Mexico weekly ledger., 1900-10-18
BUCKHza.
Brief History Of the Lats Congress
man From the Ninth District
Of Missouri.

4
The following history Of Honorable
Ia. q. Buekner, deceased, will appear
in the Encyclopedia Of the History Of
Missouri, now In course OF publica-
tion:
Buckner, Aylett Hawes, Lawyer and
Congressman, was born at Freder-
icksburg, Virginia, December IA, lSlL
and died at Mexico, Missouri, Febru-
airy S, 1894. He was a son Of Richard
and Mildred lStrotherl Buckner. His
father died when AiYett II. Buckner
was fifteen years Of age leaving 8
widow and six sons, Of whom the sub
ject OF this sketch was the eldest, and
a heavily encountered estate. Prior
to his fathers death, Aylett H. Buck
ner was sent to Georgetown College,
District OF Columbia, and afterward
took his degree at the University OF
Virginia. Later he was instructed by
hisuncle, DR.. Aylett HAYES, who for
sixteen years represented the Culpep-
per virginia. District in Congress, and
who at the time OF his death liberat-
ed one hundred and twenty slaves,
and provided for their deportation to
Liberia. For a while young Bucmer
taught school. In 1887 he moved TO
Palmyra, Missouri, where he was APP
pointed a deputy sheriff. The day
time he devoted TO the duties OF his
once and the nights to the study Of
law. In 1888 he was admitted tol
practice by the Supreme Court Of
Missouri. He located at Bowling
Green, the county seat Of Pike coun-
ty, and for a number Of years Judge
lGilchrist Porter and himself were the
only resident lawyers Of that town.
About 1910 he purchased the salt
River Journal" which he managed
and edited, and supported through its
columns Martin Van Buren, for Pres
ident In 1910. In lS41 he was elected
Clerk OF the County Court Of Pike
County and refused denomination at
the end Of his term. During his period
in Office he diligently augmented his
knowledge by hard study of law. He
practiced at the bar Of Pike and other
northeastern counties until 1850, when
he removed to st. Louis and opened
an office there. In 1852 he was elected
attorney for the old MissouriStateBan
and the same year was appointed
Railroad Commissioner by Governor
Sterling Price in conjunction with
Claiborne +. Jackson and George W..
Hough. In 1855 he returned to Pike
County and took up his residence on q
farm near Bowling Green. In 1857 he
was elected Judge Of the Third Judi
cial Circuit, then comprised Of st.
Charles, Lincoln, Pike, Warren,
Montgomery and Galloway counties.
While serving as Judge he was elected
by the Legislature one of the five
delegates to represent Missouri in the
peace Congress- at Washington In
July, 1851. His colleagues from Mis-
souri, In the Congress were General
Alexander w. Doniphan, John ID.
Coulter, Hon. II. w. Hough and
Waldo p. Johnson. In 1862 Judge
Buckner removed to st. Charles, Mis-
souri, and became interested in the
manufacture OF tobacco in St. Louis.
In 1857 he was elected to attend a
convention OF tobacco manufacturers
at Cleveland and aided in establishing
a system OF stamping the manufacture
ed article. In 1868 he was chosen a
member OF the Democratic Central
Committee OF Missouri and In 1872
was sent as a delegate-at-large from
Missouri to the Baltimore Conven-
tion. The same year he was nomi-
mated for Congress from the Thir-
tenth, now the Ninth, District, was
elected and was his own successor for
five terms.
He was appointed on the Committee
OF Private Land Claims In the 43rd
Congress and became the leading
member of the committee. His
speeches on the civil rights bill and
on the contraction of the currency
during that Congress attracted wide
attention.
In the 44th Congress he was made
Chairman of the District of Columbia
COMMITTEES. During the session he
prepared an elaborate report on the
affairs of the District. Heserved dur
ing three terms Of Congress as Chair
man Of the Committee on Banking
and Currency, and as a member Of
the same committee zone other term In
a Republican Congress. His speech
on the resumption Of specie payment
and the National Banking System
was regarded as one Of the ablest on
that subject
In 1S4l Judge Buckner was married
to Mrs Eliza L. Minor, a daughter Of
James Clark, Of Lincoln County. His
widow resides at Mexico. BY the
union there are five children living,
all married, four Of whom reside at
Mexico. They are Captain James @.
Buckner, acaptain in the Confederate
army and at present Circuit Clerk Of
Audrain County; Charles A. Buckner,
merchant; Stonwall ]. Buckner, bank
er; Mildred, wife Of William +. Whit
ney, and Margaret, wife Of Rev. w.
II. Marques, Of Louisville, Ky.
Judge Buckner's long and useful
life in the public service makes his
name M Of which his countrymen
may well be proud, and a lasting her
itage to his children and their decend-