Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-12-13
PooRE'S DIRECTORY.
How Major Ben. PerIey PoOrs Com:
piles
The Congressional Observation-Disclosures
Work---lnquiries to New
Members.
Spsc;al % IA Sunday RariRsr.


and sold for fifty cents copy to all who
desired to purchase. In that year the pub
location of the Directory was delayed, 80
that its first edition was not forthcoming
until February, and considerable dissatis
faction was manifested among members who
were anxious to have obtained it at the IL
convenience experienced in consequence.
Mr. Schenck, of Ohio, called the attention
OF the House to the matter, and had the
subject of its publication referred to q
joint committee Of the two houses, subse-
quently the advisory service of Major Ben
Perly Poore were called into requisitiop
resulting in bis undertaking its
annual publication under the auspices
of Congress. He Immediately set about
systematizing the varied duties connected
with compiling the information to go into
the pages, and in a short period the Con
gressional Directory became our almost
universal book Of reference concerning Of
fetal life, not only in Congress, but also IL
the various Executive Department, the
American Diplomatic list, the Consulates
and even the local offices in Washington
and Georgetown, much other information
of importance to Congress and OF interest
TO strangers and sojourners, q character
it has maintained ever since. One OF lts
most interesting features is the biographical
sketches of Senators and members which
are kept up from year to year, as changes
occur in the personnel OF Congress. The
compiler usually relies on the Senators AND
memoe to furnish BRIEF accounts OF their
personal history, which are arranged and
edited by him before appearing IN print.
For completing and correcting the person
mel of the Executive DepsrtD ents and
other public officers he addresses circular
letters to the chiefs whose corrections each
year he relies on exclusively, experience
aaving taught the lesson that In this way
alone can the Annual Directory be made
reliable. On such occasion when Major
POore had by some means obtained his In
formation in less reliable way, ne was
overhauled by q poor boarding house keep
er, who had trusted an official three months
tor board on his showing her his name In
the Congressional Directory, when, in fact,
ne had been out of Office for six months,
Lessons of this kind soon had the effect to
cause the Major to exercise great
caution IN determining upon his sources Of
information. In July last Major Poore
counted the noses of the newly elected
Congressman and found that there are
one hundred and seventy new statistical
sketches to be obtained. He at once ad'
dressed q circular to each new Scion re-
guessing ans Rers TO the following questions:
The Senator, Representative or Delegates
full name; home posrotice address; place
and time of birth; education; professional
studies; and all civil and military Offices
held, with dates of holding them. Repre-
sentarives aud Delegates will add their vote
on their election to Congress, the name OF
their opponent, and the vote given him,
and the politics of each"
Senators, Representatives and Delegates
are also requested to send, for publication
in the Congressional Directory" their
Washington residences, with the signs
designating the ladies who may be with
them, viz an for q wife, a 3 for each
daughter, and u tUr eDeh VtLer lady. In
sending their residences gentlemen will
please give the number of the house. unless
it is hotel.
Of the whole number 80 addressed only
about twenty-tour responded. So in Sept
ember the delinquents were again request
ed to come forward, and again in Novem
Der, and in this way with many delays the
necessary information is obtained. The
labor of compiling the directory is consid
cradle and sometimes vexstious, yet the
genial Major gets along with the work,
amid his other and multitarous public du-
ries with very little friction, and wien his
work is done it is we'll done.
Appended are statistical sketches of the
West Virginia Senators and members.
which will give your readers an idea Of the
labor Of getting together such information
concerning three hundred and twenty five
Congressman aud seyenty-six Senators.
Senator Johnson n. Camden, of Par
ksrsburg, was born in 1928 in Lewis coun-
IT, West Virginia; was appointed Cadet
10 West Point in 1916; resigned in l84S;
studied law and was admitted to the bar
in 1851; was appointed the same year Pros
ecuting Attorney for Brsxton county, and
in 1852 was elected Prosecuting Attorney
Tor Nicholas county; in 1854 was elected
to a position in bank; resigned in 1858,
and entered into the development of pc
rroleum aud manufacturing interests at
Parkersburg, West Virginia; was made
President of the First National Bank at
Parkersburg at its organization in 1852
and still holds the position; was the. nom
inee of the Democratic party for Governor
of the State in 1868, and again in 1872;
was delegate to the Democratic National
Convention in 1868. in 1872. and in 1876;
was elected to the United States Senate as
q Democrat, to succeed Frank Hereford,
Democrat, and took his seat March 4
1881. His term of service will expire
March 8, 1887.
Senator John E. Kenns, of Ksnswhs,
was born st Valcoulon. Virginia, NOV
West Yirginis:) April 10, lS4s; lived and
worked on farm; entered the Confeder-
ate army q q private soldier; was wound
ed in the service in 1864, and was surren-
dered at Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1865;
aftsrward attended Saint Vincent's Col.
legs, Wheeling; studied Jaw with Miller d
Quarrier at Charleston; was admitted to
the bar June 20, 1879, and has continued
to practice law from that time; was elected
Prosecuting Attorney for Rauswha county,
on the Democratic ticket, in 1872, AID
served until January l, 1877; in 1875 was
elected by the bar in the respective coun-
ties under statutory provision TO hold the
Circuit Courts of Lincoln and Wayne; Va'
elected to the Forty filth, Forty sixth and
Forty seventh Congresses, and had been
elected to the Forty.eiphrh Congress, when
be was elected to the United State Senate
as Q Democrat, to succeed Henry G. Davis
Democrat, and took bis seat december 3,
1888. His term of service will expire
March 3, 1859.
Matt an Gof, Jr., Of Clsrksburg, was born
at Clsrksr urg, Virginia. February 8. 1913;
was educated at the Northwestern Virginia
Academy, Georgetown College, and the
L A.