Stephen B. Elkins

Stephen B. Elkins
United States Senator
from West Virginia
In office
March 4, 1895 – January 4, 1911
Preceded byJohnson N. Camden
Succeeded byDavis Elkins
38th United States Secretary of War
In office
December 17, 1891 – March 5, 1893
PresidentBenjamin Harrison
Preceded byRedfield Proctor
Succeeded byDaniel S. Lamont
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's at-large district
In office
March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1877
Delegate
Preceded byJosé Manuel Gallegos
Succeeded byTrinidad Romero
Personal details
Born
Stephen Benton Elkins

(1841-09-26)September 26, 1841
New Lexington, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJanuary 4, 1911(1911-01-04) (aged 69)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Sarah Jacobs
Hallie Davis
EducationMasonic College
University of Missouri, Columbia (BA)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance United States
 • Union
Branch/service United States Army
 • Union Army
RankCaptain
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Stephen Benton Elkins (September 26, 1841 – January 4, 1911) was an American industrialist and politician. He served as the Secretary of War between 1891 and 1893. He served in the United States Congress as a Delegate from the Territory of New Mexico and a Senator from West Virginia.[1]

Biography

Early life

Stephen Benton Elkins was born on September 26, 1841, near New Lexington, Ohio and moved with his family to Westport, Missouri (now part of Kansas City) in the mid-1840s. His parents were Philip Duncan Elkins and Sarah Pickett Withers. He attended the Masonic College in Lexington, Missouri in the 1850s, and graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia in 1860. After graduation, he briefly taught school in Cass County, Missouri. Among his pupils was future James-Younger Gang member Cole Younger.[2]

Civil War

In the American Civil War Elkins' father and brother joined the Confederate Army under Sterling Price, but he joined the Union Army. Before he joined the Union Army he was to encounter Quantrill's Raiders twice and was spared from being killed because of his father and brother. He noted:

They marched me along and we got to Quantrill's camp. There I saw Cole Younger, Dick Yager and George M. Todd, and several others afterward known for desperate deeds. Those I have mentioned were farmers' sons around where I lived. They identified me and said: Here comes Steve Elkins. All the way along I had been afraid that those fellows who had captured me would shoot me in the back, for I had on the watch which I am carrying now in the office of the secretary of war.[3]

Elkins entered the Union Army as a captain of militia in the 77th Missouri Infantry. He served under Kersey Coates and only saw action once in the Battle of Lone Jack, which he said filled him with disgust for war. Elkins noted that his good fortune of being protected by Quantrill matched a fear of being butchered by Quantrill for becoming a Union soldier as Quantrill's Raiders were thought to be present at the battle.

Foster thought the Confederates were the guerrilla hands who raised the black flag, and never gave any quarter. So he refused to surrender, and every one of his officers was picked off. The guerrillas were victorious. I went over the battlefield afterward, the blood, the cries for water and death, the naked bodies stripped of their clothing, the dead horses which served for ramparts, gave me a disgust for war, which makes it seem strange that I am here at the head of the war department of this great government.[3]

Elkins and Foster from the Lone Jack Battle were to argue for a pardon for Younger following his conviction in the Northfield, Minnesota bank robbery (Younger had rescued Foster from execution by Quantrill's Raiders in the battle).

New Mexico

Elkins entered the practice of law at Mesilla, New Mexico, and was elected to the territorial legislature in 1864 and 1865. He was appointed territorial district attorney for a term from 1866 to 1867. It was at this time, on June 10, 1866, that he married his first wife Sarah Simms Jacobs.

In 1867, Elkins served as attorney general of the territory and later as U.S. district attorney from 1867 to 1870. He was elected territorial delegate to the U.S. Congress in 1872, and reelected in 1874, serving from March 4, 1873, to March 4, 1877. In 1875, he met and married his second wife, Hallie Davis, and continued to practice law. He founded and was president of the Santa Fe National Bank, and pursued broad business interests in land, rail, mining, and finance including president of the massive Maxwell Land Grant Company.[4] It is widely believed that the boundaries of the land grant were expanded by Maxwell through fraud. In attempting to evict "squatters" (legitimate land grant heirs) from the Land Grant he would be accused of being part of the Santa Fe Ring. Along with his brother in law, Thomas B. Catron, Elkins participated in what would become the largest land speculation conspiracy in U.S. history. Using his influence on politicians such as congressmen, territorial judges, and U.S. Surveyors General, Elkins was able to patent Spanish and Mexican land grants in his name, thereby illegally including himself as a legitimate heir to the grants. By collectively representing opposing parties in land disputes, Elkins and Catron effectively manipulated territorial government policy to illegally partition Spanish and Mexican land grants, a direct violation of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

