The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-05-28
SECRETARY GREsHAM's CAREER.
The Farmers Boy who Served in the Cab
inets of Two Presidents.

a
rank of major general Of volunteers dur
! ing the rebellion. He was for fourteen
years United States district Judge of In
diana and for eight years United States
circuit judge for Illinois, and held three
cabinet portfolios: Postmaster general
and secretary of the treasury under Ar
thur, and secretary of state under Cleve-
land.
Mr.. Gresham was born in Harrison
county, Ind, on st. Patricks day, 1882
His grandfather was a farmer honest,
faithful and courageous, particularly
noted for his piety. His father learned
the cabinet making trade, which he pur
sued together with farming. His courage
made him a most popular idol In his
IneighbOrhoOd, and he became colonel Of
militia. His mother, Sarah Davis, was of
Scotch Irish descent. The house in which
she lived until her death, a few years ago
and in which her distinguished son was
born was a humble cottage perhaps
twenty feet wide and thirty long, a story
and half in front, standing on side of
a hill past which runs the old Indiana
state road. Until his mothers death
Judge Gresham often visited her there.
In 1888 Gresham's father was elected
sheriff, and the next year was murdered
by Il noted desperate whom he had gone
to arrest. His mother was left a widow
with five small children. Walter O. was
but years old when his father was killed,
and Benjamin, the eldest, was 8. A strug-
gle ensued, but from the hard hand of
Ipenury they earned the right to live and
finally to prosper.
Benjamin, like his father, learned the
trade of carpenter but also clung to the
| 20 INT oF IL i
sistanoe of his brother Walter succeeded
in entering the seminary at Corydon, Two
years there and one at Bloomington uni
versity completed his education so far as
schooling was concerned, He began the
study of law under Judge w A. Porter,
one of the noted characters of southern
Indiana, while acting as deputy clerk, and
in 1851 entered into partnership with
Thomas G. Slaughter, an eminent lawyer
of that time and afterwards judge of the
circuit court.
To combine law and politics was then
the universal custom with young lawyers
in the United States, and Gresham was
no exception to the rule. His admission
to the bar and the Nebraska agitation
were coincident. The Whig party, with
which all of his political traditions were
associated, had dissolved In 1865 the Re
publican party was formed and with it
Gresham at once allied himself He
stumped his section of the State for
Pathfinder Fremont, who had been
nominated at Philadelphia. In the law
Gresham had gained u good reputation as
a careful, painstaking lawyer.
Meantime the country was sweeping on
to great events. Mr.. Gresham was elected
to the legislature, where he, as chairman
of the committee on military affairs,
brought forward a militia bill which
placed Indiana on a war footing. With
the first shrek of wars alarm Governor
Morton appointed him lieutenant colonel
of the Thirty eighth Indiana, but before
he saw active service he was appointed
colonel of the Fifty third Indiana. in De-
cember, 1861. Gresham's regiment was
ordered to join Grant after Donaldson.
Gresham was guarding the station at
Savannah when the battle of Pittsburp
Landing (Shiloh) occurred He partici,
, pated in the siege of Corinth, however, and
later took part in Grants Mississippi
campaign and the siege of Vicksburg Au,
gust II, 1868, he was appointed brigadiel
general on the recommendation of Grant
and Sherman, and placed in command Of
/ the Natchez district.
In the following spring he was placed
in command of the division of the Seven
teenth corps of the army of the Tennessee
which took part in the campaign agains
! Atlanta. He was in the battle of Kene
saw Mountain aud in the engagement
, that.followed until July 20. Al Leggett
Hill before Atlanta, he was struck by
: lsharpshooter's bullet just below the knee
! 1t was a dreadful wound, and kept thu
gallant general off the field for year. Il,
. the day of his death Gresham never recov
cred the full use Of his limb. Many time
. the surgeons said the leg must come of
but the sufferer replied ''When that lei
goes l go too" He saved the leg, but wa
on crutches for several years
- The war over General Gresham returnel
4 to his profession, forming law partner
!, ship at New Albany, Ind, In 1866 he wa
nominated for congress against NJ.
Kerr, but the district was heavily Demo
cratic, and he was defeated. When Gen
sral Grant became president he offere
him the collectorship Of the port Of Ney
+" Orleans, the second best office of the kin
: IN the country, but he declined, as he di
!, she position of United States district al
- torney of Indiana.
= He was finally prevailed upon to accep
3 the United States district judgeship fo
- Indiana. which he held until April, 1888;
y When Garfield was forming his cablne
y S9reshaIn's name was among those orig
nally agreed upon Blaine particular
= urged his selection. The situation becam
= such that Garfield was compelled tOmodif
his original intention and Gresham wa
- not invited TO accepta portfolio. CARTEL
was assassinated and Arthur suceeede
y him. When Postmaster General How
- died ia April, 1883 Gresham, then holdin
- court at Evansville, was rendered the cab
a net position by telegraph and accepts,
~ Near the close Of Arthurs term, on u
ne daath Of Cecretarv Fcloer he was annoints