The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1892-01-08
q - sENAToR.

Brief Biographical sketch OF Hon sElaaoF
W. Perkins, she NsWly-A pPointod Se1l-
ltor-
Following is q sketch OF the life OF
Hon Bishop w Perkins,;
Bishop " Perkins IS native OF Rochester
LoEaiu county o. and was born October IS. lsil-
He Is a descendant OF John Perkins who sailed
from Windsor, England, for the colonies in 1850
and the family Eeuealogy is preserved upon
tomb at Beckett Mass some OF the family were
soldiers In the revolutionary |ar. BIS grand
father b. C. Perkins, WAS FOR several years Q
member OF the Massachusetts, legislature his
father, Judge b. q, Perkins, was a leading man
in politics an aboIitionist Of the Birney school,
and Tor several years one Of the associate judges
Of L1orain county, o.
When Bishop W. thasubiect Of this sketch.
was eight years Of age, his mother died When
he was fourteen lac moved 70 Mercer county
III, at the place which Is now known as Viola
Of which his father was one OF the toundefa-
When Bishop W. Perkins was about siEteel
he entered Knox college az Gslesburg- M
where he remained "a part Of two years On re-
turning home during the winter vacation Of
ls5960 his father told him that ne could not
turn 20 college until the following SeptslubeE,
and accordingly young Perkins made arrange
ments 10 60 60 Colorado where he en-
gagged in mining at California Gulch-
his means he was then employed By
the month as a laborer in the gold diggings in
the winter OF ls50-6l- In the summer he went
into the grocery business AT Gold Dire with
Partner. Ia q short time after commencement
this partner was intrusted with all the capital
OF The nrm TO go % Omaha Neb- ana tay IN q
new stock Of groceries and took that occasion
to go for parts unknown without taking Mr.,
Perkins in his confidence on the subject. For
this reason he was again forced TO hire out by
the month Missouri Gulch- where he re-
maincd until his father wrote for him TO return
home, in January. 1852
After returning TO Illinois. 10 July. 1852 he en-
listed in company D. Eighty-third Illinois vol
company was made one OF ITS sergeaulS- This
regiment was ordered 90 the held and stationed
At Forts Henry and Donelson, spending a great
deal Of time scouting through the surrounding
country looking for guerillas-
In December, 1883, by order Of Adjt--Gien-
Thomas, he reported at Clarksville, Tenn, TO
act A. adiutant of the Sixteenth United states
colored infantry which regiment he then as
sisted iu Organizing. soon after ents ring the
field in this capacity ne was sent 10 Chat
tanOOgas and was in the raids under
Gems. Stedmau, BosScau ana other
commanding ofnCers from that place
He then served through the Nashville
campaign under Gen. Thomas, soon after which
he was commissioned captain and assigned 70
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 StedmaB TO act as Judge
/ advocate Of a general court martial convened at
Chat tanooga, which position he held for several
weeks. Returning 70 his command in a
short time he again detailed for
the same duty by Gen Gilemr who
had succeeded Gen Stedman in command Of the
district However, he did not serve long until
l he was detailed acting adjutant general OF the
post OF CHATTANOOGA This position was very
important one as chattanooga WIS az such lLLls
the supply depot OF the army OF the CUmbsF-
land and the post which the refugees drew
their supplies for large section OF country.
He held this position until May, 1895, when ne
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 position in the treasury department at
Washington which ne declined He gave up his
South American project and returned 60 Hli-
nois and entered the study OF law at Ottawa with
o. c. Gray one Of the prominent lawyers OF that
place, and was admitted TO the bar in july 1857.
He then went on a visit 10 Princeton. Ind, and
was induced by friends TO locate at that place
He doing well in the legal profession, when
| in April, 1862, he resolved TO go west After
] looking over Kansas for several weeks he de
Cided TO locate at OsweEo With W. p. Bishop
I he entered into his profession
Judge Perkins married April 90. 1872. at
| Columbus, O., 10 Louisa Cushman, daughter OF
/ George W. Cushman, relative Of Charlotte
/ Cushman. and merchant Of that place
soon after his arrival i'm OsweEo, in May 1852
I he was appointed county attorney. Ia the fol
/ lowing November on account Of his partner Mr
| refused TO be candidate for that once. In
! reelected in 1872 and held that once Un
! til February, 1873, when he was appointed
! by Gov Osborn judge OF the Eleventh judicis
{ district, upon the resignation Of Judge Webb
/ He served IS judge until he was elected TO the
| Eorty-eiEhth congress as conEressm au-at -large
He was reelected 10 the Forty-niuth- FiftietE
I and Fifty-hrst congresses and was a candida q
] for reelection last year. This time no mo-
! so successful and was defeated by the alliance
/ candidate, Benjamin II. Glover. Since tina
time he has been practicing law in Washington