Nebraska. Her Resources, Advantages, Advancement and Promises: Prepared and Compiled by Robt. W. Furnas .... 1885
(Originally published in 1885. This volume from the Cornel...)
Originally published in 1885. This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies. All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume.
(This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curat...)
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Report of Robt. W. Furnas, United States Commissioner for Nebraska, at the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial, New Orleans .... 1885
(Originally published in 1885. This volume from the Cornel...)
Originally published in 1885. This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies. All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume.
Robert Wilkinson Furnas was soldier and agriculturist. He was also a governor of Nebraska. Established the Nebraska Advertiser, a paper which came to exercise great influence in the South Platte region.
Background
Robert Wilkinson Furnas was born on May 5, 1824, near Troy, Miami County, Ohio, of English Quaker stock.
His parents, William and Martha (Jenkins) Furnas, were natives of South Carolina, but their antipathy to slavery led them to remove to Ohio before Robert was born.
The boy left as an orphan in 1832, soon began to shift for himself.
Education
Furnas learned several trades, including that of printer, and on reaching maturity tried out a number of different occupations without at first achieving notable success.
Career
In 1856, Furnas emigrated to the tiny village of Brownville, Nebraska Territory, where he soon established the Nebraska Advertiser, a paper which came to exercise great influence in the South Platte region. After some hesitation, the pioneer editor allied himself with the newly formed Republican party.
He served four years, 1856-59, in the territorial legislature, but his otherwise excellent record as a legislator was marred by the charge that his vote against the removal of the capital from Omaha had been secured by bribery, and in 1860, he retired temporarily from political life.
With the outbreak of the Civil War, Furnas, as an officer of the territorial militia, sought to awaken the people of the territory to their military responsibilities; later, as a colonel in the regular army, he organized three regiments of Indians in the Indian Territox-y, with whom he saw active service; and finally, he was largely instrumental in raising the 2nd Nebraska Cavalry, which he commanded in campaigns against the plains Indians.
In 1864, he returned to civil life. After spending several years as an Indian agent, he resumed his editorial work, but soon relinquished it and reentered politics.
In 1872, he was elected governor of his state on the Republican ticket - a place which he held, however, with small satisfaction to himself, partly because the old charge of bribery rose again to plague him, and partly because the petty details of administrative work irked him. He made no effort to succeed himself.
As a member of the legislature, he secured the passage of the first common-school law for Nebraska ; he was twice regent of the state university; and in 1878, he took the lead in organizing the Nebraska State Historical Society.
He died in Lincoln, June 1, 1905, and was buried by the Masons, among whom he had long been prominent.
(Originally published in 1885. This volume from the Cornel...)
Personality
In his human dealings, Furnas was generally opinionated but seldom dogmatic; decisive, but always courteous.
Interests
Furnas was as much interested as his friend J. Sterling Morton in the planting of trees, and according to a well-authenticated tradition the idea of Arbor Day originated with Furnas rather than with Morton.
He was also interested in public education.
Connections
Furnas was twice married: on October 29, 1845, to Mary E. McComas, who died in April 1897, and on December 25, 1899, to Susannah (Emswiler) Jameson.