West Virginia

Elkins married Hallie Davis, daughter of Senator Henry G. Davis of West Virginia, in 1875. He became a citizen of West Virginia in 1878 and began developing oil, coal, and timber industries with his father-in-law. They partnered to form the Davis Coal and Coke Company.

Stephen and Hallie built their home, Halliehurst, in Randolph County, and the town of Elkins was established nearby.[5] New York architect Charles T. Mott designed the house. It was given by his widow along with surrounding property to Davis and Elkins College and is now part of the college's campus. It is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also is a contributing property in the Davis and Elkins Historic District.

Secretary of War

Elkins served as Secretary of War in the Benjamin Harrison administration from December 17, 1891, to March 5, 1893.[6] He was appointed owing to close friendship with Secretary of State James G. Blaine. Amongst his goals were that the rank of lieutenant general be revived, and also that noncommissioned officers receive higher pay to improve the quality of the service. He also broadened the intelligence functions of the Division of Military Information.

U.S. Senator

After his service as Secretary, Elkins was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1895, serving the state of West Virginia, and was re-elected twice. In the Senate, he held the positions of chairman of the Committee on the Geological Survey (Fifty-sixth and Fifty-ninth Congresses), and of member of the Committee on Interstate Commerce (Fifty-seventh through Sixty-first Congresses). Elkins served as Senator until his death in Washington, D.C. in 1911, and is interred in Maplewood Cemetery of Elkins, West Virginia.[6]

Legacy

Stephen Benton Elkins is the namesake of Elkins, West Virginia.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ John Alexander Williams, West Virginia and the Captains of Industry (1976)
  2. ^ Leslie, Edward (1996). The Devil Knows How to Ride. New York: Random House. pp. 103–104. ISBN 0-679-42455-5.
  3. ^ a b Walter Barlow Stevens (1921). Centennial History of Missouri. The S. J. Clarke publishing company. p. 629. emory s foster pdf.
  4. ^ "The Maxwell (Beaubien-Miranda) Land Grant and the Colfax County War". Sangres.com. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  5. ^ Spears, Jae. "Stephen B. Elkins". e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Elkins, Stephen Benton, (1841–1911)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  7. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 117.

Further reading

  • Lambert, Oscar Doane. Stephen Benton Elkins: American Foursquare (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1955. viii + 336 pp.
  • Williams, John Alexander. West Virginia and the Captains of Industry (1976)
  • Williams, John Alexander. "Davis and Elkins of West Virginia: businessmen in politics" (PhD dissertation, Yale University, 1967)  ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  1967. 6708432.
  • Williams, John Alexander. "Stephen B. Elkins and the Benjamin Harrison Campaign and Cabinet, 1887-1891." Indiana Magazine of History (1972): 1-23. online


U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's at-large congressional district

1873–1877
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by United States Secretary of War
1891–1893
Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. Senator (Class 1) from West Virginia
1895–1911
Served alongside: Charles James Faulkner, Nathan B. Scott
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee
1901–1911
Succeeded by

Read other articles:

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La HabanaMuseo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana in 1920.General informationLocationPalace of the Asturian Center - San Rafael, e/Zulueta y MonserrateAddressPalace of Fine Arts: Trocadero Street e/Zulueta y MonserratePalace of the Asturian Center - San Rafael, e/Zulueta y MonserrateTown or cityOld Havana, HavanaCountryCubaOpenedFebruary 23, 1913DesignationsFine arts museumWebsiteblank page, http://www.bellasartes.co.cu The National Museum of Fine Arts of ...

 

Matthäuskirche Die Matthäuskirche in Basel ist eine evangelisch-reformierte Kirche im neugotischen Stil, die frei auf dem Matthäusplatz im Matthäus-Quartier steht. Mit ihrem 80 Meter hohen Kirchturm ist sie die höchste Kirche Basels, höher als das Basler Münster (62,7 Meter), die Antoniuskirche (62 Meter) und die Elisabethenkirche (72 Meter). Die drei letzteren liegen jedoch topographisch höher. Das Äußere der 1893–1895 nach Plänen von Felix Henry aus Breslau erbauten Kirche best...

