Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-05-20
DANIEL w. VOORHEES,
SKETCH or THE LIFE or THE TALL
SYCAMORE OF THE WABASH"
pcrn in Butler County. Oils Ancestors
Dutch Stock--His Political Career
and Power as an orator.
faemphis Avalanchc.l

taomphis Avalanchcl
Daniel W. VOORHEES,, politician and
statesman, one of the foremost orators
OF America, was the third child o,
Stephen and Rachael Voorhees,, and was
born in Butler county. o., September
26. 1927. As indicated by their name.
his ancestors were Of the stnrjy Dutch
stock that followed Hendrick Hudson to
America and first settled at historic Com
munipaw and then founded the town of
New Amsterdam. in the province Of New
Nederlandts. Island of Manhattan.
We are indebted to MIR. Irving
for beautiful picture of the
Quiet life led by these worthy Dutch
rcople. Tnev cultivated their peaceful
acres along the banks of the Hudson
and in the valleys OF the keatskills, or
smokes their long pipes TRANQUILITY and
dreamed OF the Fa,herland, Ioduiging
in occasional merry. markings, but sci.
dom bothering themselves about affairs
of State. These were the happy times
Of the province, but marauds from
prowling savages and visits from med
desome Yankees soon put their yalor to
the test and We see them in new char
acter. The Dutch were valiant soldiers,
ms we may find ont by consulting tho
pages of Schiller and Mopley.
The common ancestor of the voorhees,
family in this country was Steven Coerte.
who. about the year 1860. came to this
country from Holland in his good ship,
the Spotted Cow. He managed TO reach
America in little less than six months
Here he was named latter the custom
then in vogue) Steven Coerte Van No0r-
hees. signifying Steven Coerte, who
came from before Hees IA small town of
the Neiherlands). Evan signifies
"from" Van Bergcns, Van Dykes,
Van Horns, Van Dams, Van Wrinkles,
and Van Xandts The last-named FAM
ly derived its patronymic from nm old
Dutch tradition that their ancestors, like
the Cyclops. sprang from the earth.
The Voorhees, family bad its armorial
bearings. which were very simple, but
indicated considerable antiquity, accord
ing to the st. James Heraldy lice.
That they were good citizens must
have been true. for we find that III
1892 Daniel Van Voorhees, and fifty-one
others of Oyster Bay at Wolyer Hollow
had contributed toward building a
church. For many years the Voorhees,
family (which had by this time
dropped the prefix Ivan , lived at
Flshkill, Duchess county, n. y, lead
ing the lives of peaceable, industrious
citizens until the Revolution, when some
of them fought bravely in the patriot
army. Among them was Peter voorhees,.
At the close Of the war he omlgrated to
Kentucky and married the daughter OF
Luke Van Arsdale, who fought bravely
at the battle OF Blue Licks and distln-
guished himself in several battles under
the celebrated Daniel Boone. In 1871
his son, Stephen Voorhees,, removed to
Ohio. thence to Fountain county, Ind,
where he married Rachel Elliott, lady
of superior natural endowments.
HIS FARM-LIFE.
The Voorhees, children we're raised on
farm. and there are persons IN Foun-
tain county who remember seeing Daniel
when boy driving a fourhOrse team
with wagon-load OF wheat going to
mill. the Tall-Sycamore lad astride OF
the near wheel-horse, cracking bis black
snake whip. This farm-life of his youth
brings MIR. Voorhees, into closer sympa-
thy with the people than most public
men, and some of his most apt and pow
erful illustrations are drawn from his ey-
perience in farm-life. In March, 1890,
be made a great speech IN the Senate on
the condition of the farmers, and more
than 200, 600 copies were distributed IN
Indiana, besides great number sent by
senators from other States to their con-
ttituents.
In 1915 Daniel Voorhees, was sent to
Asbury University, at Greencastle. Put
nam county. Ind, where he was gradu-
ated in ls49. Here it was that he mar
ried his wife, who. from the time of his
first entrance into college until her
death, several years ago. always stood
by him through good or evil report.
Young Daniels college life gave ample
warrant of his future career. Shortly
after he left school glowing account
was heard of him as a natural orator,
coupled with the prediction that he
would "tako rank with the first men Of
the nation.
1t was in 1875, the first year Of Presi-
dent Buchanan's Administration, when
Hon. John NJ. Robinson, United States
marshal for Indiana, was seen to enter
the lobby Of the principal hotel Is In
dianapohs, accompanied by tall young
man, who was apparently stranger TO
- no
considerably above the common height,
straight lis an arrow. with mas
siye head and coarse, sandy hair,
which was inclined TO stand up
IN porcupinish way. He had regular,
handsome features, of the Grccian type,
and a complexion of preternatnral white
ness. There was something IN his bear
ing his gait. and appearance that at
tracted the attention of all observers
and "marked him as extraordinary, not
in the role Of common men. This
young stranger was introduced to Mr..
Robinson as Daniel w. Voorhees,. who,
be said, had made such gallant race for
Congress the fall before against Jim
Wilson, and came very near beng
elected against good odds.
HIS FIRST POLITICAL DECADE.
Mr.. Voorhees, was not long in making
himself known throughout the State.
His fame had preceded him from the
Wabash country. and many enthusiastic
friends from that section had trumpeted
his name as q second Daniel come to
Judgment" The first decade of Mr..
Voorhees, political career was period
Of great public excitement and agitation.
In 1853 he was appointed United States
District Attorney for the State. Indiana
At that time as well as before and
since. was a closely-contested battle