Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-05-19
SPEECH OF
HON. CYRUS r. ALEXANDER, 2
Memorial Resolutions relative TO the
late Gov. William Blgler.
In hc Senate Of Pennsylvania, Apri y, 81,
OK Tile


resolutions, just read desire to pre-.
face my remarks with brief biograph.
ical sketch of the subject OF them:
William Bigler was born at Sher.
mansburg, Cumberland county, Penn.
sylvania, in December, 1913. His pa.
rents, Jacob Biglcr and Susan Dock,
sister of Judge Dock, of Harrisburg,
were of German descent, and were edu.
Gated like most children of their origin
in both the German and English
tongues. While very young his parents
removed to Mercer county, having pur.
chased large tract Of wild land. in
the hope of building up their fortunes {;
but the title proving defective, they
found themselves in Il short time bereft
of everything but n small farm. The
children had "A severe struggle with life,
aud William drifted into printing of.
flee. From 1880 to 1888 he was EN-.
ployed by his brother John, in the of.
flee of the CESTRE DEMOCRAT, published
at Bellefontc. At the end of that pc.
Rod, influenced by the advice of his
friends, among whom was Andrew G..
Curtin, since Governor OF the Common.
wealth, he decided, though not without
many misgivlngs, TO remove To Clear.
field and commence the publication Of
political paper. Young Bigler had
no money, but he possessed about
everything else requisite to the publi
cation of paper. With the aid of his
friends he secured some old type and "A
secondhand press then, AS he used
TO say, he started an eight by. ten Jack
In tho inf fn.tga
of seventy nine Wing paper which
had preceded him into that mountain.
Gus region This paper was called the
Cs1yhsH Democrat. Bigler did nearly
all the work, writing the editorials, set
ting the type and working the old hand
press With all these drawbacks the
publication was very spirited one, but
it was not source OF immediate wealth.
He was deep in politics, however, and
soon acquired n reputation for good
judgment and sincerity. His uniform
courtesy toward every body made him a
general iayorite. and il was said OF him
that he was real backwoodsman, a
good hunter and the best marksman
with a rifle in all the country-accom.
plishments which in those days by no
means detracted from his influence as
political leader.
" In 1896, or shortly after, Mr. Bigler
having married daughter of Alcxan.
der h. Reed. OF Clearfeld. disposed OF
his paper and entered into partnership
with his father.in.lhw in mercantile bus.
iness. He engaged in his new pursuit
with his usual industry and energy, aud
in a brief period placed himself IN the
front rank of the merchants and deal
ors IN lumber in that section. From
lsfj to $50, he was by far the largest
producer Of lumber or square timber on
the Wet Branch OF the Su-quehauna
river. But his previous active partIci.
patton in politics aud his wellknown
views on public questions kept ham
prominently before the people lie
was an ardent advocate Of n convention
10 amend the State Constitution and
was presented from his county a. del
egate to that body, but he declined to
be candidate.
In 1871 he was nominated for the
State senate, and though much to his
pecuniary disadvantage he accepted
the nomination. The district was com.
posed of the counties Of Armstrong.
Indiana, Cambria and Clearfeld. and
he was elected by a majority OF over
three thousand. Though opposed by a
regularly nominated candidate OF the
Wing party, he received every vote in
Clearheld county save one, a result un.
precedented in the history of politics
The term OF service upon which he now
entered covered a period OF unusual
Il ttffts.ftlfp ia tho - Nh.
affairs OF the State. He was elected
Speaker OF the Senate in the spring Of
lSi3, was reelected at the opening Of
the session in 1914, and IN October fol
lowing was returned for a second term.
Mr.. Blgler did not desire again to be a
candidate, and so dlsinclned was he to
continuing in public life, that he bad
instructed the delegates from Clearield
to the nominating convention to with.
draw his name, which they did; but
the delegates from the other counties
composing the district conferred the
nomination on him notwithstanding,
and he was elected by a vote much
larger than the regular party vote. In
lSis his name was presented for Gov.
etnor and he received a large vote in
iHt iftAllRtfHAtN EibltAiifAAiHE ARlNfuAlRtl
Of that year; but the choice fell upon
Morris Longstrcth, then Canal Com.
missioner, who was defeated by William
r. johnson. In lS4q Mr. Biglcr was
appointed one Of the Revenue Commis.
sioners. whose duty it was TO adjust the
amount to be raised by taxation in the
different sections and counties of the
State.
AT the succeeding election for Gov.
ernor, ia 1851 Mr.. Bigler received the
Democratic nomination by acclamation
and was elected after warm contest,
in which Governor johnson was his op.
ponent. Not only were questions Of
State concern involved, but discussion
turned upon the fugitive slave law and
question Of slavery in the Territories.
Mr.. Bigler was at this time but thirty.
eight years of age, and il is something
of n coincidence that at the time OF his
election as Governor of Pennsylvania.
his brother John was chosen Governor