 

تيزي سبتارا تقسيم إداري البلد المغرب  الجهة مراكش آسفي الإقليم الحوز الدائرة أمزمير الجماعة القروية أمغراس المشيخة سبتارا السكان التعداد السكاني 337 نسمة (إحصاء 2004)   • عدد الأسر 59 معلومات أخرى التوقيت ت ع م±00:00 (توقيت قياسي)[1]،  وت ع م+01:00 (توقيت صيفي)[1]  تعد...

ريان عمارة يحمل الرقم القياسي لأكثر اللاعبين مشاركة في تاريخ كرة القدم العالمية، حيث شارك في 1387 لقاءاً في الفترة ما بين 1966–1997.هذه قائمة لاعبي كرة القدم الذين لعبوا ما لا يقل عن 1000 مباراة كرة قدم رسمية في جميع المستويات العمرية: بيما فيها مستويات الناشئين. يتم احتساب المبار...

 

Canadian politician Pat PimmMember of the British Columbia Legislative Assemblyfor Peace River NorthIn officeMay 12, 2009 – May 9, 2017Preceded byRichard Neufeld Personal detailsBornFort St. John, British Columbia, CanadaPolitical partyIndependent(2016–)BC Liberal(2009-2016)ResidenceFort St. John, British ColumbiaOccupationInstrumentation (oil and gas) Pat Pimm (born March 31, 1957) is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of Br...

 

Iranian cleric Mansour LeghaeiMansour LeghaeiPersonalBorn (1962-05-14) 14 May 1962 (age 61)Abadan, IranReligionShia IslamOther namesArabic: شيخ منصور لقائيPersian: شيخ منصور لقائىSenior postingBased inSydneyPeriod in office1997–2010PredecessorFounderPostSheikhWebsitewww.ihic.org.au Part of a series onShia Islam Beliefs and practices Monotheism Holy Books Prophethood Succession to Muhammad Imamate Angels Judgment Day Mourning of Muharram Interces...

Christina LinhardtChristina Linhardt at the RxSM Film FestivalBornChristine SchnauberNationalityGerman and AmericanEducationBachelor of Music and Vocal ArtsAlma materUniversity of Southern CaliforniaAwardsHollywood F.A.M.E. Award, 2013LA Music Award, 2015Websitehttp://circussanctuary.com/ Christina Linhardt is a German-American singer, actor, and director, best known for her roles in the production of the film Guantanamo Circus, and as the former fiancée of Prince Daniel of Saxony.[...

 

New Zealand footballer Storm Roux Roux playing for Central Coast Mariners in 2023Personal informationFull name Storm James Roux[1]Date of birth (1993-01-13) 13 January 1993 (age 30)Place of birth Somerset West, South AfricaHeight 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]Position(s) Right backTeam informationCurrent team Central Coast MarinersNumber 15Youth career2007–2010 Sorrento2009–2012 WA NTC2010–2013 Perth GlorySenior career*Years Team Apps (Gls)2013 Perth Glory 1 ...

 

This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: For the Record: The First 10 Years – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) 1984 compilation album by David Allan CoeFor the Record: The First 10 YearsCompilation album by David Allan CoeReleased1984Ge...

Newburyport Herald, 1821 The Newburyport Herald (1797–1915) was a newspaper published in Newburyport, Massachusetts in the 19th century. It began in 1797 with the merger of two previous newspapers, William Barrett's Political Gazette and Angier March's Impartial Herald.[1] Employees included abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison and James Akin.[2] History Edmund March Blunt was the publisher of the Impartial Herald, from 1793-1796. In December, 1794, under the firm name of...

 

Ethnic group native to South Africa This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Ndebele people AmaNdebeleThe women of Loopspruit Cultural Village, near Bronkhorstspruit, in front of a traditionally-painted Ndebele dwelling.Total population2.1 million (2023 Census)Regions with significant p...

 

Vestas Wind Systems A/S Тип Публичная компания Листинг на бирже CSE: VWS Основание 1898 Предшественник NEG Micon[d] Основатели Peder Hansen Расположение Дания Ключевые фигуры Anders Runevad[1] (президент и CEO) Отрасль Машиностроение Продукция Ветрогенераторы Оборот ▲ €6,305 млрд[2]. (2008) Операционна...

