Prominent Agriculturalist and Politician of Harrison County, son of Gov. Joseph Desha, was born April 25, 1812, in Mason County, Kentucky. His parents had 13 children, of which he was the twelfth. His mother was Peggy (Bledsoe) Desha, a native of Loudon County, Virginia; was daughter of Isaac Bledsoe, who was an early and distinguished pioneer of Tennessee, and was killed by the Indians; and was married to his father in Sumner County, Tennessee, in 1789.
The Deshas were of French extraction, and were refugees among the Huguenots to this country, after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, first probably stopping in Wales, and finally settling in Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania. The subject of this sketch was brought up on the farm, and early inured to hard labor; but his education was quite liberal, being obtained in the best schools of his times in the country.
After finishing his education, in 1830, he chose farming pursuits, to which he has ever since mainly devoted his time and energy; the farm on which he now resides being one of the most finely improved and productive in Harrison County. In 1844, he was elected to represent Harrison County in the Legislature, and was re-elected for three consecutive terms. He was a member of the Convention of 1849, which formed the last, or present, Constitution of the State. In 1851, at the first election under the "new Constitution," he was again elected to the Lower House in the State Legislature and served one term, and, in 1861, was re-elected to the same branch of that body.
During the war of the rebellion, his sympathies and principles were with the South; and, notwithstanding he took no part in the great conflict, yet for several months he was one of the numerous civilian prisoners from the border at Camp Chase, in Ohio. He has always been a Democrat, and cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Jackson, and his last, before the war, for John C. Breckinridge. He has been a delegate to four Democratic National Conventions; in 1844, at Baltimore, where James K. Polk was nominated; in 1856, at Cincinnati, where James Buchanan was the nominee; at New York, in 1868, nominating Horatio Seymour; and, finally, at St. Louis, in 1876, where Samuel J. Tilden was nominated for the Presidency of the United States.
In 1876, he was one of the three prominent candidates for Congress before the Democratic Convention for the Sixty Congressional District, held at Covington. For a number of years, he was a brigadier-general, and afterwards a major-general, in the old State militia service; and for over half a century has been one of the most prominent farmers and politicians in his section of the State, and one of the most substantial and valuable citizens of his community.
Gen. Desha has been twice married; in 1832, to Julia A. Moore, of Harrison County, who died in 1839; and, in 1840, to Eliza Moore, sister of his first wife, and daughter of Moses Moore, a farmer of that county, from Virginia.
The Deshas were of French extraction, and were refugees among the Huguenots to this country, after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, first probably stopping in Wales, and finally settling in Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania. The subject of this sketch was brought up on the farm, and early inured to hard labor; but his education was quite liberal, being obtained in the best schools of his times in the country.
After finishing his education, in 1830, he chose farming pursuits, to which he has ever since mainly devoted his time and energy; the farm on which he now resides being one of the most finely improved and productive in Harrison County. In 1844, he was elected to represent Harrison County in the Legislature, and was re-elected for three consecutive terms. He was a member of the Convention of 1849, which formed the last, or present, Constitution of the State. In 1851, at the first election under the "new Constitution," he was again elected to the Lower House in the State Legislature and served one term, and, in 1861, was re-elected to the same branch of that body.
During the war of the rebellion, his sympathies and principles were with the South; and, notwithstanding he took no part in the great conflict, yet for several months he was one of the numerous civilian prisoners from the border at Camp Chase, in Ohio. He has always been a Democrat, and cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Jackson, and his last, before the war, for John C. Breckinridge. He has been a delegate to four Democratic National Conventions; in 1844, at Baltimore, where James K. Polk was nominated; in 1856, at Cincinnati, where James Buchanan was the nominee; at New York, in 1868, nominating Horatio Seymour; and, finally, at St. Louis, in 1876, where Samuel J. Tilden was nominated for the Presidency of the United States.
In 1876, he was one of the three prominent candidates for Congress before the Democratic Convention for the Sixty Congressional District, held at Covington. For a number of years, he was a brigadier-general, and afterwards a major-general, in the old State militia service; and for over half a century has been one of the most prominent farmers and politicians in his section of the State, and one of the most substantial and valuable citizens of his community.
Gen. Desha has been twice married; in 1832, to Julia A. Moore, of Harrison County, who died in 1839; and, in 1840, to Eliza Moore, sister of his first wife, and daughter of Moses Moore, a farmer of that county, from Virginia.
