The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-12
The Late Gen. Spinner.

New T%RK, Jan. -One hundred years
ago there dwelt at Werbach, in Baden, a
studious youth of 20. His name was John
Peter Spinner. Ordained for the priest
hood, he was for some time noted in the
Roman Catholic church of that locality
for his learning, piety and zeal After
ward, having embraced the Protestant
faith, he married, and came across the
turbulent western ocean to build a new
home and reputation.
He settled, with his wife, in 1901 at
what was then known as German Flats,
now Mohawk, on the river of that name
in Herkimer county, n. Y. Here, on the
21st day of January, 1902, son was born
to the worthy immigrants. They called
their boy Francis Elias, and he was des-
tined to run notable career as a public
servant-treasurer of the United States
and to write an autograph in every
respect unique
His father was pastor of the Reformed
churches at Herkimer and Mohawk,
preaching in both German and English
AOl ldlL d CS1Oul lie Oltu III
1913, an octogenarian. His careful edu-
cation of the future banker and fnancier
was matter for wonder on the part of
the village gossips.
When the boys schooling was COM
pleted, at the desire of his father he went
to Albany to learn candy and fancy cake
making. This was an oversweet bust
ness, and it is not surprising that the
ambitious country boy soured on taffy
and sugar frOsting. However, he kept
in trade harness by apprenticing himself
to a saddler at Amsterdam, N. Y.
Francis L. Spinner was % years of
age when he began storekeeping on his
own account at Herkimer. He made
both ends meet and had something
left over. County politics naturally at
tracted him, and he became a deputy
sheriff in 1929. He was also quite active
rs a militia officer, reaching the rank of
major general of the National guard,
state of New York, in 1884. The years
1895, 1886 and 1887 found him busy
man, indoors and outdoors, shine or
storm, for his neighbors Familiarity called
him sheriff" 1t is said that at this
time his attachments were strong and
urgent rather than friendly. In 1888
and the year following he was one OF
the commissioners for erecting the State
asylum for Lunatics at Utica. but he
was removed from this post by political
domination. Then he became cashier
OK bank at Mohawk, of which institu-
tion he was repeatedly elected president
for many years.
In 1S4S and 1S49 Gen. Spinner was
auditor and deputy United States naval
officer at the New York city custom
house, and in 1854 he was sent to con-
gress from his home district as a free
soil Democrat. During the first session
for which he was elected he served on
the committee on privileges and on the
special committee to investigate the at
tack made by Preston Brooks, a repre-
sentative from South Carolina, on Hon.
Charles Sumner, the Massachusetts ora
tor and champion of free labor. Gen.
Spinner also was a hardworking mem
Der of a committee of conference of both
houses on the army appropriation bill.
This measure had been rejected by the
senate on account Of a clause in il which
forbade the use of government forces
against the settlers IN Kansas.
Gen. Spinner was made United States
treasurer in 1861. his career thereafter.
his long post-official life and his recent
death, are they not known Of all men?