The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-26
DEATH OF DIR. W. 8. RAYMOND.
End Of Busy and Eventful Life-ArraDge-
ments for the Funeral.

The funeral of DR.. William S. Raymond will
take place from his late residence, No 800 Col
lege avenue, this afternoon, at 1:30 He was
born in Harrison county, Virginia, near Clarks-
burg, Feb. 20, 1923. At the age of twenty,
though only possessed of a common school edu-
cation, he was regarded as one of the most ac-
complished mathematicians in the State At
twenty three years of age he began the study of
medicine and after qualifying himself for his
profession, moved West, and located at Monti
cello Ind, where, in 1852 he began the practice
of medicine and surgery, and soon after which
time he graduated at Bellevue Medical College,
New York He soon came to rank with the
foremost men of his profession in the northwest
part of the State, and at different times con-
tributed valuable papers to the medical journals.
While busily engaged in his practice, he daily
devoted himself to the study of languages. his
course embracing Latin Greek French, Ger
man. Spanish, and Italian. He also made it
regular habit from year to year to review geom-
etry and other branches of mathematics. In
the fall Of 1861 he was appointed assistant sur
gecn in the Forty-sixth Indiana regiment He
remained in the army till 1863 when, by reason
of i'll health, he was compelled to return home
In 1866 he received the unanimous nomination
by the Democrats and Liberals as their candidate
for the State Senate, but was defeated for cleo
ton In 1872 he was elected president of the Indi-
annapolis, Delphi & Chicago Railroad Company,
and held the Office until after his election to
Congress- TWO years later. He was the first per-
son in the West who saw clearly the Importance
of opening through railroad line which would
give the Western States direct trade, by the way
of Port Royal, with South America, the West
Indies aud Europe On this subject he addressed,
by special invitation, joint railroad convention
in Augusta, Ca, in May, 1873. The project
having attracted widespread attention, a COM
pany was formed, Of which DR.. Raymond was
made president At large railroad convention
held in Chicago in October, 1873, the proposed
road was strongly favored. Bankers of large
capital and credit had pledged substantial aid to
the enterprise, when the panic inaugurated by
the failure of Jay Cooke, so unsettled financial
matters that operations were suspended.
In 1874 he received, without any solicitation
the unanimous nomination to Congress from
the Tenth schuyler Cofaxs) district and was
triumphantly elected-the first Democratic
victory in twenty-five years He retired at the
close of the term, March 4, 1877. His eulogy on
the death of the Speaker, Hon. Michael G.
Kerr, was pronounced by competent judges the
finest literary effort made on the occasion. He
was renominated for Congress in 1876, Blu: met
with serious accident about the last of August
of that year, which came near terminating his
life, combining him to his bed for several months.
He was defeated, the district being largely Re-
puOUcdu, anu because ne was unaOl0 TO give llS
personal effort and presence to the campaign.
The Doctor was endowed with rare executive
ability. and an organizer had few superiors.
In department he was modest, suave and rather
retcent, but his social qualities were pleasant
and lasting to those who made his acquaintance.
About ten years ago, desiring to occupy new
field of labor and lessen the physical drudgery
under which was firing through professional
labors, he removed to this city. He took an act
i've and leading part in the organization of the
Ant nj of ioia md S,,ro Of
this city, with which. in various POSITIONS he was
connected until his death.