New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-26
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.


SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
The American ancestors of Reuben L. Fenton
came fiom Nuttinghamshre, England ABOUT inc ye"i
I735 and settled In windham County Conn' iNoDoi'
r.n,on WA, ns of the paentces OF the town OF Mans
rsId sh,u IL Was first set oil. Reubens grandfather
an hi, tathers side removed from Connecticut IN the
year 1863 ~ Hanover. N H., where heuoehs i"'"
vus born and whore Reuben's uncies were eouoa.esa
one OF tnem Jacob was graduate OF Dartmouth Co'-
,.e, The Fen,ons we're a family of patriots during inc
Rev,luon 10 which they contributed their full share OF
.o,ders and from this martial blood the statesman Jus'
dead may have inherited the fondness Tor innings ni
tary which parked his boyhOod Early Ia the present
century the family removed from New-hampShre W
Hamilton County. Ohio but George w, the iatner Oh INC
deceased statesman. in jourueying WESTWARD was AZ
racted by tue lands and grand forests OF "eS'cr"
New York He returned the valley Of the Conewango
fla Chatauqus County, and there In lsoo' theh V"en'
five wears OF age, he began residence Which only oo
with his death In 1859. He lived to see inc "u"o.-
ness OF that region yield to settlement 10 oo"uu'
fu tnrins thriving Villages aud @nterIrisihs huust'
aud his son. sui icct OF this SKETCH rise from '"o an
billions schooboy TO NIL the highest places Ia MS Town
ship aud county, and finally to represent MS hs :"
Congress The maiden name oil Mr. feh'oh "'o'
WAS Elsie owen; and her ancestry was Scotch Ehshsn'
She was a woman alike remarkable for hrinnes' Seh'ic.
nes. and goodness heart She was an exemplary anu
hnor member of tn. Methodist church 70: full nall
c.nury and her Christian zeal ana charities 10 Tue
moor and unfortunate conspicuous features vi III
excellent life she died in 1879. Inc BON ihheri'eu
her lutst qualities 800 -,
Keuben H. Teuton was July /, 1872 at what Is
now the town OF Carroll Chatauqua County ~ l. MS
,l uas,ed al his fatuer- home, did not discover
ANY striking aud memorable qualities but ne gre" lho
a bright mani, boy, popular anu respected anions us
a,socsatcs Indeed, he was such tdVOrite hhons ni
i.ows that whatever was going Oh among 'heh hs
wa. expected TO participate and TO leaL "hon the
|
vonap f.uton ia command AMI It Is probably owing 10
rms fact and the experience IN leadership when ne ac
oircd before lac twenty one years oi "se' '"' ="
LATER years Ito elected 10 the cOlOheey Oi INC io'u
Regiment, Hew-York National Guard "ha''for 'P
ortuuiies for study offered hin he made the most
Of Al the colnlon school and at Pleasant iiii hnd
Fsc,on,a Academies ho made satisfactory progress ana
LAID the foundation upon which the wide ana prdotie"
intelIgcncc later years was securely Oui' up '
ALI Indication OF the sound Judgment wich harAeu 'no
young man that read Law for year. not Win any IN
non Of practising protest. IN. Out IN the pcliei
TINT tho study broad principles would DO OF service
N, the mercantile caIee Tor when he was destined
Az The age OF twenty. yOdng fenton began MS business
carc,i with small means AMI amid unpromlHhS tnf-
todlngs but natural discretion aud enaoty met u"
obstacles when they could not overcome ana he
gradually ganed secure position IN the mercantile
,y,a ronnd him As an auxiliary t. his main business
A, ,oon made venture lumber Trade plloed his
worth not Tar from thousand dollars 70 the
OF Cincinnati, sod his lumber ana prouy
returned to his home confident that las had found ihc
vi work which would gave satisfactory results. bu-
herring soon became his principal business, ana before
many wears mad elapsed nc was rccog Led one OF tho
most ssful lumbernen the Allegheny and Ohio
Rivers.
