The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1904-10-13
GEN. RANSOM DEAD
Prominent Southern Statesman Goes
TO His Reward
WAS LOVED, IGNORED. RESPECTED
The imperishabie Career Of North
Cardinals Most Distinguished Pri-
vate Citizen Closes at the 18th Mile
stone in His Life.

Weldon, y. c.. Spccial.-Ex-S Senator
Matt. w. Ransom. North Carclina's
foremost citizen, died suddenly Satur-
day morning at his country home in
Northampton county. near Garysburg,
OF heart failure.
The end came shortly after l o'clock
and was the peaceful passing of a
fame which had fickered but feebly
for some months. 1t was his 18th
birthday
Gen. " w Ransom was born ON
Oct. s, 1926, in Warren county. He be-
came Attorney General for the State OF
North Carolina in 1852. being only 26
years Of age at the time, thus being the
youngest man to hold this position in,
the history of the State. By reason of
Gov. Vance being unable to qualify as
Senator after his election, Gen. Ran
som became United States Senator in
1872, which position he held constantly
until 1895, Immediately after which he
was appointed United States minister
to Mexico, in which capacity he served
for two years He was a member OF
the board of arbitration in the Fenc.
zuelan troubles with Mexico.
He leaves FIVE sons and one daughter
and a wife. He was probably the larg-
est landowner in the State, the acre
age being yariOusly estimated from a.
900 to $4,000. in fact. he recently re-
marked: There is only one person.
who knows how much land l own and
that is myself" =
The funeral will take place Monday
afternoon at 4:30 o'clock and the inter-
ment will be made in the family bury
ing ground. He will be buried with
Masonic honOrs.
The following is a brief life sketch
Of Ex-senator Ransom:
He was born in Warren county, this
State, in 1926, and is now, therefore,
siyty-two years of age. For more than
half lifetime he has been a cOnSpicu-
Gus parsonage, and man of recognized
ability and pronounced influence in
North Carolina. Shortly after his grad
uation from the University. at Chapel
Hill, in 1847, he was admitted to the
bar, and five years later he was elected
Attorney General of the State. Few
men have merited or won such success
so early in life, and fewer have follow
ed it with so continuous public SER
vice. In 1855 he resigned the Attorney
Generalship, and was not again in Of
fee until the year 1853, when he was
a Representative in the State LegiSla-
ture. And again, i'll 1859 and 1850, he
filed that position. He was sent as
peace commissioner from the State of
North Carolina to the Congress of
Southern States at Montgomery, Ala,
in 1861. On the breaking out of the
Civil War ne entered the Confederate
army, and rose successfully through
the positions of lieutenant colonel, COL
onel and brigadier general to that Of
iAr Oonaral IN tno foSf named ronl-
he served until the close of the war.
and surrendered with General Lees
army at Appomattox. AS soldier
General Ransom showed himself to be
courageous man and a brave and
skillful officer. and he endeared himself
greatly, by his humane management
and courteous bearing, to the men of
his command. Returning to his native
State at the close of the war. General
Ransom resumed the practice of the
law. at the same time being engaged
extensively as p,srter, and it was not
until the year 1872 that he again en-
tered public life. Then, for the first
time. he was elected to the Senate OF
the United States, position he has
occupied continuously until the present
time having been reelected in 1876
and in 1883. At the expiration CT his
present. term, in March, 1889, he will
have eighteen years in the highest Of
fee within the gift of the people Of his
own State. an honor of which he ard
the State may be proud. Senator Ran
som was a man OF marked ability and
Of broad culture. Though he has sell
dom made set speeches in the Senate.
yet his efforts were characterized by
those qualities Of conservative good
sense elegance Of expression and
grace OF delivery that are peculiarly
his OWn.