The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-17

| Porter, the present United states am-
/ basSadur to France. Is almost his cX-
/ act counterpart, Governor rurirr was
| reelected by II large maioIt, IN i>it
over John Banks. of RrHdiuE.
! FRANCIS RAWN snrNk.
Francis Rnwn skunk, governor from
| JhuuurN, 1915. to july, 1872. Wh"i lr
! died. was u man ur large hull and
I frame. perhaps the tallest iL .lalurr
of all the governors, and had Il strunl
| anJ benevolent face. III" hhi pruc-
ticrd law In Harrisburg. had been
clerk of the housc and was secretary
of the commonwealth during the first
administration Of 'iovHincr Porter.
He. like Governor Porter. was n native
of Montgomery county. but r"sided in
| Pittsburg when elected governor in
lNiL He WuS a son-in-laW nf Cover
uor William FiudluN,goVcinor of Perm.
s!lNania from 1877 to $50. I saw him
once, and he impressed iur With his
gigantic stature and winning manner
lie was reelected in 1877, and. as h.-
fore stated died in July lSiS. William
t.. Johnston. of AIMS trong county, hN
virtue of his Ollic" as speaker of the
stat" senate. b", Oming his successor.
The remains of Governor skunk were
escorted to til" railroad station hN III"
Pennsylvania soldiers who had just
returned from the Mexican war. Ne
is buried at the Trappe. his native
place. \ son. William f.. Shnnk. who
resides on the river road above Har-
lisburg, IL one of the most ,Iotcd CiNii
engineers in the country. if not in the
world He is now in South america
ON n surveying expedition
William Freanc Johnston who be-
came governor because of the death of
Governor skunk. was nominated bN
the Whig party in lS4S. ANA y"-rlectnd
at the October election for the ful
term of three years. His opponent was
Morris IongstrOth, then IL canal com
missioner. of Quaker antecodants. AMI
a very "stinahle gentleman. His
nomination was not well received w
many Democrats. who had desired
either that William Higher nl Jeremiah
~. Black should be th" "andi lat". and
Johnston was elect" by the small MAJ
tority of 90 He was an extremely
handsome man. large and we'll proper
toned. had II strong. intellectual face.
"
speaker. and one of the most genial pf
hosts and companions. H. was the
first to introduce stump speaking in
the candidacy for "orerrorshi, or this
state.
BIGLER AND POLLOCK.
In ISL. the Democratic state conyrn-
lion. which met ut Reading in the
lT i
Bigler. of cleartield county. ter Cover
nor. He was born IN Perry county in
1913 and WAS then but 80 Yeas of age.
He had been Il printer, editor AN!
laftsman. had been a state senator ana
was speaker of the house in iSii. He
was Il large. portly man. with Il strong
face. was Il very excellent speaker,
and drew immense crowds during tre
campaign. In private liie he was
somewhat reserved. but II warm friend
and generous host. The sam" year bis
brother. John. Il printer. nua who. r
] mistake not. Was the founder of tie
/ itrsburg Post. was ele'te,i governor
az california on tn" Democrat" ticket
William l:iSl"r'S record as governor
was Il rlenn and honorable one. '[o
was renominated in lN54. but the tila!
wave of Know Nothingisn was 100
strong To be overcome ANA his Compet" !
tor. james Pollock, UP to that time y
Wha, was elected by Il lara" ma ,iority. |
The next year the Democratic party |
regained ascendanCy in Pennsylvania. |
ana Governor I'ielrr was elected to Tie |
United states senate. in which body he |
served with conspicuous ability for six |
years. lie was very popular with thH /
people of Harrisburg. was - regular |
attendant upon the services of the |
only Presbyterian church. which is |