Year: 1877

Old settlers need not be told who


Alvin Saunders is, but as the question


What kind of a man is Mr.. Saunders,
the new Senator is sometimes asked


by people who have never seen bim,
and of not long residence in the State,


We present In the following very fair


biographical sketch, which we copy
from the Lincoln Globe.


His election becomes a matter of
cong-stuIatioD to the state In partic-


ular, and the nation at large, and to
himself personally as well. 1t must
be matter Of self salts faction to know
that from among so Qany able and
worthy candidates he was so nearly
the unanimous choice of his party, re-
ceiving on the final ballot, as he did ,
the entire Republican vote save two.


Gov. Saunders is large, portly and
prepOssessing man. In height we
would say he is full six feet, and in
weight over two hundred pounds.
Not one man in a thousand, as the
world goes, is blessed with physique
so ofine and manner SO pleasing, or face,
In looks, so manly and noble. Every
where and by everybody he is greatly
honored and respected.


On the floor of the senate chamber
at Washington he will not fail to re-


fleet honor upon the new and rising
state which wisely sends him there as
its trusted representative. We predict
that Alvin Saunders will in due time
take rank for character. ability and
craftsmanship along side the most
noted men now In the United States
senate.


He is thoroughly self made man,
and knows full well the weary days
and years of earnest toll it takes to
build from a foundation of obscurity
and want, brick by brick. as it were
a character, and reputation worthy
the emulation and praise of the world.


Fleming county, Kentucky, Is the
place Of his birth. where be passed
the early boyhood days of his life on
farm with his brother. When he
was about twelve years of age his
parents moved into Illinois near
Springfield. Here he remain ed un-
der the parental roof until he was
nineteen. where he arranged with his
father to go out into the busy, active
world to battle for himself and win
success. Out into the restless world
he went, empty handed and uned-
ucated to gain for himself mama and
a place among men. His school privi-
leges had been very poor and limited,
only such as the sparsely settled rura
district then afforded. His school
was two miles distant from his home
and taught but three months during
the year. On laeviDg the threshold
OF his parental home, he journeyed
westward TO Mt. Pleasant, in Henry
county, Iowa, then little place OF
ten or twelve buildings. That country
then was just being settled up and oc-
cupied by civilized men. With the
hardy frontiersmen then settling In
that country he resolved to cast his
lot. Bot something be must do, and
the first contract be entered into was
to sell his services as a laborer on q
farm for so much per month. After
lsboring on farm for time he pro-
cured situation in a small dry goods
store as clerk. In this advanced situa-
ton of trust and responsibility he
realized the need and necessity of
better education than he possessed.
and with vigor set himself at work to
organize a night school and to procure
teacher. This school he attended
with regularity and earnestness. and
thus, while he received theoretical in
struction nights, he made practical
application of the same in the day.


In this wise manner he studied and |
labored few years when he went in
to business for himself and was pros
pered. For about seven years he was
the postmaster at Mount Pleasant. |
About this time be was needed for
duties more grave and honorable. He
was elected to seat in the state con-
stituational convention which framed !
the constitution under which the State
of Iowa was admitted into the union
of states. A few years later was cleo
ted to the senate in the state legisla-
re and was again reelected to be his
own successar. He was also delegate
to the first republican state convention