Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-07-24
cLEARFIELD, PA.
Il LOhu urn ~
DEATH or HON. DAN'L STURGEON.
A CONTEMPORARY IN THE UNITED STATES
SENATE OF CLAY, CALHOUN AND WEB
sTER-TuE LAST DAYS OF AN
OLD STATESMAN.

three surviving Senators of the United
States who were contemporaries OF
Webster, Clay, Calhoun, Benton, and
those other stars in the galaxy Of states
men which shone so brightly nearly
forty years ago, died at his home in
Uniontown, Pa, on Wednesday even
ing, July 10th, at the ripe age of SO
years. The death of Mr.. Sturgeon
leaves Simon Cameron, OF Ponnsylya.
mia, and VIM. Allen, Of Ohio, as the
survivors of hal decade SO prolific in
Senatorial statesmen, between 1910
and 1850, both of whom have long
since passed tho age allotted to mar by
the Psalmist. Mr.. Sturgeon, while n
man of intelligence, integrity and I'M
furnished reputation, did not take FIRST
rank in u body that could boast OF so
many intellectual and political giants,
but always maintained a respectable
position He was aversc to talking,
and frankly admitted that he was "no
orator as Brutus was" His extreme
~taciturnity obtained for him the sobri.
quet Of The Silent Senator" an appel.
lation that stuck to him through life.
Mr.. Sturgeon was born in York county
(now Adams), between York and Get
tysburg, October II, 1889. He re-
moved to Uniontown, Fayette county,
in 1910, whore he practiced medicine
for many years. In a short time after
taking up his residence in Unionlown
he was elected County Commissioner.
In 1918 he entered the House OF Rep.
rescntativeso of Pennsylvania and served
three consecutive years. He was the
Oldest living member of that body with
the exception of George Metzger, from
Adams county. In 1926 he was elected
to the Senate and held for four years
the Speakers chair, during the sessions
of 1928 and lS2S.29. In 1880 he
was appointed Auditor General by
Governor Wolf, and continued in Office
for six years. In 1888 and 1889 he
was State Treasurer, and put an end
to the Buck-shot war by refusing to
honor Governor Ritner's demand for
$4,000 to pay warrants. In 1910 he
was elected United States Senator for
the term commencing March I, 1889
the Legislature having failed to elect
the Winter before in consequence Of
the Buck.shot war. In 1915 he was
reelected for q six.years term, and
served until 1851. His colleague in
the Senate during his first term was
James Buchanan, and during the sec.
ond Simon Cameron. He entered the
Senate at the opening of the Twenty.
seventh Congress, when such men as
Franklin Pierce, Rufus Choate, Silas
Wright, John G. Calhoun, Clement G,
Clay, VIM. r. King, Henry Clay, VIM.
Allen, Thomas II. Benton, John NJ.
Berrion and Robert J. Walker occupied
seats in the Senate Chamber. In 1859
Mr.. Sturgeon was appointed Treasurer
OF the United States Mint at Philadel.
phia by President Pierce and held the
place until 1858, when he retired from
public life.
DIR. Sturgeon was a man of imposing
personal appearance, being over six
feet in height, straight as an arrow,
dignified in his bearing, but pleasant
in his intercourse with his fellow.men
During the past few years his faculties
have rapidly been failing, and mentally
and physically he was almost wrecked
long before the approach of death. In
politics Mr.. Sturgeon was a Democrat
of the straightcst sect, and never failed
to go to the polls and record his vote
for the party Of which he was through.
out lite a devoted member. The ven.
cradle Senator lived with his daughter
in a plain brick house upon the main
street OF the town. Everything that
he could have desired TO comfort hin
in his declining years, and smooth the
approach to the grave, was at his dis
posal, and he had but "to wrap The
drapcry of his couch about him and liz
down to pleasant dreams"