Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1886-03-25
EX-GOVERNOR ST. JOHN.
A Brief Sketch of the Prohibition Cam
didate for the Presidency in 1851

Brief Sketch of the Prohibition Can
didate for the Presidency in 1854.
John P st. John, nominated in 'S4
for the Presidency by the Prohibition
party, was born at Brockville, Frank
lin county, Indiana, Feb. %, 1888.
His father was a man of considerable
education aud superior natural ability
and his mother was woman of exalt-
ed and beautiful character. At a ten
der age young St. John began to assist
on his fathers farm, working morning
and evening, and attending the log
school house in the middle hours of
the day This kind of life was con
tinued few years, during which the
boy developed into student. He was
pursuing a systematic course of study
before he emerged from boyhood into
youth, and depended on the kindness
of neighbors for the loan of books suit
able for general reading. The family
was poor and grew poorer on account
of the Incorporate habits of its head.
For this reason St. John went out to
work while in his teens, at a salary of
six dollars a month. He continued
grocer's clerk until nearly 20 years
old, when he left home to trv his fort
une in California. There he followed
such occupations as offered, from chop
ping wood to comparatively lucrative
work on steamboats,. OF the cash he
made, good share was sent to his
mother, and the habits of the young
man were uniformly exemplary. At
this period of his life St. John made
voyages to South America, to Mexico,
and the Sandwich Islands, and also
took journey through Central
Amerca. In 1852 and 1858 he serv-
ed against the Indians, and was twice
wounded.
A life so changing and hard pre-
sented few opportunities Of study, but
the young aspirant did manage to pick
up some acquaintance with the law
during these years, and i'll 1860 be-
gan his career as lawyer by taking
clerkship with firm at Charlton,
Illinois. This led to his becoming
partner with the gentlemen who had
engaged his services, a fortunate con-
nection which lasted until the out
break of the war, when st. John en-
listed as a private in the Sixty-Eighth
Illinois Volunteers. He proved to be
good soldier, and rose to the rank of
Lieut.. Colonel When he returned to
private life he settled at Independence,
Mo-, where he practieed law for sew
eral years.
St John became popular as a speak
er in the political campaign Of 1868.
The next year he removed into Kan
sas, settling at Olathe, where he con-
tinued the practice of hi. profession
and took an active part in politics. In
1872 he was elected to the Senate OF
Kansas, his first public office, and in
1873 was elected Governor of that
State During the years intermediate
between those dates he served in both
branches of the Legislature and was s
recognized leader in the Republican
ranks. Lately he has become promi
nently identified With the Prohibition
party, cutting off from the Republi
cans of Kansas, whom he could no
persuade into practical assent to hi
extreme views ON the liquor question
He is still a resident of Kansas, wher,
he practices law Much Of his tim,
of late has been taken up with activ'
Temperance work.
He is man Of good presence. and
ready, effective speaker. His utter
ances are carefully considered am
: well expressed, unaffected and manly
He is married man, and has an in
teresting family.