Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-10-30
STAGE COACH
TALES
BY E. C.. TAYL o r
From Stage Driver to Cabinet


JEREMIAH NJ. RUSK, who later be-
- came governor of Wisconsin and
still later was first secretary of agricul-
ture the United States, was pic
ture: e stage coach driver of the
early lays In Wisconsin.
Ah.Ost IL giant in stature, and heav-
lily bearded, he was leading per-
sOnality in the state even when he
was handling the reins behind two
or three span of horses over the
bumpy, marshy roads of that new
commonwealth.
Tales of his muscular pr0wess In
those early days made him famousg
but his chief claim to fame, other
wise, was that he probably was the
only stage coach driver who did not
drink. Drivers as a lot were moral
men, noted for their integrity, and
famous for their seeming aversion or
swearing and cursing. But with the
exception of Rusk, all of whom there
are any records drank. mans size
glass of whisky or brandy was the
first thing they asked for when the
coach stopped at the taverns along
the route, and In winter, when they
descended half frozen from their high
seats where they had been fighting
gales and icy temperatures for hours,
1t probably was needed to get their
blood circulating again. But Rusk
never took a drop, even after a long
stretch of driving through the bit
terest cold. He was one of the early
ardent prohibitionists
AS Rusk's stage coach neared Vir-
oqua one day, horse fell Ill. Rusls
saw that 1t could not pull Its share
of the coach any longer, so he tied
1t to the coach, seized the neckyoke
himself and with his great strength
helped to pull the coach into the next
town.
Rusk was reticent about his phys
ical prowess, and was almost bash
full when anyone mentioned it, but
he often told story on himself about
how he, teetotaler, had to buy
drinks for a tavernful of people.
One cold day, he stopped his stage
coach at a tavern near Prairie du
Chen, Wis, so the passengers might
warm themselves.
When they all trooped into the pub
lie room, Rusk noticed an innocent
looking horn on the counter The
young driver was invited to blow it.
He did. But instead of musical notes,
there issued from the horn a quantity
of flour that covered his face. Every
body laughed, and Rusk had to "set
them up" for every one in the place.
Rusk began driving stage coach
when he was only sixteen years old.
He drove for Mcneil, Moore and com
pany, famous stage coach operators of
Columbus, Ohio. He migrated to Wis
cOnsin In 1853, and drove coaches
there until the Civil war broke out.
tusk raised regiment of volun-
teers and was commissioned major
In the Union army. He took part in
the battle of Vicksburg, and in Au-
gust, 1868, was promoted to lieutenant
colonel.
He was with Sherman in the Mer-
idian campaign, and displayed such
great gallantry in the battles around
Atlanta, Ca, that he was breveted a
brigadier general.
After the Civil war, he went back
to Wisconsin, where he entered poll
tics. He was elected a member of
congress in 1871, and served in the
national house of representatives I'M
til 1877.
In 1882, Rusk was elected governor
of Wisconsin, and was continued in
that office until 1880.
In the latter year President Har-
rlson appointed Rusk to his cabinet,
and the tall former stage coach driver
became the nations first secretary Of
agriculture, a branch of the execu-
tive department of the federal gov
eminent which congress had just ere
ated. He served in Harrlson's cab
met until Grover Cleveland succeeded
Harrison In the Presidency In 1893.
10. 1881. Western Newspaper Unlon.1