Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-07-24
THE LATE MAJOR TlBBITs.

THE LATE MAJOR THBBITS.
Prominent Connecticut Mana
Successful and Still PromisiEs |
Career Ended.
NEW LONDON, July 23.-Msjor John A. |
Tibbits died yesterday morning at the cot |
tage on Pequot avenue. where he went only |
few weeks sgo in the hope that rest and |
his native air would at least arrest the raw
ages of disease. Those nearest and dearest |
to him have INDUCED no hope of his recov-
cry for months past, and the end has come
as feared. He arrived home from Brad
| ford, England, only short time ago. His
/ career has been an honorable and brilliant
| one.
| John Arnold Tibbits was native Of New
London and born in 1874. His mother, a
New London lady, died when he was an In
FAINT, and his grandmother had charge of
him in his early years. His school days
| were record of creditable achievement in
the district and Bartlett high schools, East
Hampton and later at Williams college,
where, though his stay was but half the
| usual course, his abilities attracted atten-
ton.
His first contributions to the press ap-
peared in the Repository, small literary
publication Issued as an adjunct to book
store, snd many an anxious hour, as Mr..
Tibbits was pleased to relate, he spent on
publication day waiting for the appearance
of his article.
When the war broke out he was study
ing law in the Office of Judge George God
dard. Dropping his books he enlisted and
fought for the old flag in the old fighting
Fourteenth G. V.-the flag of which he
| spoke 80 eloquently in many a political
speech in our tatescampsigns years after
ward. His first battle in the war WAS at
| CORY Antietsm September II, 1862.
While climbing over a stone wall during
the engsgement Sergeant Tibbits, waving
His sword in his right hand, was a mark
for sharpshooter and mimic ball came
whizzirg through the air, striking the
palm of his right hand and coursing up
his arm to point above his wrist where it
came out. Nothing deunted by his wound
he changed the sword to his left hand and
] was almost Immediately struck by another
ball which entered his left arm above the
wrist and came out through the palm of
his hand. These wounds placed him hors
du combat. As ION after the engagement
as possible he was sent home and for a
| long time remained here, until his wounds
had healed and he was ready again to take
> up arms in defense of the country and his
principles.
He was promoted to the second lieuten-
3 | ancy of Company F, of the Fourteenth,
, and in that capacity participated in the
battle of Gettysburg, where the Fourteenth
bore distinguished part and full share
of the glory of the day and the regiment
was won by Lieutenant Tibbits Suisse
quently he was appointed captain and COM
i msssry of subsistence and assigned to
| Casters division under Sheridan, serving
in the Shenandoah valley. He was con.
spicuous for attention to duty and gallsn-
try in action in this capacity as in the line,
l service ended only with the end of the wal
| after the terrible campaign of the wilder
9 ness, He WAS brevetted major, az pro
o | motion he had earned, and his comrades IL
: | whatever branch of the service they had
9 shared, sum up his qualifications and mil
{ itary career by saying he was good sol
Q der.
\ Major Tibbits after the war engaged ir
: journalism. to which his tastes were in
9 fully as he had the sword. Immediately
l. after his return from the war he pur
chased an interest in the Star, then pub
q liehed by David s. Ruddock (~hose tai
form was frequently eeen in New HaveI
> at the time of the war; aud continued al
a editor of the paper until 1872, when tn,
r Star was absorbed by a new compsn,
composed of CORTLAND l.. Shepard, Joh1
A. Tibbits and John O. Turner. Thii
company began the publication OF the Tel
> egraph, and Mr., Tibbits assumed editoria
) control until 1881, when he formed new
n company to issue the Day. Major lib
a bits continued as editor of the Day uati
d he became United States consul at Brad
;. ford. England Major Tibbits excellet
n both as editor and reporter, and his re
q ports of the celebrated Malley trial in New
Haven to his paper were vigorous ant
graphic. The last newspaper work he die
was for the Day and consisted of letters
from Bradford, describing phases of Eng
: lish life as 1t came under his observation
II Although he had ceased to have fnancla
;, interest in the paper, he continued to ex
- hibit lively concern In its growth anc
SUCCESS
: Major Tibbits' political career is vel
known il the state. -
About 1866 Major Tibbits began III.
study of Jaw with Hon. Augustus Brande
n gee and slmost simultaneously entered the
J., political field, making speeches in the cam
. paigns aud doing yoeman's service up tc
> and including the last political campaign
His political life was eminently chsrac
teristic of the man. He was an ardent
|. partisan, believing in the principles an6
n
wsvered and admitted of no compromise
: in thought, word or deed But though he
a entered the lists at every political tourney
+ and fought with zeal and energy unsur
< passed, even his bitterest party opponents
9 were free to gsay that he was q honest
r politician, distinction that is all the more
: honorable for it's rarity.
In 1884 he made the campaign of Indi.
ana with James G. Blaine and received
many compliments from that distinguished
o leader. He also filed appointments to
. speak in New York state in the Hsyes
a Campaign and his work won high encomi.
, ums.
He habitually overworked himself in
every campaign and IS regularly took to
I his bed when the battle was over and the
excitement ended, with his nervous sys.
tenn for the time shattered. He never
| learned to spare himself, and to this more
than any other cause ia due his uutimely
8 | death.
Major Tlbbitt's frat federal Office was
the gift OF General Grants administration,
| an appointment as Pacific railroad director
on behalf of the United States government.
This was early in the seventies. and in
1877 President Hayes appointed him col
lector of the port of New London. At the