The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-25
j. w. SPRAGUE DEAD.
A Distinguished Soldier and
Man of Business.
ONE OF Tscoma's FOUNDERS.


TAcosa. Dec. 2l-fspec;al Maj. Gen.
John ". EpFag1s died today OF heart fail
urs. He suffered from bladder troaoies
complicated with heart disease Tester-
day he had trouble In breathing. and, a.
though be rallied, he steadily lost strength.
At midnight he called the members OF his
family 20 hi. bedside and bads them good
BIZ. At4 O'Clock this afternoon be passed
ssaY.
The in.errens viii take place here.
probably under the direction OF the Loyal
Legion. Of which be was . prominent
member.
John Wilson sprsgne was born 81
White Greek, Washington county. y. Y,
April 4, 1917. While he was very young
his father moved TO Troy. Here he at
tended common school and later the Rens-
sslear Polytechnic institute. at the sge
of 3 be en- tered the wholesale and retail
grocery business. which he prosecuted
successfully until be vas u. In 1915 Gen.
Sprague removed 10 Huron and engaged
Ia lake commerce and railroad business.
His line of steamers and sailing vessels
became widely known. Immediately on
the breaking out Of the rebellion be raised
q company in his town. which was as
signed TO the Seventh Ohio infantry On
the reorganization of the regiment
and enlistment for three years they
were ordered 10 West Virginia.
In August. le6i, on the Big Birch
river, he was captured and was for six
weeks confined in a tobacco house. Mr..
sprague steadily rose in the service, re-
ceiving commissions as follows: Captain,
Seventh REGIMENT. United States volun-
teers. June II. 1851; colonel. sixty.third
regiment. United States infantry. Janu-
ary g. 1892 brigadier general, July 50.
1868. In isG6 he was offered and declined
commission as Northumberland in
the United States army. An incident in
his army experience which the general
looked back to with pleasure is that when
his regiment was re-eniisted IN 1st5, only
seven refused to continue in the service.
After the armies were mustered out Gen.
sprague was offered iieutsnant-coloneiey
In the regular army, but declined. and
was appointed assistant commissioner for
the bureau of refugees. freedmen and
abandoned lands. with headquarters at st.
Louis. His territory included Missouri,
Kansas and the Indian territory. He
was next appointed general man
ager OF the Winona a. sc. Peter railroad,
with headquarters at Winona. Wis. He
held this position till April, 1870, when he
was made general superintendent of that
part of the Northern Pacific railroad west
of the Rocky mountains. With Capt.
Ainsworth he located Tacoma For thir-
teen years, notwithstanding falling health,
he continued 10 have charge of the North
ern Pacific, but In 1883 was compelled to
resign. In 1854 he had so far recovered
that he was one OF the organizers of the
Tacoma National bank, and was made its
first president. He was also one of the
charter members of the chamber of COM
merce and was its chief officer from its in
ception in 1854 until iSss. He was Ia
coma's first mayor under the present char
ter. and also organized the Tacoma Steam
Navigation Company. A number of build
prominent among these il the Sprague
building. which has n frontage OF 42i
feet on Pacific avenue. below fifteenth.
In ls43 Mr.. Sprague married Lucy Wright,
of Huron, o. She died within year.
leaving a daughter. After long remaining
a widower he married Miss Julia Frances
Choate, of Milan, o. She died eight years
ago, leaving four sons, Otis, Winthrop,
Clark w. and Charles, all of Tacoma.
About three years ego he was married at
Meadyille. Pa, to Mrs. A. W. Vance, a
sister of his first wife.
On receipt OF the news Of Gen. Sprague's
death, Col. Granville O. Halter. CON-
nander OF the Loyal Legion In this state,
a position which the general formerly
held, sent the following dispatch to Capt.
q. II. Hayden, Of Tacoma. the senior vice
comm ander:
"Piease announce to comrades the death oi
our iliustrious ex-commander and companion,
John w. sprasue In becoming terms, aud make
suitable arrangements. with consent OF his
family, for attendance OF the conmandery In q
body"