeaIy. We make this statement more in
SORROW than in anger, and because, know
ilIG him well, we are conscious of the truth
&C our statement. After the close of the
war he returned to this State, but did not
again take mp his residence in this county,
and in 1S49 ne was appointed by President
Folk Postmaster of San Francisco and
was afterwards elected Alcalde or Mayor of
that city. Again returning TO his native
State, he was appointed by President
Pierce Territorial Governor OF Kansas, and
held that position until lie was succeeded
by Robert 1. Walker, during the admins
tration of Mr.. Buchanan. 1t will thus be
seen that prior to the breaking out OF the
late rebellion his career had been an event
ful one He entered the late civil war as
Colonel an / Iose TO the rank of Brigadier
General. His military services caused the
Republican party i'll 1866 to select him as
its candidate for Governor, although he
himself still claimed that he was Demo
crat, as he had always been. He was elect
ed, and WAS reelected in 1869. 1t is not
necessary that We should discuss the mer-
its Of his administration, as this is neither
the time nor place to enter on such a task
Doubtless he was like most other public
men and had his good as we'll as his bad
qualities. He was well known in this coun-
ty, where he has many friends who hold
his memory i'll high respect He was bur
led yesterday i'll Harrisburg with the cere-
monies appropriate to one who had filled
the highest executive Office in the Common
wealth. Peace to his ashes.