Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-09-08
CLAIMED BY DEATH
Another Prominent Figure of
Last Generation.
HAMILTON FISH SUDDENLY TAKEN

In His Usual Health at Night and In Good
Spirits, and Victim of the Grim Terror
by Morning-Brief Account of His Ca
reer and Public Services-Representa
tive. Senator, Governor, and Secretary of
State.
NEW YORK, Sept s-Hon. Hamilton
Fish, President Grants secretary of state.
died at o'clock yesterday morning at his
country house on the Hudson river at
Garrison. His death was very sudden, and
was great shock t. every one who knew
him, as the night before he was in good
health and the best of spirits. He was,
however, SIS years old, and the physicians
give the cause of the disease as "heart fail
ure." He leaves six children-Hamilton
Fish, lawyer; Nicholas Fish, of the firm OF
Hartman & company, bankers; Mr.. Stuy-
vesant Fish, president of the Illinois Cen.
trail railroad; Mrs. A. j. Benjamin, Mrs L.
l.. Rogers ald Mrs. Sydney Webster.
Selected His Own PaIl-Bearers.
Mr.. Fish selected his own pall-bearers
some time ago. feeling that his lease of life
was precarious. They are as follows
II,
William c. .Schermerhorn: President Seth
Low, of Columbia college; Benjamin D..
Silliman, Hon. j. C. Bancroft Davis. Johr
l.. Cadwallader, John Schuyler and Hon,
John jay, of katonah. He was a staunch
Episcopal churchman and the funeral will
be held at St Phillips church in the
Highlands and be CONDUCTED b. the rector,
Rev. DR.. Walter Thompson, assisted by
IL.
His wife died in 1879.
Came of Good Old Family.
Hamilton Fish was the son of Colonel
Nicholas Fish, an officer in the Revolu-
tionary army. and his mother was Stuy
vesant, descendant Of the Dutch colonial
governor His birth took place in this
city, Aug. B. 1908. He was named Hamil-
ton in honor of Alexander Hamilton who
was his fathers close personal friend. He
was graduated at Columbia college in 1927
and began practicing law in 1880. In pol
itics he was a Wing and was elected to
congress in S42 by that party. In 1916 he
ran as a Wing for lieutenant governor OF
the state and was elected governor in IS4s
In 1851 he was sent TO the United States
senate and before his term expired he en-
tered the Republican party with Seward
and others
His Services During the War.
After his term as senator expired he
went to Europe and had scarcely returned
when the war of the rebellion broke out
He became Immediately prominent on the
national side and was much relied upon
by Lincoln. His chief service during the
war was in conjunction with Bishop Ames
when they were sent as commission TO
visit southern prisons and relieve the ne
cissities of Uuion prisoners. They were
not permitted to do so, but through their
work an agl cement for general exchange
of prisoners was made that WAS observe
to the end of the war
Position in Grants Cabinet.
He was Grant man in 1865, and when
the old commander was elected he APP
pointed Fish secretary of state, repeatil =
the appointment when elected the second
time He did not serve out this second
term. Viii. in Office he introduced sys-
TEN of exam nations for would-be cousuls.
He went out of office in 1877. During
his incumbency he assisted in the regotia-
tion of the treaty of Washington, the
agreement that settled the northwestern
boundary dispute, the Alabama claims
arbitration and the Virg; Mus question
with SPAIN.
Governor Fish was for some years presi-
dent of the New York Historical society,
and was president general of the New y ork
Society of the Cincinnati