The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-12-30

iamio 7. Btggs dice asksIo =
Middletown, at 4 80 o-Ss .ss,sass
afternoon after lingering oN PN0
pneumonia. lie was sEeX-OvS'
by his immediate relative . ex
Attorney General John B, Best "a DR..
Wm. p. Bullock. his phssicnn. He
had much improved in health, and some
hopes OF his recovery were entertained
bus change for the worse set In,
however, and it was sad Christmas
in tbs Biggs mansion. Death was calm
and peaceful JUS before be hreathod
his last, Mr. Biggs said be was ready
and willing to go is it was the desire of
the Almighty. With these words upon
his lips, the old PIowboy Governor
passed away.
Benjamin. Thomas Biggs WIS the eldest
son al John BIgg5, prominent farmer
| OF Pencader hundred, New Castle county
! He was born October /, 1921, il Mary
| land. IL his youth he attended tie
schools in his reighborhood, studying
the branches Of instruction usually given
ia the private schools of that time.
When nineteen years cid no went as
student to Pennington Seminary, New
Jersey, an institution under the care of
the New Jersey NJ. E Conference.
After TWO years of study there, lie
taught private school two years and
then entered the Wesleyan University,
at Middletown, COun.
Returning home from this restitution
be engaged in farming, pursuit which
was particularly agreeable to his taste
and cultivated, on his fathers farm.
eerea! and peaches for twenty years.
Although agricultural pursuits were
his chief delight and occupation, his
natural and acquired capacity for pablo
responsibilities brought him, By . sort
of affinity, into the arena Of public life.
His tact and ability, both literary and
forensic, made him conspicuous in the
discussion Of questions OF public interest
He was prominent figure in the assem-
blies Of the people. In 1916 he was com
missioned b. Gov. William Temple |
major of the Delaware regiment which
was intended for service in Mexico in
event of war with that Country. In 1852
lie was elected a member OF the CONVEX
ton which was called TO amend the
state constitution.
Ceasing about that time TO be Wing, |
because the party had about fulfilled lis
mission, and declining TO unite with the
Know Nothing party, because he deemed
i. tco proscriptive, LIE began, in 1854, TO |
affiliate with tue Democratic party, and |
became identified with II.
IL 1860 he was a candidate OF chat |
party for Congress, tut was defeated by |
Hon. George p. Fisher by 247 votes
In 1867 ho Was eleC.ad director OF the |
Queen Auues aud Kent County Railroad |
aad in 1874 was made president OF the |
company, and renamed in that poaitIon
up to the time OF his death. L. 1868 nc |
was again nominated Tor Congress and |
was elected By a majority OF 3 300. Two
years altel ward he was reu0minated and |
again elected by !. 525 mi Jrity. In 1877 |
he removed from his farm, which had |
been partly inherited, but chiefly pur |
chased from the coheirs OF his fathers |
estate, to middeto1u, aud resided il the |
handsome residence he had built there |
After his service in Congress aud return |
to his layorige pursuits on the farm, he |
gave particular attention TO the culture |
of peaches and had emiueut success,
In 1856 he was selected by his party as
their candidate for governor of the state.
After an exciting and vigorously con-
Quoted contest, both before and III the |
convention that nominated him, he was
chosen as the cardidata BY vote of l02 |
out OF $50 ballots cast. The people oou
firmed this choice by a majority OF 6, 10 |
over James Hoffecker, the nominee OF
the Temperance Reform party. Ex-Gov |
ernor Biggs was married on May is, 1858 |
to Miss Mary 5. Bseknan. OF Grisgs |
town. n. j. Three out of their five |
children survive. John, a graduate OF
Princeton, who studied law with Victor |
Du Pout OF this city, was admitted to |
the bar IN November, 1879 He was, IN |
1855, appointed attorney general Of the
state, having been previously deputy |
under Attorney General John II. Paynyer !
0! Georgetown; Jennie, . graduate of |
the Wesleyan College, Wilmington, and
Willard, who is graduate of Fort Ed |
ward, y. Y, VINO lives in MiddletOwD,
aud gives bis attention 20 peach culture
and manages the real estate ID Maryland |
Mr.. Brggs was director of the Citizens |
National Bank, Of MiddleJown, having |
been elected to that position in 1869, and |
was member OF The Methodist EpiscJ-
pa! church there.
The funeral was held on Thursday
morning the attend being extremely
large, though the weather vas very
unpleasant. Tho iatermaua was made at
Bethel This Rev, Frank Moore of Forest
Presbyterian Church, aud the Rev. N.
NJ. Browne Of the y. Z. Church Off
piltal