Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-09-15


Col. James A. Sexton, of Chicago,
the new commander-in-chief of the G.
A. R., was born in Chicago, January 5,
1874. When Lincoln, in 1861, issued
the call for $4,000 volunteers, Col. Sex.
ton enlisted, on April 10, 1861, as q
private soldier. He was then only II
years old. After three months serv-
ice he re-enlisted in the Sixty-seventh
Illinois volunteer infantry, and was
commissioned first lieutenant. He
was later transferred to the Seventy
second Illinois volunteers, and was
made captain of Company D. He
served in Ransom's brigade, Near
thurs division, Seventeenth army
corps, of the army of Tennessee, and
participated in it's campaigns, sieges
and battles.
AS a regimental commander, he
fought his regiment in the battles OF
Columbia, Duck River, Spring Hill,
Franklin and Nashville, and through
out the Nashville campaign. In 1868
he was on the staff of Maj.-Gen. A. J.
Smith, the commander of the Six
tenth army corps, and remained with
Smith until the end of the war.
AT Tic ASSAULT anu capture VI LuC
fort at Mobile, April IS, 1865, his left
leg was broken below the knee, being
struck by "a piece of shell. He was
wounded at the battle of Franklin,
and at the battle of Nashville.
After the war he remained two
years in Alabama, owning a planta-
ton near Montgomery. In 1867 he re-
turned to Chicago and founded the
firm of J. A. & T. s. Sexton. In 1872,
after the Chicago fire, this firm was
succeeded by Gribben & Co., and is
still manufacturing stoves, hollow
ware, etc.
Col. Sexton has been prosperous
and an active citizen in every move =
ment for the public. President Har-
rison made him postmaster of Chicago
in April, 1889. Col. Sexton gave him
self up to his duties as postmaster,
and did much to make the Office a
well-managed public concern. The
Worlds fair was held during his term.
He is an active worker in the G. A.
R., the military order of the Loyal
Legion, and other soldier and army So
cieties. He is a past commander of
the department of Illinois, G.. A. r. AT
the present time he is president of the
board of trustees of the Illinois state
soldiers home at Quincy. He has been
a presidential elector, a Lincoln park
commissioner, a colonel in the Illinois
national guard, and has held several
positions of honor and responsibility
in the state.
The National Encampment Proper.
There were about 200 national del
egates present when the encampment
proper was called to order at Music
hall at 10 a. m, with Charles Vented
as officer of the day. The welcome adj
dress was delivered by Gov. Bushnell
of Ohio with n supplemental welcome
address by Mayor Tafel of Cincinnati
and by NJ. E. ingalls,, chairman of the
citizens committee, and president of
the Big Four and Chesapeake & Ohio
railways. There was excellent music
for the opening session, and the hall
was deliberately decorated.
In his response Commander-in-Chief
Goblin referred most eloquently to the
attractions of the week and the lavish
entertainment of the citizens of Gin
cinnati.
Gen. Gobin's Present.
Gen. Goblin wore a fine gold watch
and chain that had been presented
him, at the camp fire Wednesday
night, by his old comrades of the For
ty-seventh Pennsylvania regiment.
and on the assembling of the encamp-
ment he was presented with fine
gavel made of historic timber.
The encampment will have much
work in considering the proposed re-
vision of the ritual and also in consid-
ering propositions for amalgamation.
Sentiment In Favor of Blue and Gray Meet
ing Together.
There is more sentiment in favor OF
uniting those who fought on different
sides in the same war, and resolu-
ton will be offered inviting the con-
federate veterans to meet with g. A.
r. next year. The Missouri delegation
will likely present the resolution, as
that state was about equally divided
during the civil war. If no joint en-
campment is arranged it is proposed
70 have fraternaI delegates sent from