Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-11-09

United States and the Spanish posses
sions. laid out the city Of Washington,
ID. c., and died professor of mathematics
at the military academy at West Point.
Mr.. Bliss left Fort Howard at too early
an age to have any recollection OF the
state was at Prairie du Chen in the
summer of 1882, where, with his father
and mother, he spent several weeks as
the guest of Col. Zachary Taylor, after
ward President of the United States.
1t was during this visit that Mr.. Bliss
made the acquaintance of Zachary Tay-
lor's son, who afterward became Gen.
Dick Taylor of the ~Confederacy, and au-
thor of OBSTRUCTION and Reconcentra-
ton" a most genial and good-hearted de-
scription of his military experience.
Mr.. Bliss takes great pleasure in relat-
ing the following little incident which oc-
Cured at that time, and which While of
great Importance to some of Americas
prominent history makers is not known
by the general public.
Jeff Davis was a lieutenant at the post
and very devoted to Col. Taylor's daugh-
ter, Miss Knox Taylor. Young Davis
was most cordially disliked by Col. Tay-
lor and his case seemed hopeless. but as
his love was reciprOcated by the lady the
two settled the matter by an elopement.
Said Mr.. Bliss in speaking of the Incl
dent: Il do not think Mrs. Davis ever
saw any of her family again. About three
years after the elOpement and while | was
again a guest at Col. Taylor's having
JOurneyed from Fort Smelling to Prairie
du Chen in a birch bark canoe), the fami-
ly was deeply afflicted by hearing Of her
death.
81 have no other personal recollections
of my early experiences in Wisconsin"
said Mr.. Bliss to the correspondent who
had asked him concerning his life there.
GGb,,+ T how n oftoD bnorS m fo+hpr coooE
of the great number Of Indians about the
fort and Of the quantity of wild ducks and
deer which served to vary their army bill
of fare.
"Some forty-ive or fifty years ago the
Rev. Eleazier Williams claimed to be the
dauphin of France, son of Louis AV1.
and Marie A-ntoinette, which gave rise to
an animated discussion throughout the
land as to whether we had "a Bourbon
amongst u.s. to the great amusement of
my mother, who knew him we'll at Fort
Howard and never considered him any
thing else than a half-breed Indian, Of
whom he possessed all the characteristics
with the gloss Of civilization"
Sketch of Mr.. Bliss Career.
Mr.. Bliss was educated in the Cincin-
natl college, studied civil engineering and
then took up law. He attended a course
of lectures at Harvard university and
was admitted to the bar at Albany, n. Y.
in 1917. He soon gave up the practice of
the law, however, and came to Erie in
1855, where he engaged in a manufactur-
ing enterprise. In 1864, he, with another
man, purchased the plant of the Erie
City Iron works. which was established
in 1910. This institution occupies a large
area of ground i'll the eastern section of
the city and the annual output reaches
nearly $1.50O,0OO in value. The devel-
opment of this plant has been to a great
extent the life work of Mr.. Bliss, wEo
was ably assisted by the late George Sci
den, and much of its success is due to
their u~ntiring energy and devotion. While
the location of birth may be said to be an
accident, Wisconsin may well be proud to
call John H. Bliss a native of that pro-
g~ressive state.
Although over 70 years of age Mr..
Bliss walks with erect mien and firm
step. 1t is doubtful whether Erie has a
greater or more conscientious worker in
the field of charity than Mr.. Bliss.
In politics he has been a lifelong Jack
sOnian Democrat. but always putting the
best interests of the people ahead of party
allegiance. He is a memberOf the Sons of
the Revolution, to which distinction he is
justly entitled by both his paternal and
maternal ancestors.