US Senator. Born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, he followed the gold rush to California, in 1850, moved to Indiana in 1853, Missouri in 1859 and Illinois in 1862. During the Civil War, he served as a in the Union Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in the quartermaster in the engineering department at Nashville, Tennessee. After the war, he studied law while in the Army, was admitted to the bar in 1865, commenced to practice law in Clarksville, Tennessee and moved to Fredonia, Kansas, in 1870. There he continued the practice of law, purchased and edited the Fredonia Journal and was a member, Kansas State Senate, (1874-76). He also edited the Coffeyville Journal in 1875 and editor of the Kansas Farmer at Topeka in 1881. In 1891, he was elected as a Populist to the United States Senate and served until 1897. An unsuccessful candidate for reelection, he was chairman of the Committee to Examine Branches of the Civil Service and engaged in literary pursuits until his death at age 81.
US Senator. Born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, he followed the gold rush to California, in 1850, moved to Indiana in 1853, Missouri in 1859 and Illinois in 1862. During the Civil War, he served as a in the Union Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in the quartermaster in the engineering department at Nashville, Tennessee. After the war, he studied law while in the Army, was admitted to the bar in 1865, commenced to practice law in Clarksville, Tennessee and moved to Fredonia, Kansas, in 1870. There he continued the practice of law, purchased and edited the Fredonia Journal and was a member, Kansas State Senate, (1874-76). He also edited the Coffeyville Journal in 1875 and editor of the Kansas Farmer at Topeka in 1881. In 1891, he was elected as a Populist to the United States Senate and served until 1897. An unsuccessful candidate for reelection, he was chairman of the Committee to Examine Branches of the Civil Service and engaged in literary pursuits until his death at age 81.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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