Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-02-09
COL. JAMES A. SEXTON.

When he hrSt became SICK, Col. Sex.
ton was living at the Arlington hotel,
but about two weeks ago he was re-
moved to the Garfield hospital. where
he died.
Mrs. Sexton and her SON, William,
were with the colonel at the time OF
his death.
Last night the body was put aboard
the 7:20 train on the Pennsylvania
railroad to be taken to Chicago. There
were no funeral services in this city,
but six members of the grand army
acted as pail bearers, both when the
body was removed from the hospital
and when put aboard the train.
At Chicago, F. w. Spenk, quarter
master of the grand army, FL. z.
Thompson, assistant adjutant general,
and w. L. Smith, of the local legion.
will have charge of the military fun
eral arrangements.
Commander Arthur Hendricks, of the
department of the Potomac, G. A. R.,
yesterday issued a special order COM
memorative of Col Sexton. Many
floral tributes were received by the
family. including tributes from the
war investigating commission ana
President Mckinley, who sent beau
tiful wreath.
Sketch OF the Life of Gen. Sexton.
Chicago, Feb. Cool. James A. Sex
ton was born in Chicago, January s,
1874. He enlisted as private in the
Nineteenth Illinois, April 10, 1861, and
nff !, &hSs 4oI
in the Sixty-seyenth Illinois yolun-
teers, being commissioned as first lieut.
tenant of Co. E. He was subsequently
transferred to the Seventy-second Illi-
nois, and was made captain of Co. q.
He served in Ransom's brigade, Me-
Arthur's division of the Seventeenth
army corps, army of the Tennessee,
and participated in nearly all its
campaigns, sieges and battles. He was
commander of the regiment in the bat
tie of Columbia, Duck River, Spring
Hill, Franklin and Nashville, and
throughout the Nashville campaign.
In 1865 he was assigned to duty on
the staff of Maj.-Gen. A. j. Smith, COM
mander of the Sixteenth army corps,
and remained with Smith until the
close of the war. being honorably dis
charged in August, 1865. At the cap
ture of the Spanish fort at Mobile,
Ala, April 8, 1865, Col. Sexton had his
left leg broken below the knee by a
piece of shell. He was also slightly
wounded at the battle of Franklin,
and painfully wounded at the battle
of Nashville. He remained two years
in Alabama after the war, working a
plantation. which he had purchased
near Montgomery.
In 1867 he returned to Chicago and
entered business. founding the firm of
J. a. & T. S. Sexton. He was appoint
ed postmaster of Chicago by President
Harrison 1889. and was retained by
President Cleveland until he resigned
January i, 1895.
Col. Sexton was an active worker n
the Grand Army of the Republic, the
Military Order of the Loyal Legion
and other soldier and army societies.
He was past commander of the depart
ment of Illinois, G. A. r., and had
been a presidential elector, park COM
sioner and colonel in the Illinois ma
tional guard. At the last meeting OF
the Grand Army of the Republic he
was elected commander-in-chief, and
held this position at the time of his
death as well as that of member OF
the board of commissioners appointed
by the president to investigate the
conduct of the Spanish war.