Jonas Mills Bundy

Background

Jonas Mills Bundy was born on April 17, 1835 at Colebrook, New Hampshire, and while still young went with his parents to Beloit, Wisconsin.

Education

After graduating from Beloit College in 1853 Jonas Bundy studied law at the Harvard Law School and in the office of United States Senator Matthew H. Carpenter.

Career

Bundy did not pursue the practise of the law, however, but became a reporter on the Milwaukee Daily Wisconsin. He created for the paper a new department of market reports. Later he joined the staff of the Milwaukee Sentinel. During the Civil War he joined the Federal army and in the early part of 1865 was appointed major of the 3rd Regiment United States Volunteer Infantry.

Three years later he joined in founding the New York Evening Mail and became its editor-in-chief.

In 1879 the Mail passed into the ownership of Cyrus W. Field, who two years later bought the New York Evening Express, in order to obtain an Associated Press franchise, and consolidated it with the Mail under the title of the Mail and Express. He continued Bundy as editor-in-chief as did Elliott F. Shepard, who bought the paper in 1887.

In 1871, when the "Executive Committee of Citizens and Taxpayers for the Financial Reform of the City and County of New York, " popularly known as the "Committee of Seventy, " was organized to fight the Tweed Ring, Bundy was made chairman of the Committee on Address. The "Appeal to the People of the State of New York" adopted by the Committee of Seventy was prepared under his leadership. Although the youngest member of the Committee, he proved to be one of its real working members.

In 1880 he was selected by James A. Garfield to write his campaign biography and went to Mentor, Ohio, the candidate's home, where he completed the task in six weeks.

In July 1891 he went to Europe for a vacation and died suddenly in Paris.

Achievements

• Jonas Mills Bundy gained reputation of an experienced journalist of the West, who served during the Civil War. He was also an editor of the New York Mail and Express, and wrote a popular novel " The Life of Garfield" (1880).

Works

More photos

• book

  • The Nation'S Hero.--: In Memoriam. the Life of James Abram Garfield ...

    (This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)

  • The Life of Gen. James A. Garfield

    (This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curat...)

  • The nation's hero.--In memoriam. The life of James Abram Garfield ...

Politics

He was a consistent Republican in politics and his advice was sought by many of the party's leaders, including three presidents, Grant, Garfield and Arthur.

Views

He was recognized by those about him as a valuable associate, a loyal and devoted friend, and a stout antagonist in matters of public concern.

Connections

colleague:

William Cullen Bryant

At the close of the war, going to New York, he secured the position of dramatic, musical, and literary critic on the Evening Post under William Cullen Bryant.