The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-03-26
The Late Ex.president Fillmore.


With the death of Mr.. Fillmore an
other of the few prominent survivors of
the stormy period of our politics pre-
cedlng the war passes away. Millard
Fillmore was born at Summer Hill.
Cayuga County, N. T., January 7, 1900.
His ancestors were of English origin,
but his reat-grandfather, John Fill
more, from whom all of the name in the
United States, are descended. was born
about the year 1902, in Ipswich, Mass,
and was the hero of a remarkable adj
venture at sea where, after being cap
tured by pirates and kept for nine
months upon their vessel, he, with two
other captives, made an attack upon his
captors, killed several, and eventually
gaining possession of the ship, brought
it into Boston harbor, where the sur
viving pirates were tried and executed.
The grandfather of Millard fought as o
lieutenant under Gen. Stark in the bat
tie OF Bennington his father, an early
pioneer from New England to Western
New York, settled in Cayuga County
when it was yet mere wilderness, and
could give but slender education to
his family. Millard Fillmore never saw
a grammar or geography till he was
nineteen years old. During four years
preceding that event he had been ap-
prenticed to learn the clothier's trade,
but while thus engaged he was a dill
gent reader in the village library, stor-
ing his mind from books of history,
biography, and travel Judge Wood,
of Cayuga County, perceived the ca
pacity of the youth of 10, gave him q
place in his law office, advanced the
means for his necessary expenses, and
enabled him to begin course of study.
10 repay the small sums thus advanced,
Fillmore taught school in the winter
months and it is related that out of
S36 received for an entire seasons
teaching, he received but Sc for himself
and applied the remainder to these OBJ
legations. In the fall of 1921 he re-
moved to the County of Erie, and the
next spring entered law Office at Buf.
falo, where he sustained himself by
teaching, and was admitted to the bar
in 1923, beginning practice at Aurora
in the same county. In 1926 he mar
ried Abigail, daughter of the Rev.
Lemuel Powers. The children of this
marriage were a son and daughter. Mrs.
Fillmore was lady of refined and gentle
manners. and graced the high position
which she subsequently occupied as the
mistress of the White House.
Mr.. Fillmore's first appearance in po-
lltlcal life was as a member of the New
York Assembly from Erie county in
1929. In the fall of 1882 he was elected
to the Twenty-third Congress on the
anti-Jackson ticket. After serving one
term he renewed the practice of his
profession till the fall of 1886, when he
was reelected to Congress. He also
served in the Twenty-seventh Congress.
and there obtained the responsible po-
sltion Of Chairman of the Committee
of Ways and Means.
In the Wing National Convention
of May 1, 1874, Mr.. Fillmore was a can
didate for the nomination for Vice
Presidents in the fall of the same year
he received the Wing nomination for
Governor of New York, but was de-
feated by Silas Wright. In 1S47 he was
elected Comptroller of New York. The
triumph of our arms in Mexico made
Zachary Taylor the most available man
in the nation to lead the Presidential
ticket, and at the Whig National Con-
vention OF that year Taylor and Fill
more became the candidates, and were
elected.
The new Administration had been in
Office little more than sixteen months.
when on the 9th of July, 1850, General
Taylor died. On the 10th Mr.. Fillmore
took the oath as President and entered
at once upon the duties of the office.
President Taylor's Cabinet resigned
Immediately, and President Fillmore
soon after announced a new one, in
which Daniel Webster was Secretary of
State.
After the expiration of his term OF
office, March 4, 1858, Mr.. Fillmore
visited Europe, and while there re-
ceived the nomination of the American
or Know Nothing Party for the Presi-
dency, for which he received a large
minority vote, but majority only of
the State of Maryland. The degree of
D. G. l.. was rendered to him by the
University Of Oxford, but he declined
the honor. In morerecent years he has
frequently presided over large CONNER
cial gatherings, being admirably quail
fed for the control of such assemblies.