Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-01-14
THE NEW SENATOR.

0rA81 k1hO&E0pnfC81 SkotG0 Oh nOns 0180oK
W. Perkins, the Newly-Appointed Sen
at0r.
Following is sketch of the life OF
Hon. Bishop w. Perkins:
Bishop w. Perkins is native of Rochester,
Lorain county, o., and was born October 1s, 1S4l.
He is descendant of John Perkins, who sailed
from Windsor, England, for the colonies in 1850.
and the family genealogy is preserved upon
tomb at Beckett, Mass Some Of the family were
soldiers In the revolutionary war. His grand
father, B. c. Perkins, was for several years .
member of the Massachusetts, legislature His
father, Judge B. c. Perkins was a leading man
In politics, an abolitonist of the Birney school.
and for several years one of the associate judges
Of Lorain county, 0.
When Bishop W., the subject of this sketch,
was eight years OF age, his mother died When
he was fourteen he moved to Mercer county,
Ill, at the place which is known as Viola,
when Bishop W. Perkins was about sixteen
he entered Knox college at Galesburg, Ill,
where he remained part of two years On re-
turning home during the winter vacation of
1859 60 his father told him that he could not re-
turn TO college until the following September,
and accordingly young Perkins made arrange
ments to go to Colorado, where he en-
gagged in mining at California Gulch-
This proved disastrous and he lost all
his means He was then employed by
the month as a laborer in the gold diggings in
the winter of 1s606l. In the summer he went
into the grocery business at Gold Dirt with
partner III d snort LllI6 dIIer commencement
this partner was intrusted with all the capital
OF the firm to go to Omaha Neb.. and lay in a
new stock of groceries and took that occasion
Ito go for parts unknown without taking Mr..
Perkins in his confidence the subject For
this reason he was again forced to hire out by
the month at Missouri Gulch, where he re-
NAMED until his father wrote for him TO return
home, in January, 1852
After returning to Illinois, in July 1862 he en-
listed in company D, Eighty-third Illinois vol
unteer infantry, and at the organization of the
company was made of its SergeantS. This
regiment was ordered to the field and stationed
at Forts Henry and DonelSon, spending great
deal Of time scouting through the surrounding
country looking for guerillas.
In December, 1853, by order OF Adit.-Gen-
Thomas, he reported at GAINESVILLE, Tenn, to
act as adjutant of the Sixteenth United States
colored infantry, which regiment he then as
sisted in organizing. Soon after entering the
field in this capacity he was sent to Chat
tanooga, and was in the raid: under
commanding officers from that place
He then served through the Nashville
campaign under Gen. Thomas, soon after which
he was commissioned captain and assigned to
duty in charge Of company c, and given indie
pendent command of the block houses and ap-
proaches to Chattanooga on the north side Of
the Tennessee river. He served in this capacity
until detailed by Gen. Stedman to act as Judge
advocate of a general court martial convened at
Chattanooga, which position he held for several
weeks. Returning to his command, in =
short time he was again detailed for
the duty by Gen. Gfnem, who
had succeeded Gen. Stedman in command Of the
district However, he did not serve long until
he was detailed acting adiutant general of the
post Of Chattanooga This position was very
important one, as Chattanooga was at such time
the supply depot of the army of the Cumber-
land, and the post at which the refugees drew
their supplies for large section of country.
He held this position until May, 1856, when he
returned to Nashville, Tenn, and was mustered
out of service.
After leaving the service Capt Perkins made
arrangements to go to South America He was
offered a position in the treasury department at
Washington which he declined He gave up his
South American project and returned to Ilt-
nois and entered the study of law at Ottawa with
o. c. Gray, one of the prominent lawyers OF tina,
place, and was admitted to the bar in July, 1867
He then went on a visit to Princeton. Ind, and
was induced by friends to locate at that place
| He was doing well in the legal profession, when
| in April, 1852 he resolved to go west After
| looking over Kansas for several weeks he de
cided to locate at Oswego- With w. p. Bishop
he entered into his profession.
Judge Perkins was married April II, 1872, Al
Columbus, O., to Louisa Cushman, daughter Of
| George w. Cushman, relative of Charlotte
eastman, and a merchant Of that place
Soon after his arrival in Oswego in May, 1869
| he was appointed county attorney. In the fol
| lowing November on account of his partner, Mr.
Bishop, being candidate for the legislature, h
| refused to be candidate for that oface II
| November, 1870, he elected probate judge
| reelected in 1872 and held that office IN
| til February, 1873, when he was appointes
| by Gov. Osborn judge of the Eleventh iudicia
| district, upon the resignation OF Judge WEBB
He served as Judge until he was elected to the
| FOrty-eighth congress as congreSSman-at-large
| He was reelected to the Forty-ninth, Fiftietl
| and Fifty-frSt congresses and was a candidate
| for reelection last year This time he was NO
| SO successful and was defeated by the alliancs
| candidate, Benjamin H Clover. Since tina
| time he has been pracGcing law in Washington
| UNEASY MEXICO.