Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-01-26
MISCELLANEOUS.
Our Senators and Representa-
tives.

lne TeCeuG uG(On8TeSSlOH1l anu Cend-
torial directory, issued by the veter-
an journalist Ben Perley Poore, con-
tains, among other fe&tures; brief,
succinct biographical sketch of each
Senator and Representative. The
sketches of the West Virginia Sena-
tors and Representatives we repro
duce below:
Senator johnson n. Camden, of
Parkersburg, was born in 1928 in
Lewis county, West Virginia; ras
appointed a cadet to West Point in
1886; resigned in 184S; studied law
and was admitted to the bar in 1851;
was appointed the same year prose-
cutting attorney for Braxton county
and in 1852 was elected prosecuting
attorney for Nicholas county; in 1854
was elected to-a position in bank
resigned in 1858 and entered into the
development of petroleum and manu-
featuring interests ut Parkersburg,
West Virginia; was made President
of the First National Bank at Parkers-
burg at its organization in 1862 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 a delegate to the
Democratic National Convention in
1868, 1872 and in 1876: was elected
to the United States Senate as a
Democrat, to succeed Frank 1ere-
ford. Democrat, and took his seat
March 4, 1881: His term of service
will expire March 8, 1887.
Senator John +. Kenna, of Ka-
udwlla county, was born at VaIcoulon,
Virginia (now West Virginia, April
10, 1S4S; lived and worked on a
farm; entered the Confederate army
as n private soldier; vas tTouhded ~
the service in 1864: and was surren-
dercd at Shreveport. Louisiana, in
1865; afterward attended Saint
Vincent's College, Wheeling; studied
law with Miller & Quarter at Charles
ton; was admitted to the bar June
30, 1870, and has continued to prac-
tice law from that time: was elected
prosecuting attorney for Kanawha
county, on the Democratic ticket, in
1872, and served until January ! e,
1877; in 1877 was elected by the bar
in the respective counties under the
statutory provision to hold the Cir
cult Courts Of Lincoln and Wayne;
was elected to the FOrty-fffth, Forty
sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses,
and had been elected to the Forty
eighth Congress, when he was elected
to the United States Senate, as a
Democrat; to succeed Henry G. Da-
Wis, Democrat, and took his seat De-
cember 3; 1888. His term of service
will expire March 3, 1889.
Nathan Goff. Jr., of CIarksburg,
was born at Clarksburg, West Vir-
ginia, February 9, 1913; was educa-
ted at the Northwestern. Virginia
Academy, Georgetown College and
the University of Tew York; was
admitted to the bar in 1865: in 1867
was elected a member Of the West
Virginia Legislature in 1868 was
appointed United States Attorney for
the District of West Virginia, to which
position he was reappointed in 1872,
'7G and 80; he resigned the District
AttOrneyship in January, 1881, when
he was appointed Secretary of the
Navy by President Hayes; in March,
1881. President Garfield re-appointed
him District Attorney for West Vir-
ginia, which position he again re-
signed in July, 1882 he enlisted in
the Union Army in June, 1861, in
the Third Regiment Virginia Volun-
teer Infantry; served as Lieutenant
of Company G.: also as Adjutant of
said Regiment, and as Major of the
Fourth Virginia Volunteer Cavalry;
was the Republican candidate for
Congress in 1870 in tile First West
Virginia District: as also in the year
1874: was the candidate of the Re
publican party for Governor of West
Virginia in 1876, and was defeated by
Hon. II. NJ. Mathews; was elected
to the Forty-eighth Congress, and
was reelected to the Forty-ninth
Congress as Republican, receiving
1862 votes against II, ,258 votes for
Brannon, Democrat, and four votes
scattering.
William L. Wilson, Of CharIestown,
Jefferson county, was born in Jeffer-
son county, Virginia, now West Vir-
ginia, May 3, I843; was educated at
Charlestown Academy and at Colum-
bian College. District of Columbia.
1There he graduated in 1860, and at
the University of Virginia; served In
the Confederate army; was, after the
close of the war, for several years
professor in Columbian College, du-
ring which time he graduated in its
Law School, and on the overthrow of
the lawyers test oath in West Vir-
ginia, resigned and entered upon the
practice of law at Charlestown: was
a delegate in 1880 to the National
Democratic Convention at Cincinnati,
and an Elector for the State at large
on the Hancock ticket; was chosen
President of the West Virginia Uni
Tersity, and entered upon the office
September 4, 1882, but on September
20 was nominated for a seat in the
Forty-eighth Congress, and was elect
ed resigned the Presidency of the
State University with the beginning
of his Congressional term; received
the degree of Ii. D. from the Co
Iumbian University in 1888; he was