Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-01-14


 church yard. His mother, while on her death-bed, gave her son to a paternal cousin, Miss Sarah Ann Ellington, of Wilmington, N. C., q daughter of Gen John A. Ellington of revolutionary fame, with whom he remained until sixteen years 1 of age, attending the best | schools during that time. The Lill- ing ton family were wealthy, which fact enabled hls foster mother to give him excellent opportunities for ac- quiring an education. Seeing he could expect nothing from his St. Lucia estate, and knowing he mus t seek his own fortune, he decided to venture at once, and at sixteen years of age he launched out upon the troubled sea of life-his own pilot going first to Connecticut, thence to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, thence down the Mississippi to Vicks burg, remaining there some months In 1886, and in his eighteenth year, he landed in Columbia, Chicot coun- ty, Ark, where lie remained for about a year and where he began the study of medicine, but gave itup, and in the latter part of 1887 heland- ed in Pine Bluff, Ark, when there were but eight log houses and one frame building, erected by one Cas- sanus, q Spaniard, and another un- der course of erection for tavern. After few months delay here MT. Bocage entered the law office of Gen. James Yell, studied law, and In 1s40 was admitted to the bar. He is now one of two survivors of the bar of 1S40, the other being the illustri- ous and venerable Gen Hhcrt Pike of Washington titA Mi i.oease Dracticed his profession here for years, and was attorney for the State for the Second judicial district from 1S44 to 1S49, being also judge of the county court. He was also school commissioner of the entire county under the old law, for four years, and during that time held all the funds for the county. He held number of special commissions and now has in his possession eleven civ il commissions. The excellent man. ner in which he discharged his off cial duties is too weIl-known to need  any additional words sofcompliment; suffice it to say that no man ever filled the office in SO capable and eiIi- l Icient manner On the breaking out of the Civil War he, in conjunction with Gen. Thomas Hindman. raised the Second Arkansas Infantry Regi- ment. Early in the war Mf. Bocage was commissioned lieutenant-c0lo- nel. and when Col. Hindman was promoted to brigadier. Lieut.-COl. Bocage was made colonel, serving l in that capacity the first year of the war. He was transferred to Texas to build up manufacturing interests for the Coniederacy, and remained there until the close of the war. He built at Mound Prairie, in Anderson county, number of manufactories- cotton, wool shoes, clothing and nearly all army supplies of like char acter. The great difficulty in pro curing proper machinery made his task trying one. He was courte- ous and kind to every one, and is well-known and highly respected throughout Texas. He surrendered to Gen. Heron at Shreveport, La, in 1865 Returning to his cid home at Pine Bluff, he east about him to see what next, and finding that his town has been the scene of a battle and was greatly damaged Col. Bo- cage decided to go into the lumber and building business.
 He formed partnership with Col. NJ. l.. .1Bell, and actively engaged In repairing and rebuilding the city, and i'll connection with their sa " mills and contracting, the firm erect ed an immense blaming mill and sash and door factory, which together with large lot of lumber was en- tirely destroyed by fire on August 24, 1873, without insurance. With wonderful pluck and energy the firm rebuilt and started the new works on the 1st of November following the fire This business was carried on until 1876. Col Bocage has done more to build up Pine Bluff than any other man. With others he engaged in the cotton-seed oil business, and also in the foundry business. and manufactured steam engines and cot ton presses, carrying on this indus try until the latter part of 1887, when he sold out He has been valuable man of the city. and is respected and esteemed for his sterling integrity, sober, sound judgment, broad Intel ligence and liberal progressive ideas. In April 1888, he was elected mayor of hfc attv bx q lo rese naiorifV over