MediaTek Inc.聯發科技股份有限公司 Тип Публичная компания Листинг на бирже TWSE: 2454 Основание 1997 Предшественник Inprocomm[d] Расположение  Китайская Республика: Синьчжу Ключевые фигуры Цзай Мингай (председатель совета директоров)Цзай Лишин (CEO)[1] Отрасль Бесфабричные полупроводник...

 

De Smurfen (The Smurfs) (Filmposter op en.wikipedia.org) Regie Raja Gosnell Producent Ben Haber Jordan Kerner Paul Neesan Ezra Swerdlow Scenario Peyo (personages) J. David Stem David N. WeissJay ScherickDavid Ronn Hoofdrollen Zie Rolbezetting Muziek Heitor Pereira Distributie Columbia Pictures Première Vlag van Verenigde Staten 24 juli 2011 3 augustus 2011 3 augustus 2011 Genre Animatie, fantasie, actie, familie Speelduur 98 minuten Taal Engels (originele versie) Land Vlag van Verenigde Stat...

 

Cuka beralih ke halaman ini. Untuk bumbu masakan, lihat Vinegar. Asam asetat Rumus tulang asam asetat Model bola asam asetat Rumus tulang asam asetat dengan pencantuman hidrogen secara eksplisit Model bola dan batang asam asetat Nama Nama IUPAC Asam asetat[3][4] Nama IUPAC (sistematis) Asam etanoat[5] Nama lain Asetil hidroksida (AcOH); Asam cuka; Hidrogen asetat; Asam metanakarboksilat; Asam asetat glasial[1][2] Penanda Nomor CAS 64-19-7 Y Model 3...

Class of UK elections A map showing the wards of Westminster since 2002 Westminster City Council, the local authority of the City of Westminster in London, England, is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2002, 60 councillors have been elected from 20 wards.[1] New boundary changes will come into effect for the 2022 elections, when the borough will be represented by 54 councillors in 18 three-member wards.[2] Political control From the first elections t...

 

Disambiguazione – Se stai cercando l'EP giapponese dei Beatles, vedi You're Going to Lose That Girl (EP). You're Going To Lose That GirlArtistaThe Beatles Autore/iLennon-McCartney GenereSoft rock Edito daParlophone Esecuzioni notevoliThe Beatles Pubblicazione originaleIncisioneHelp! Data1965 Durata2'16” Da destra: John Lennon, autore del brano e voce solista, George Harrison e Paul McCartney, voci di accompagnamento You're Going To Lose That Girl è una canzone scritta da John Lennon[...

 

В Википедии есть статьи о других людях с такой фамилией, см. Смирнова. Кира Смирнова Имя при рождении Кира Петровна Смирнова Дата рождения 5 мая 1922(1922-05-05) Место рождения Калуга, РСФСР Дата смерти 4 января 1996(1996-01-04) (73 года) Место смерти Москва, Россия Гражданство  СССР Р...

Matteo Realdo Colombo De re anatomica Matteo Realdo Colombo atau Renaldus Columbus (1516-1559) adalah seorang profesor ilmu anatomi dan ahli bedah dari Universitas Padua (1544-1559). Ia adalah murid dari Vesalius. Ia menerbitkan sebuah buku anatomi berjudul De re anatomica yang berasal dari pengalamannya dan koreksinya atas kesalahan guru-gurunya. Ia juga pernah memimpin demonstrasi pembedahan untuk umum. Banyak hal yang ia sumbangankan untuk anatomi dan kedokteran seperti: membuktikan lensa ...

 

  关于2010年同名電視劇,请见「絕地救援 (電視劇)」。关于其他用法,请见「火星任務」。   提示:此条目页的主题不是絕地營救。 絕地救援The Martian電影海報基本资料导演雷利·史考特监制馬克·赫芬姆賽門·金柏格麥可·謝弗雷利·史考特阿迪亞·蘇德编剧德魯·戈達德安迪·威爾剧本德魯·戈達德原著《火星任務》安迪·威爾作品主演麥特·戴蒙潔西卡·崔絲坦...

 

Strategi Solo vs Squad di Free Fire: Cara Menang Mudah!