St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-03-20
Death of General Benjamin Harrison
A sketch of His Career

Benjamin. Harrison ex president of the
United States died at his home in Indian
apolis Wednesday afternoon at AS
after an illness which was not consider
ed serious until the preceding Thursday.
He had been suffering from slight cold
for few days, but on Thursday morn
ing he was taken with a chill and all the
symptoms OF the grip appeared. The dis
ease passed rapidly into acute pneumonia
and on Tuesday morning all hope of re-
covery was abandoned. Since that time
General Harrison had been unconscious
the greater part of the time. The last
words he spoke before death were TO his
wife, in answer to question. Tuesday
night, i'll his delirium, his mind wandered
to the Boer war, showing great sym
pathy with the Boer cause. One OF
the most pathetic incidents of the whole
illness occurred Tuesday before he became
unconscious. The Generals little daugh
ter, Elizabeth, was brought into the
SICK room Tor few moments to see her
father, and offered him small apple pie
which she herself had made. General
Harrison smiled his recognition OF the
child and her gilt, but the effort to speak
was too much and he could do nothing
more to express his appreciation.
Wednesday all efforts to arouse the
slowly diving man to consciousness failed,
and he died without word OF recogni.
zion to any of those who surrounded his
bedside.
Benjamin Harrison was the great
grandson OF signer of the Declaration
of Independence, the grandson of the
ninth president OF the United States, and
himself was distinguished as a lawyer,
a soldier, and a statesman. He was
born ON August 20, 1888, at the home OF
his grandfather, at North Bend, Ohio, on
the bluffs overlooking the Ohio River,
fifteen miles below Cincinnati. His early
lite was passed in the usual occupation
of farmers son--feeding the cattle and
aiding in harvesting the crops. His
early education was acquired in log
schoohouse fronting on the Ohio River
He attended Farmers College near Gin
cnnati and finished his college course at
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, gradu
ating in 1852.
After having the university Harrison be-
gan the study of law in Judge BelIamy
SLOTSI > OllCC III OluItuudli1 NhSiN IN ~
maiued for two years. On October 90
1853, before reaching his majority, he
married Miss Caroline Eavinia Scott,
daughter of the Rev. John W. Scott
(then president Of the Female Seminary
in Oxiord). He had two children-Rus-
sell and Mary, the wife of Robert J. Nc
Kee, of New York. In March, 1854
General Harrison removed to Indian
apolis with fortune of $500 inherited
from one of his relatives. During the
next few years the young lawyer grad
ually obtained firm professional foot
hold, becoming known as a vigorous
painstaking attorney and an eloquent
advocate. In 1862 Mr.. Harrison. en-
listed as second lieutenant in the 10th
Indiana Regiment, and went to the front
as colonel of the regiment. Gen Har-
rison's war record is an excellent one.
He was mustered out on June 9, 1868.
The brevet of brigadier general was con-
erred upon him, to date from January
%, 1865, "for ability and manifest
energy and gallantry" in command OF
his brigade. To his men he was known
as Little Ben" and many acts OF kind
ness to his subordinates have been ie-
lated.
General Harrison's political life had its
dissapointments as well as victories.