Prominent Agriculturalist and Politician of Harrison County, son of Gov. Joseph Desha, was born April 25, 1812, in Mason County, Kentucky. His parents had 13 children, of which he was the twelfth. His mother was Peggy (Bledsoe) Desha, a native of Loudon County, Virginia; was daughter of Isaac Bledsoe, who was an early and distinguished pioneer of Tennessee, and was killed by the Indians; and was married to his father in Sumner County, Tennessee, in 1789.
The Deshas were of French extraction, and were refugees among the Huguenots to this country, after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, first probably stopping in Wales, and finally settling in Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania. The subject of this sketch was brought up on the farm, and early inured to hard labor; but his education was quite liberal, being obtained in the best schools of his times in the country.
After finishing his education, in 1830, he chose farming pursuits, to which he has ever since mainly devoted his time and energy; the farm on which he now resides being one of the most finely improved and productive in Harrison County. In 1844, he was elected to represent Harrison County in the Legislature, and was re-elected for three consecutive terms. He was a member of the Convention of 1849, which formed the last, or present, Constitution of the State. In 1851, at the first election under the "new Constitution," he was again elected to the Lower House in the State Legislature and served one term, and, in 1861, was re-elected to the same branch of that body.
During the war of the rebellion, his sympathies and principles were with the South; and, notwithstanding he took no part in the great conflict, yet for several months he was one of the numerous civilian prisoners from the border at Camp Chase, in Ohio. He has always been a Democrat, and cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Jackson, and his last, before the war, for John C. Breckinridge. He has been a delegate to four Democratic National Conventions; in 1844, at Baltimore, where James K. Polk was nominated; in 1856, at Cincinnati, where James Buchanan was the nominee; at New York, in 1868, nominating Horatio Seymour; and, finally, at St. Louis, in 1876, where Samuel J. Tilden was nominated for the Presidency of the United States.
In 1876, he was one of the three prominent candidates for Congress before the Democratic Convention for the Sixty Congressional District, held at Covington. For a number of years, he was a brigadier-general, and afterwards a major-general, in the old State militia service; and for over half a century has been one of the most prominent farmers and politicians in his section of the State, and one of the most substantial and valuable citizens of his community.
Gen. Desha has been twice married; in 1832, to Julia A. Moore, of Harrison County, who died in 1839; and, in 1840, to Eliza Moore, sister of his first wife, and daughter of Moses Moore, a farmer of that county, from Virginia.
The Deshas were of French extraction, and were refugees among the Huguenots to this country, after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, first probably stopping in Wales, and finally settling in Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania. The subject of this sketch was brought up on the farm, and early inured to hard labor; but his education was quite liberal, being obtained in the best schools of his times in the country.
After finishing his education, in 1830, he chose farming pursuits, to which he has ever since mainly devoted his time and energy; the farm on which he now resides being one of the most finely improved and productive in Harrison County. In 1844, he was elected to represent Harrison County in the Legislature, and was re-elected for three consecutive terms. He was a member of the Convention of 1849, which formed the last, or present, Constitution of the State. In 1851, at the first election under the "new Constitution," he was again elected to the Lower House in the State Legislature and served one term, and, in 1861, was re-elected to the same branch of that body.
During the war of the rebellion, his sympathies and principles were with the South; and, notwithstanding he took no part in the great conflict, yet for several months he was one of the numerous civilian prisoners from the border at Camp Chase, in Ohio. He has always been a Democrat, and cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Jackson, and his last, before the war, for John C. Breckinridge. He has been a delegate to four Democratic National Conventions; in 1844, at Baltimore, where James K. Polk was nominated; in 1856, at Cincinnati, where James Buchanan was the nominee; at New York, in 1868, nominating Horatio Seymour; and, finally, at St. Louis, in 1876, where Samuel J. Tilden was nominated for the Presidency of the United States.
In 1876, he was one of the three prominent candidates for Congress before the Democratic Convention for the Sixty Congressional District, held at Covington. For a number of years, he was a brigadier-general, and afterwards a major-general, in the old State militia service; and for over half a century has been one of the most prominent farmers and politicians in his section of the State, and one of the most substantial and valuable citizens of his community.
Gen. Desha has been twice married; in 1832, to Julia A. Moore, of Harrison County, who died in 1839; and, in 1840, to Eliza Moore, sister of his first wife, and daughter of Moses Moore, a farmer of that county, from Virginia.
Gravesite Details
death year unreadable
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
Advertisement
