The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-07

1 was born January Is. 1910, at the
little hamlet of Gageville, Sheffield
township, Ashtabula county, Ohio.
My parentage was what is known as
Puritan. the original John Gage in
America having landed at Salem,
Mass, in the year 1882.
My grandfather, Abnor Gage, while
serving as New Hampshire minute
man." was wounded and disabled at
the battle of Bunker Hill. He moved
his family into the almost unbroken
wilderness of Ashtabula county, Ohio,
in 1910. where he and his sons. my
father. Joshua, being one of the num-
Der, spent their lives in defending the
settlers from assaults of hostile
Indians, in repelling the British in the
war of 1912 and in clearing the forests
SO that the country might become fit
for the happy homes of succeeding
generations.
Until 1 was % years old I worked
on my fathers farm, attended and
taught school and was prepared to
enter college when in 1862 the call for
more men to suppress the rebellion
became so persistent that 1, in COM
pany with schoolmates and teachers,
enlisted for three years as private
soldier in Company G, 105th regiment
Ohio volunteers. was seriously
WOunQeO at the DdtIlo Oh 1eTTyVllle,
KY, was soon after discharged, and
in 1866 entered the civil service of the
government at Washington, p. c., and
served as clerk of committees in the
United States senate and as private
secretary of Senator VIM. NJ. Stewart
of Nevada until 1873. when Mr.. Stew
art sent me to California in charge of
his mining interests in that state.
1 remained in that capacity until
1882, when I came to Topeka, Kan,
where the surplus of my earnings had
been invested by my brother G. G.
settlers of that city 1 remained in
Topeka several years, serving in the
position of special agent for Mr.. A. A.
Robinson. general manager of the
Santa Fe railroad. My health becom-
ing impaired, 1 decided to accept the
advice which Cardinal Wolsey gave to
Cromwell, to filing away ambition
and to lead quiet life in the future.
which plan gave me better oppor-
tunity to resume my studies and
general reading.
then returned to California and
became a citizen of Oakland, Alameda
county, which was the home of my
brother, Stephen T. Gage. He was the
oldest child of our family and when 81
years old crossed the plains to Cali
fornia in 1852, driving a team of four
! yoke of oxen from St Joseph, Mo, to
Placerville, Cal, a distance of fully
1900 miles, in 100 days; feat which
plainsmen agree was never accom-
plished before or since. He gives
! special reasons for making SO fast a
| trip with an OK team and still pre-
serves a diary of this journey which
he kept at the time, which confirms
| his recollection.
have since visited Topeka fire.
quently and retained my interest in
its people and in its prosperity, max
| ing a summer home in Ashtabula,
with my widowed sister, Mrs. Ches-
| tina Gage Stevens.
! My brother, G. G. Gage, died in To-
peka in 1899. He left directions for
| his heirs to give to the city eighty
acres of valuable land located about
two miles west of the city limits
known as Gage park. We complied
with his wishes and this park has
been and is now being handsomely i'm
proved by the city.
He also caused to be erected the
! handsome soldiers monument in the
Topeka cemetery in memory of his