The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-08-20
PERSONAL.

Our good comrade, Jas. O'Donnell, Of
Jackson, Mich, formerly q Member Of
Congress from that State, has been elected
President Of the State Central Committee,
to carry out the plans for a great jubilee
in 1904, to be held at Jackson, Mich. to
commemorate the birth Of the Republican
party in that State a half a century ago.
Maj. John Wyatt Jones, who claimed
to have received one of the first commits
sions from jeff. Davis, and to have been
one of the last staff officers Of the South.
ern COnfederacy, died at st. Louis, July
81. He was 50 years old, and served on
the staff Of Gen. Lloyd Tighlman and Gen.
PembertOn.
The Supreme Court of Appeals of West
Virginia has recently paid two old vet
Grams the compliment of appointment as
Court Criers. The Court meets at three
different points in the State, Charleston,
Wheeling and Charlestown. Vacancies
arose in the Office Of Court Crier at each
of these points, and at both Charleston
and Wheeling, where the Court has been
| in session since the vacancies occurred, old
soldiers were selected for the positions.
James A. Barker, Of Kanawha County,
who was appointed crier for the Charles
ton terms of Court, Is a popular member
of Blundon Post, 70, at Charleston, G. A.
| R., Department Of West Virginia. He en-
| listed as private in Co. B, Sth W. Va.
| Cav. Sept 2, 1861, and was discharged
for disability, Oct. IS, 1862. He reen-
listed. however, in Co. B, 7th W. Va.
Cav, in November, 1884, and served with
credit during the remainder of the war.
Mr.. Barker was not only good soldier.
but is a useful citizen in the community in
which he lives. Henry Pebler, Past Com
mander and at present Chaplain of ]. w.
| Holiday Post, IL, Wheeling. G.. A. R., en-.
listed Aug. 20, 1862. in Co. D. LIST W. Va.
L. A. He was mustered out June q, 1865,
by reason of the close of the war. He
was taken prisoner June 10, 1853, at the
battle of Winchester, but was paroled
from Libby Prison July Z, 1863. Mr. Peb-
Ter saw plenty of hard service, and never
shirked or fiinched.
| 1t is needless to say that these officers
are performing their duties with credit
and to the satisfaction Of the Court. Tho
National Tribune hopes. and not without
reason, inasmuch as the President Of the
Court, Capt. H. O. McWhorter, Is a vet
eran with a splendid record. and the
Clerk, w. B. Matthews, is the son of
veteran, that when the vacancy at
Charlestown is filled another old soldier Of
the Union army will be remembered.
The Norcross brothers, the most extern.
and the builders of a number of very
fine buildings, have had to make an as.
signment, and their company is now be-
ing reOrganized. o. w. Norcross, the head
of the company. served as an enlisted man
in the 14th Mass. and took part in all Of
the terrible fighting done by that regi-
ment.
Lawson W. Spielman, an old and highly
esteemed resident of Anaheim. Cal, lay
down to rest June 81, and passed away
without struggle. He was born in Mary
land Go years ago, and served first in tho
10th Pa. and afterwards in the Signal
Corps. After the war he went to Cali
fornia and was engaged in cattle raising
and fruit growing.
Ellis Crane Winans, veteran of the
civil war; died at Elizabeth, N. j.. Aug.
Is. According to the history of the 9th
N. j., Comrade Winans set fire to bridge
across the Neuse River in 1862. With
four others. one of whom was shot dead
in the attempt, he was detailed to destroy
the structure, which was guarded by Con-
federates. The fuses of the attacking
party at first failed to ignite, but Comrade
Winans gathered up an armful of dry
leaves, returned to the bridge undiscover-
ed, placed the leaves and the fuse on q
beam. and set fire to them with a match.
While climbing back from the bridge he
was pierced by four bullets.
Brighten. A. E. Woolson, q. S. A.,
retired, died at Paoli, Kan. Aug. Z. aged
81 years, and was buried at Arlington q
few days later. Gen. Woodson served A
years in the army. He enlisted as pri-
vate in the list Washington Ter. Inf,
May %. 1862, and served until mustered
out as Second Lieutenant. in May, 1865.
He became First Lieutenant in the Regu-
lar Army in 1867. and rose through all
the successive grades to Colonel of the Sd
Cav, which he reached in 1901. He was
later made BrigadierGeneral and retired.
Capt. Charles W. Castle. Both U. S..
who is the son of the Auditor for the
Post Office Department, has just been
granted 10 days extension Of leave by
the War Department. The young Cap
tain has spent the Summer at the family
home in st. Paul, after five years con.
tinuous service in the tropics-one in
Porto Rico, one in Cuba, and three in
LuzOn.
Mrs Mary l.. Fenton, wife of Comrads
: Edwin Fenton. died at New Haven. Conn.,,
July 18th, 1908.
NoYicau War Veterans