The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-24
Especial Correspondence

!
dates = Colonel O'Ferrall, Lieutenant
Governor J. Hoge Tyler and Colonel A.
| S. Buford-had been canvassed and the
| sentiment tested at the primaries when
the delegates were selected. The sue
cessful candidate may naturally toss his
locks in pride that he was able to go into
such convention the choice of between
| HOO and 1900 delegates. His nomina-
ton means election, and probably by a
| good majority, as every delegate feels
that he has had a hand in making the
governor.
Mr.. OFerrall is now member of the
house, but will resign his congressional
seat for place in the Richmond execu-
tive mansion, which his wife, a well
known Richmond woman, will grace
with true southern tact and hospitality.
AS his name indicates, Mr.. O'Ferrall
is Of Irish descent, coming on the fathers
side from one Of those families which in
pioneer days pushed out into the rich
lands Of southwestern Virginia. His IA
ther was in the war of 1912, and his
mother was member of the Breen fam
| lily, an old one in his section.
Colonel O'Ferrall was born in Goose
town, near Winchester, and his So years
have been full of responsibility, for at Is
his father died, and he was appointed his
successor as clerk of the Morgan county
court. His fathers popularity and the
| fact that he had left but little means
caused young O'Ferrall to be elected
county clerk for the six year term.
The war broke out before the young
man was 81 years of age, and he entered
the Confederate army His county of
Morgan, now part of West Virginia,
was strongly pro- Union, sending several
companies to help put down the cause
for which young O'Ferrall and two 9TH
ers from the neighborhood of Berkeley
Springs and about 20 in the county
were fighting. The junior Confederate
first served under Turner Ashby, the
celebrated cavalry general. He rose
rapidly to a captaincy and then to the
rank Of colonel William L. Wilson, the
! West Virginia tariff reform congress
man and special favorite of President
| Cleveland, was one of Colonel O'Ferrall's
! troopers. Colonel O'Ferrall served in a
great many dashing cavalry fights in the
Shenandoah valley. with whose forests,
roads, hills and valleys he was familiar
from childhood. When the war closed,
he was in command Of all the cavalry in
| the valley, and fought one OF two battles
after Lee had surrendered, like many
other young and ardent Confederates
| falling to see that the inevitable had
happened and disbelieving the reports.
He made start toward joining General
Joseph Johnston, and finding he likewise
had yielded disbanded his forces.
It is not every man who has enjoyed
the privilege Of reading his own obituary
and knowing the good things people say
| of him now that he is no more, but Colo
mel O'Ferrall is one of those happy NOR
tails, even if the pleasure did come at the
expense of couple of bullet wounds.
Eight times he felt the sting of the
Union arms. Twice he was shot clear
through the body, and now he has the
two bullets as mementoes. One shot
went through the lungs and grazed his
heart. He was left for dead on the bat,
tIefcld near Upperville, Fauquier coun-
ty. The gallant officer had some fine
things said Of him, and as he now reads
the sketches he laughs and tells his
friends that he is afraid they are much
more complimentary than the things said
of him now that he is alive.
There ware a good many southerners
who. the war over, wondered how they
were going to find livelihood. Colonel
| O'Ferrail was one Of them. He ned
neither business, profession nor money.
The future governor turned hotel keeper.
some friends aiding him to take charge