In 1s43 Mr.. Fenton chosen supervisor OF Ills
native town, and with that Office began MS puOhc
career. He held this position for eight consecutive
years; and Implicit confidence In his Integrity
fairness aud pubic spirit That ne was thrice elected
chairman oi the board though lie was Democrat and
| two thirds Of its members were wings In ioi5 no WHs
nominated for tn~Assombly; and his opponent an Old
ana popular resident OF strong wing DISTRICT defeated
him by only 81 In 1897 he was elected ny tue
Democrats Congress. by "a majority OF 53' though
majority Of two or three thousand against him wOnld
have nee tho usual result aud TOOK Ills seat IN tue
House Oh the brst Monday Ia December 1893 Early IN
the session circumstances were developed which CON
yerted the young Democrat to other political views.
With number his party hc steaditsty opposed
the Douglas Amendment repeating tho siissouri SOM
promsc and la the division which followed Its pas
sage he joined forces VITA Preston hlDg George Od ke
| Ward Hunt other conspicuous Democrats, anten-
braced Republican principles from winch lac never
| afterward swersed.
In Is5I Mr. Ecnt0n consented TO be candidate FOR
the XXXIyth Comsre the Saturday before the cleo
tim; but the knOwNoing party carried his district BY
considerable majority aud lie retired 10 private NE
But not long Two later lie ran on the Fremont
Ticket elected and THUS began CONTINUOUS period OF
| uuDic service winch closed Ia 1875. In tue &XAyth
Congress served the Committee on Private Land
Chains: IN the XXXyIth he chairman Of the Com
nttee ON Invalid Pensions; IN the XAXVilt, Chairman
of te Claims Committee and ia the XXXvLIlh, OF the
WAYS and Means lmm sdiately on entering Congress
Mr. Fenon espouscd the OF the soldiers Of 1917
aud finally May, 1860 Witnessed the passage OF b
oil which nc was the aud the chicI supporter
the payment accounts between The United Sies and
the State New York, for stores furnished III ma. var
He remained throughout his career III inc House stead
fast friend OF tho soldiers, aud during that part VI IL
Mich Jycfiapped the tcDci0n no rendered le1us anu
service IN teif DcbalI AS dofocd uienu VI
nis cuutry apIied ns energies steadily ana uSeIuiy
10 the National CAUSE voting for taxes, lOans' leylcs
drafts aud all measures which hnaly Resulted In
t,r restor tun of the Union. lie was known as an In
dnstrious paust king energetic legislator, aud when
occasion seemed 10 demand, he Wac ouhd eqna 70 the
delivery OF able speeches Upon measures winch enlisted
sIr Fenton was prominently named candidate for
Governor this state ia l5O2 but Withdrew from the
canvass favor OF General Whhnwofth, Wnom no
heartily supported, Dat who was defeated by HOraiio
seymour. Two years LATER however IN ihe exciting
campaign Of 1864, Dir. fenton was NOMINATED W tue
Eeunl,l,can convention aud was elected oye MI. Sey-
mour thDp 100 majority indeed NO leu tne
STAT Ticket and po,led l544 noi votes tba ala Piosi
dent Lincoln. Entering Office at the cnInhlIhB period
OF t " al. the Cover nor needed 10 use much IN
dusffy. discrimination and decision III ucahbk Win INC
questions OF the day In these qualities ar tent0n
snow cd himself not lacking lie brought 70 MS hd
miuistraon "a wide experience, practical training and
!, great knowledge OF men. Known ~ " the soldiers
fIcnd," he was prompt IN Iewaruns eiis snu i,d
between the military organizations then IN the hclh ana
ulal the rearn OF the STATE troops lie esei 70
tho war Committees OF the various districts the propfie
M oi,r tlrm herly public welcome. Al the Close OF
MS nrnt year as Mr.. fenIoD found us huin
istratio we'll approved by tho people OF tlt STATE
letter yas addft him by many proninent clzens
OF this city, thanking him for his services ~ Deh OF
the metropolis, and when soon after no vsleu New
York he was waited upon by thousands OF cuzes Win
md