The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-10-25

estimated as W rth not less than 5000, 600
OF the scventy-three years OF his life fifty
two had been spent here in Chicago. His
ge eral he..lth hal been percepti
bly, failing for the last six months,
and for some weeks rast he had
been confined to his bed.
John Wentworth was born in Sandwich,
Sirallord County. New Hampshire, March 5.
Isis. and was well along in his seventy-fourih
year ut the time OF hi, death. HIS eaily etuca-
tion was fragmentary, but IN 1882 he entered
Dartmouth College, and was graduated, With
honor. in 1s36. In the fall of the same year he
started West, but was undecided as t. his fuiu 9
location. His route was by stage over the
Green Mounta ms to Schenectady, thence ly
railroad as far as Utica, from there By Buffalo
by canal, and by steamer to Detroit. Alter
spending some days in that town In an n
efiectual effort to secure pt tion as teacher.
ober IS 1885. He secured the ros Z on VI
4 tor on the Chicago Democrat, the
st RAPE started in the city, ard, In July,
~, wing to the financial embarras sments OF
owner, the paper passed into hts hands as
proprietor. As he had no money. this trans.
action PLACID heavy load VI on his shoulders,
but by rlg.d Q. onomy and careful m n lge-
ment he was able TO free himself from the
burden OF deb, and, in the summer OF 1882,
was the sole owner Of the paper. winch title, IN
ali thar it implies, he reta nei until 1885,, when
the pressu . Of other bu ,iless comp lied him
to reliaau :, post which he was no longer
able To lll with satisfaction to himself. Mr..
Wentworth was thorough believer In the
primo piles OF Jackson, and h - nery deaunc a.
tions of hs opponents were SO severe that
threats OF throwing the en-; r. plant OF
the paper nto the r.ver were open.
ly made. When Stephen A. Douglas
wis nom mated for Congress Mr.. Went
worth was one OF his strongest assistants In
lS43 Mr.. Wentworth was elected to Congress.
beng the youngest member OF that body. He
was reelected three times, then was out for
two years. when he was returned for another
term. HIS work n the House during this
period would fill . volume, the more important
measures in which he WAS inter.
es ed being the confirmation OF the
Illinois land grants and the early anti
slavery ag taiion VII ch took share In the "Wll.
mot proviso." In 1857 nnd agan In 1860 Mr..
Wentworth WAS elected mayor OF Oh caso,
and his admin sirat'ons were amlng the
strong. st known n the annals Of the city. In
both cases on entering office he found
large floating debts burdening the city
finances, and by rig dly c,onom cal admins.
trat o. WAS enabled TO ret re from ONCE leaving
the city treasury free from incumbrancc. He
was aga;n elected TO Congress in 1864. and did
yeomaus sery &c on the Ways and NJ. ms Com.
mittee in promot ng measures which looked
toward the early resumption OF 81 etie pay.
ment. S nee retiring from Congress Mr.. Went.
worth has bestowed much of his { me and ~.
tenlion On his stock farm nj 6umm I
Cook County. H.. which contains nearly
500 acres. He retained all OF his
old interest In pol TICS especially those
OF ia CITY, hut persisienily deci ned anv nomi.
pa to fice. Mr. Wentworth was mar e /
Noyem ber Ii, ls,i, al Troy, N. Y, to r Kama
Mar Loom Who died February 5, 1879. They
had fiv. ch dren, all OF waom died young. ex.
cept one daughter, Roxanna Atwater Went.
worth,l