The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-15
SOLDIERS AND POLITICIAN.
A Sketch Of the Nominee From His
Home Town. Fayette County.

Uniontown, Fayette County, Sep
tember 8. Silas Milton Baily was
born in Brownsville, this county,
January A, 1886 He went to the
common school of the county and
entered, without taking course, the
Madison College, Uniontown. He
learned the trade of matchmaking
with his uncle and has been engaged
in the watch and jewelry business
ever since except when in the field as
a soldier. When the rebellion began
he was in business at Waynesburg,
Greene County. On the first call for
troops he raised company of three
months, men, but Pennsylvania
quota having been filled they could
not be mustered in. When the call
for one-year men was made and the
Reserve Corps was organized he sue
ceeded in mastering his company in
as Company 1, Sth Pennsylvania
Reserves, and he was commissioned as
Captain. His military career began
with this event, July 10, 1851. Going
to the front, he was made Major in
less than year. He was engaged in
the Mechanicsville, Va, fight and
others, and on the resignation of
Colonel George S. Hayes was pro-
NOTED to Colonelcy. He was In
charge of his regiment on the retreat
to Malvern Hill, and at Charles City
Gross Roads was wounded in the head.
This wound temporarily affected his
brain, and for four months he was
incapable of any continuous mental
effort. On recovery he rejoined his
command and was Immediately pro-
moted to the rank of Brigadier Gen
eral of Volunteers for gallantry in the
field and served in that capacity until
the close of the war.
Upon the termination of his mill
tary career he settled again In Union
town and commenced business as
silversinith and jeweler, which he has
followed without interruption up to
the present time. His trade is that of
silversmith, and he labors industri-
ously every day at his bench. He has
always taken deep interest in the
politics of Fayeite County, but until
within the past three years was never
particularly active as politician. In
1878 he was nominated without SOL
icitatlon either by himself or friends,
for Congress in the Twenty-first Dis
trict against Morgan r. Wise. He
received 8, $3.50 votes, against 1850 cast
for Wise. In Fayette County he ran
about $50 ahead of the State ticket.
The Greenback party was very strong
that year in Fayette and Westmorland
and drew heavily from the Republican
party, otherwise Baily would have
polled larger vote, though hardly
under any circumstances that could
possibly have arisen could he or any
other man have defeated Wise. The
impression which exists that General
Baily proved an unexpectedly formid
able competitor against Wise, thereby
developing an unleked-for degree of
availability, is erroneous. No Repub-
lican can under ordinary circumstan
ces prove formidable in Congress-
ional contest in the Twentyfirst Dis
trict so long as its political complexion
remains unchanged.
Last year General Baily was sent as
one of the delegates from Fayette
County to the Harrisburg Conven-
ton, which selected delegates to
Chicago. He was lucky enough to be
selected as one of Pennsylvania rep
resentatives to the National Conven-
ton, where he stood persistently by
Cameron and Grant, Notwithstanding
the Republican sentiment of his dis
trict was overwhelmingly for Blaine.
But the General accepted the result of
the Convention with good grace, and
no man in Western Pennsylvania
labored harder, or, in proportion to
means, contributed more than he
toward the success of Garfield. per-
sonally General Baily is genial and
clever, and withal more than ordi-
narily attractive man. He has the
faculty of making friends instan-
taneously, in which his careless air is
conspicuous element. At home he is
well liked and popular. His nature
seems to intuitively avoid personal
antagonisms, notwithstanding which
his character is not whit deficient i'm
positiveness. He has the knack o.
expressing his views and pursuing
whatever course he may have mapped
out with respect to any question
without creating enmities.
List of Jurors Drawn for Septem-
ber Term, 1881
GRAND JURY.
Michael Schoeber Jr.. borer... Benzlnger.
Joseph Eddy. ..........miner ...-Benzinger.
Michael lAunan........labOrer ...Benzinger.
Joseph Kreig. .f,trm,r.... Benzinger.
Wolfgang Smithbauer. .firmer...F Fox.
" illiam Puncheon.....miner Fox.
j. B. Clark k...... ..........l .laborer e. Highland.
5. NJ undy............... laborer... Horton,
James II. Gardner. laborer. ...Jay.
James NJ. Bateman $50. .laborer Jay.
Lafayette Copp .......... firmer...Jay
II. w. HOrner.............. filrmer....Junes.
John Mitchell. ........laborer...JOnes.
II. NJ. .laborer.. NJ ilistone,
William Johns on. ........ .laborer. -. Ridgway.
q. d. Messenger, ST.. farmer. =. Ridgway.
Ra' dal Malin......... farmer. .... Hidgway.
Martin Perrin firmer Spring Creek.