Iron County register., 1888-10-25
JOHN WENTWORTH.

/ Brief Sketch of the Career of q Man Prom.
inent Ia tn. Political History of ChicAso
for Nearly Half q Century--..Libcrty and
EcOaamy'' tho watchword That Made
Him Wealthy aad Popular.
CHICAGO. Oct 1Z.-Following is q brief
sketch of the career OF John Wentworth,
better known as "T1ong john" whose
death was announced yesterday: AIR.
Wentworth. who was as well kaowu as
any man in the West was one of Chicss-
go's Oldest residents, and in his day was
mayor of the city, Congressman and edi-
| tor of the principal daily paper here.
| About q month ago his general health be.
gan to fail and death resulted. Mr.
Wentworth was seventy three years OF
i age. He was man of wealth. his estate
| being worth at least Sf,000,00o- Mr..
Wentworth was q giant In stature
over six and half feet in
height and Of very large frame.
There is no coffin in the shops in
Chicago large enough to encase his re-
mains, and it will be necessary to make
one for the purpose. It is calculated that,
with the relaxation of the tissues, a casket
| six feet and ten inches or seven feet in
| length, inside measurement will be
necessary:
| John Wentworth was born at Sandwich. N.
| H., on March 5, 1915. His nickname was early
was six feet seven inches. He was descended
from the first settlers OF New England, and it
is said that no foreign blood ran in the veins of
his family on either side later than 1901 His
paternal grandfather was one OF the sgners OF
the Articles of Confederation, and his mater
nal grandfather was famous officer
In the Revolutionary In 1896
"Long john left Sandwich and jour-
neyed by stage, canal, railway and on foot to
Chicago. He had one hundred dollars in his
pocket when he started. He failed in an en-
deayor to get a place as school teacher in
Michigan while en- route, and not long after his
arrival in Chicago he took editorial charge OF
the Democrat, with which paper he was con-
nected for twenty-five years. No subject did he
advocate more persistently than the establish
ment of public schools, and one OF his first off
fees was that of school inspector. He became
1870 he held many offices. being elected several
times to the Legislature and seven times to
Congress. He was also Mayor OF Chicago for
two terms. Besides these offices he
filled several others. such police commits
sioner and delegate to National conventions.
While he was mayor he succeeded in
paying every dollar of the city's debt and dur
ing his last term in Congress, while Johnson
was President, he was an uncompromising ad-
vocate of the resumption of specie payments.
He introduced steam fire engines into Chicago,
and the first three were named Long john"
Liberty and Economy" the latter two des-
ignations comprising his war cry when in a po-
litical canvass. He declined more nominations
for Office than he accepted. and it is not known
that he ever suffered defeat From early man.
hood he kept copious diary of his experiences,
but every page lost the great fire. Mr..
Wentworth was made an LII. D. by Dartmouth
in 1873. Politically he was Republican. and
one of his last acts as practical politician was
an earnest endeavor to secure the nomination
of General Grant for a third term.