The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-06-17
FORAKER AND KENNEDY.
The Republican Nominees for Governor
and lieutenant Governor Of Ohio.

JOSEPH BENSON FORAKER,
Nominated for Governor by the Republican
State Convention at Springfield on the llth,
| was born at Rainsboro Highland County, o.,
! in July, 1846, his parents being of the sturdy
| yeomanry of that section. He lived upon
the farm at home until at the age of sixteen,
when, moved by his patriotic impulses which
| his parents were no longer able to restrain
he enlisted In the Union army as q private
in the Eighty-nlnth Ohio Regiment, then be-
| ing recruited in the counties of Clermont
| Ross and Highland. Captain w. ii. Glenn
| was raising company at Hlllsboro, which
| young Foraker Joined. Those who put
| down their names first on the roll were told
that the commissioned officers had already
| been selected, but the one bringing in the
most recruits for the company would
| be first or orderly sergeant, the noxt
second sergeant and so on through the
INST of non-commssloned officers. The first
place was gained by Foraker, but being q
| boy In years, inexperienced as a soldier, and
| with desire to benefit the service, he vol
unfairly relinquished his claims to the Office
of orderly sergeant which was given to the
| man who secured the next highest number
| of recruits, and who had some experience In
| army affairs reserving to himself the second
sergeanoy. As he was bidding those about
him good bye, he playfully remarked that
did. by his gallantry, faithfulness, and
| acknowledged capacity he won rapid pro-
motion, and while yet minor was made
captain, with which rank he was mustered
| out at the close of the war. The terrible
marches and tho privations OF camp life, In
| addition to losses sustained in battle, soon
depleted the ranks of the Eighty-ninth,
which went into active and severe service at
| once, and made way for promotion by loss
of commissioned officers. In all of this serv-
| ice Ben Foraker participated, and rose sue
cessively from orderly sergeant TO the rank
| of first lieutenant.
/ A. .Ga. %, Nhs.a ha ta1 Ia
regiment just as 1t was going into the battle
| of Mission Ridge. Foraker Immediately
assumed command of his company, led 1t in
the charge, and was the first man of the
regiment 10 scale the enemy's works. He
was then about seventeen years old. After
| this he participated with his regiment In the
| charge mt Rocky Face and then went into
| the campaign against Atlanta taking part
| in the battles of BuzZard's Roost, Resaca,
Burnt Hickory, Peach-tree Creek, and AT.
lanta. After the fall OF Atlanta Foraker was
detailed for duty In the signal corps. He
| was assigned to the stan of General Slocum,
on the organization of Sherman's army for
the march TO the sea, serving through that
| campaign and until the close of the war,
being mustered out at Camp Dennlson on
| June IA. 1865, before he attained the age Of
| nineteen years While on General Slocum's
staff in the march to the sea, he was selected
by his chief to perform two acts, both Of
which required true courage and unerring
Judgment. johnson, the rebel general,
suddenly and unexpectedly appeared In front
of Slocum IN the vicinity of Goldsboro.
It was necessary to get word TO Gen
| eral Sherman, who was with Howard s
wing OF the army. To, reach him
the messenger was compelled to ride
around the entire left flank of the
rebels, about ten miles distant. This was
successfully accomplished by J. B. Foraker
On the 2lst of December, after the city of Sa'
| vannah had surrendered, the United states
feet lay of the mouth of the Savannah River,
eighteen miles below the city, and the only
| way 10 let the waiting people of the South
| know that Sherman had got to Savannah and
the sea was to reach the fleet. The river was
full of torpedoes, and the bank full OF rebels.
Foraker was ordered to open up commu.
nicatioD, and taking n rowboat secured the
services OF two negroes TO row II, and In the
| night started with one orderly on the peril
| Gus trip, reaching the fleet IN safety after
being nearly caps zed and running aground
several times in the darkness.
At the conclusion of the war he entered the
| University at Delaware, this State, where he
| remained until the close of the junior year,
when he matseulated at Cornell,fr which
| institution he graduated in 1869. He imme-
diarely began the study OF law with Sloan *
Donham, at Cincinnati, and within year was
admitted to the bar. He ut once formed a
law partnership with G. w. Cole, Esq, which,
| however, was dissolved at the death ofJudgt
Sloan TO enable Captain Foraker 10 become
the partner Of Mr.. Donham, Judge Sloan's
late partner, and Foraker's former precep.
tor. He advanced rapidly in his profession,
and becoming active In local politics, attract
ed considerable attention. After the Eph.
Holland frands, in 1876. he was appointed
Supervisor of the Congressional cleo
charged fearlessly, and with fairness
and impartlallty. At the succeeding
election he was nominated for Common
Pleas Judge General disaster overlook the
ticket that year. but Foraker made such a
remarkable run, and came so near an elec.
ton, that the party instinci1vey turned 10
him as an available leader, and in 1879 he was
nominated and elected Judge Of the Superior
Court ut Cincinnati, in which position he
gained distinction as a Judge OF ability,
clearness and lmpartiality. In June, 1882, he
resigned on account of impaired health.
Even after his resignation had. been for
warded kilograms were sent TO Governor
Foster by many members OF the bar, among
them being Governor Hoadly, Hon. Aaron
p. Perry and NJ +. Force, urging that 1t be
not accepted.
He took an extended trip abroad, from
which he returned d at once resumed the
practice of his profession at Cincinnati.
In June, 1883. he was nominated for Cover.
nor ut the Republican State Convention,
receiving large majority OF the delegates.
His canvass OF the State pending the election
was one of the most brilliant In the history
of political contests I'm Ohio. The events OF
that campaign and the defeat of the Repub-
licnn ticket are fresh in the minds OF the
people OF OHIO, and IL is not necessary 10
repeat them here.
Last year he headed the Ohio delegation 10
the National Republican Convention at Chi.
cago, which nominated Blaine and Logan
where his commanding presence. quiet dig
nifty and admitted ability attracted marked
attention. His speech nominating Senator
sherman was one OF the best made on that
memorable day OF remarkable oratlons and
resulted In an ovation for the young states
man.
Judge Foraker has a lucrative law prac,
tlce ut Cincinnati. reputed 10 be worth from
$4,000 20 $4,000 year. He is admitted "a
be one OF the foremost attorneys IN the
State, and In the practice OF his profession
as in his private and political life always
honorable, honest and just.
GENERAL ROBERT r. KENNEDY
Tho nominee Of the convention for Leuten
ant Governor, was one of Judge Foraker's
most popular rivals In the convention
having received l6l votes for first place
He was born at Bellefontaine, o., January
~ 1870, and is evidently well satisfied with
the place and people, as II Is still his home
After n careful preliminary education he
was sent TO Yale College, where he
the war broke out. When the call tc
| arms was sounded, he abandoned mis-
books and hasteped home. Joined the
Twenty-thlrd Ohio Volunteers as Second
Lieutenant, June /, 1851. ON February
o, 1867, he was promoted to First Lieuterl
nj ~ General Scammon's stan at the battle
OF Cub Run, South Mountain, and Antietam
On October 7, 1852, he was appointed Assist
ant Adjutant General of United States Vol
untoers with rank Of Captain. aud assigned
to duty on General Cooks staff. He served
! In this capacity during the campaign OF the
Army Of The Cumberland from Immediately
, after the battle of Stone River unit
after the battle OF Mission Ridge, IL
November 1853. Through the Atlantic