The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-08-27
Sketches of the Candidates.

Hon. Chauncey Forward Black. the
nominee for Governor, was born at Som
erset. in this state, in November, 1889.
He was educated At the MOnOngahela
Academy. in West Virginia. and after
wards attended jefferson College, in
Washington county. He was under
instructions at Hiram College at the
time the late President Garfield was a
student there. He studied law with bis
father, the late Judge jeremiah 5.
Black, and was admitted to the bar in
1861. but abandoned his profession a few
years later. and took TO literary work
He became a regular writer on the New
York San. and his articles on Penusvl-
vania politics were widely read. He
was an aspiran: for She nomination as
Congressman in the York and Cumber-
land district in 1874, but was defeated
by Hon. Levi Maish, the gentleman who
placed him in nomination for Lieutenant
Governor in the State Convention of
1882. At that Convention he received
1853 votes, and 73B were cast for G.. II.
Irwin, of Dauph;D. He was member
of the Cincinnati Convention in 1880,
and at first voted for Judge Field, but
afterward changed his vote in favor of
Ger. Hancock. He is at present Lieu
tenant Governor of the State, and re-
sides at York.
Col. r. Bruce Ricketts,, who was
named by the Convention for Lieutenant
Governor. was born in Orangeville. Co
lumbia county, Pa, on April %, 1880
He was educated at the Wyoming Sem
mary, Wilkes Barre. At the breaking
out of the rebellion he was mustered in
as a member of Battery F, First Penn
sylvania Artillery (FOrty-third Regt. }
on July s, 1861, and promoted to be
First Lieutenant on August 3, 1861 to
Captain on MAY s, 1868; to Major on
December 1. 1864, and to Colonel on
March Is, 1860. At the close of the
war be returned to Wilkes Barre, and
has since been engaged there managing
his lumber business. He has always
been an active Democrat, but has never
held office.
S. Simpson Africa, who was nOmina-
ted for Secretary of Internal Affairs.
was born in 1882 in Huntingdon, where
he still resides. After completing his
education at the Huntington Academy,
he adopted the profession of civil en-
gineer and surveyor, which he followed
up to the time he entered public life
He served as one of the clerks of the
senate during the sessions of 1853 and
1859, and in October, 1859, he was elect
ed to the House of Representatives from
Huntington over the Republican nomi-
nee. IL May, 1875, he was appointed
Deputy Secretary of Internal Affairs,
and upon him fell the labor of organizing
the new department of Internal Affairs
created by the constitution of 1878. In
Nav, 1878. he was nominated as General
M'Candless' successor by the Democrat
ic Convention, but was defeated by Col
A K Dunkel, of Harrisburg. In June,
1882, he was again placed on the Demo
cratic ticket for the Office of Secretary
of Internal Affairs by acclamation, and
this time he was elected.
William J. Brennan, of Allegheny
county. the nominee for Auditor Gen
eral. is about 81 years of age, and is a
self-made man. He learned the trade
of machinist, studied law, aud was ad
mitted to the bar about five years ago.
He resides in Pittsburg. Brennan has
been a candidate for the Legislature, is
Chairman of the Democratic County
/ Convention, and a member of the State
Committee.
Maxwell Stevenson, the nominee for
large, represents the la
Dor interests. He was born near Lon
donderry, Ireland, on February l, 1S47,
and was brought 30 Philadelphia when
! ; years of age. Seven years later he left
I the Jackson Grammar School, and went
/ TO work on farm in the southern part
| of the city. He afteTward worBe ed as
eTrand-boy, and then conducted news
/ stand, establishing a newspaper route at
/ the same time. He afterwards secured
a business education, and obtained a
! position AS clerk, but soon after began
! the study of law with E. Coppee Mitch
I ell, and afterwards with the late Judge
Pratt. He was admitted to the bar in
/ 1874, since which time he has always
/ been prominently identified with the
| cause of organized labor.