The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-15
STORIES OF JACKSON
EX-SENATOR JONES, OF IOWA, RE-
CALLS THE LONG, LONG AGO.
He Was the Godfather of Wisconsin,
He Named that State, Also Town, and
Was "a Power in the Land.


~
Advertiser.
Ex-senator George William Jones, OF
Dubuque, Ia, the man who stood sponsor
to Wisconsin and Iowa and named both
States. and a contemporary of President
Jackson. was in this city the other day.
and to a Commercial Advertiser corre-
spondent thus talked about the times when
he was a Senator in Washington: 81 grad
uated from the Pennsylvania University at
Lexington. KY. in July. 1872 said Mr..
Jones. Henry Clay was my college
guardian. While at college 1 was the
sergeant of Gen. Andrew Jackson's body
guard. and well do / remember the man.
ne- in which he Travelled. He came into
Lexington followed by 10000 citizens as
escorts. He had his own large family car
riage. drawn by four blooded horses; there
We're two negro men on the drivers seat
and one negro who acted as outrider.
When riding in the carriage he would call
TO the outrider. order him TO dismount
and he would get on the horse himself.
1t was an imposing spectacle, showing
how affairs were often conducted in quite
a regal manner in those days. 1 shall
never forget the reception accorded him
on that occasion. When riding on horse
back we conversed together and / told
AlAl oDOu( a VI Aio III l.
knew.
Next spring / was sergeant OF the body
guard which acted as escort to Lafayette.
the French patriot who took such a strong
part in the struggle for American indie
pendence. and who was then travelling all
over the country, having been invited here
by the United States Congress in testimony
Of the high esteem in which he was held
by this government, and as an evidence of
the gratitude entertained toward him for
past services. There were thousands of per-
sons in the Lexington body-guard. After
graduating from college 1 entered a law
office and applied myself to the study of
Blackstone and other legal authorities. In
1911, / forgot 70 say, l was drummer boy
at Ste. Genevieve. Mo-, and it is for this
as well as for the services in the Black
Hawk war that I am drawing a pension to-
day, -
Court at Ste. Genevieve died. My brother
in-law and a number of prominent men
office. In due time, however, l received a
letter addressed to me, with the words.
clerk of the District Court on the en-
velope. 1t was a formidable looking docu-
ment and the postage on it was 81; 1t
proved to be my appointment to the office.
held the Office for four years. In TN. the
rae to give up the position, as my health
had suffered from confinement. 1 told him
L didn't want TO give 1t up.
"'Well, then you'll lose Josephine for a
sweatheart,' he replied.
A this / reflected very seriously, but
the argument was certainly unanswerable.
I'll give it up. I'll go to Michigan Terri
tory L replied.
IN MICHIGAN IN 1927.
80 / went in 1927 to Sinsinaway noun
tains, which were in Michigan then, but
are in Wisconsin now. 1 engaged in mer-
chandising, farming and smelling, and lived
on the coarsest food, with the result that
soon my health became better. / rode fif-
teen miles a day on horseback also. The
Black Hawk war breaking out in 1882, Gen.
eral Dodge sent his son and adjutant to
me to ask me to be his aid-de-camp. l
assented at once, for the Indians had killed
my brother-in-law in a shocking manner,
They had cut him literally all to pieces,
and his heart was given 10 the boys to oil.
vide and eat I was elected as colonel OF
the militia and was commissioned as such
by Governor Porter, OF Detroit. My COM
petitor was Colonel William S. Hamilton,
son of Alexander Hamilton. who was
which i need not speak at length. 1 then
organized a cavalry company.
One day q committee waited upon me and
urged me to accept their recommendation
to Governor Porter of my appointment as
Chief Justice. / replied that i was not
qualified, that l was not a lawyer Of ability
and that some other person more fitting
should be found. The report Of the meet
ing of the COMMITTEES, when they recon-
the Governor, together with the statements
about my refusal to accept the nomination.
stephen t. Mason. the secretary of the
Governor. said TO Governor Porter, as /
afterward learned that l was the choice Of
the meeting and should be appointed, as the
citizens wanted such action.
"Well, the Governor sent the appointment,
and I acted as Chief Justice for three years.
l was then nominated as a candidate I1r
lam w. Woodbridge. of Detroit, Morgan L.
Martin and Hon. James ID. Doty, all three
of whom afterward went to Congress.
When I arrived at Washington after my
election a friend took me to call upo
President Jackson He introduced me as
his friend. Jones, of Michigan.
Jones' said the President, IF now he
were from Missouri, I'd think I'd seen him
before. / remember a Jones there
I'm the JONES' l said.
"'Give me your hand, my young friend
he said heartily.
81 worked hard to get Michigan admitted
as %sr a state, and da to s seParsfs Wisconsin sbS gsTe
Wisconsin its name. In connection with
the Apprentices for the new Territory, I
! certain letter to President Jackson. One
day Donaldson, his secretary, came. to me.
n General wants 10 see YOU he said:
What General? l asked, although /
knew we'll.
General Jackson
"'Oh, you mean the PRESIDENT"
1tS.
What does he want to see me about?'
".About a certain saucy letter you wrote
him about making your own appointees.
Old Hickory is foaming at the mouth, 1 tell
you
I'll go over right OFF,
A HEARTY RECEPTION.
$50 I drove to the White House. General
Jackson was seated before a big table with
his feet on it, and in his mouth vas a pipe
with a stem two feet long. He called out
to me heartily:
wal in and take a seat, my son. ]
nave received your letter. You claim you
want ell these offices for your c~onsti,u-
ents?'
81 do, SIR
do you not know the Office of a Gov
ernor Of a Territory is an important one?
Do you think you have any one who is
qualified to fill such a posltion?'
+" do think that. sir
who is it?' he asked.
General Dodge
General Dodge. 1 don't know him.
Where IS hep
He is now colonel of cavalry in the
Rocky mountains
That is the man your constituents
want for Governor
Yes, sir; that Is the man.
"'You know this is an unprecedented re-
ouest?'
~ fear so.'
"Hitherto these officers nave all been
appointed by the Slater
Eyes. sir
"'Well, my son. you shall have him
Notwithstanding my Cabinet opposes him
you shall have him, / promise you
How about the other officers, sir
n10 4D~E 0fxrA xvn1r h frd1nc