598 



OBITUARIES, AMERICAN. (ELBERT ERNSBERGER.) 



the Spanish works at El Caney, July 1, 1898. 

 For his heroism in this fight he was promoted 

 to colonel of the 22d Infantry, whose commander, 

 Charles A. Wikoff (see obituary in the Annual 

 Cyclopaedia for 1898), was killed near San Juan 

 Hill the same day that Col. Egbert was wounded. 

 \s soon as practicable Col. Egbert was sent to 

 New York for hospital treatment, and before he 

 had fully recovered he applied for service in 

 the Philippines. He sailed with his regiment for 

 Manila. Feb. 1, 1899; arrived there, March 4; 

 and in the storming of Malinta received a wound 

 from which he died within an hour. 



Elbert, Samuel H., lawyer, born in Logan 

 County. Ohio, in 1833; died in Galveston, Texas, 

 Nov. 27. 1899. He was graduated at Wesleyan 

 University. Ohio, in 1854, studied law, was ad- 

 mitted to* the bar in 1856, and subsequently re- 

 moved to Plattsmouth, Neb. He was a delegate 

 to the National Republican Convention of 1860, 

 took an active part in the campaign in support 

 of Mr. Lincoln, and later was elected to the 

 Nebraska Legislature. In 1862 he was appointed 

 Secretary of the Territory of Colorado, and from 

 that time was closely identified with its history. 

 In the winter of 1864-'65, as acting Governor, he 

 took a decided stand against the Indians, who 

 were causing trouble on the lines of travel to 

 the East. From 1865 till 1873 he continued his 

 law practice. In the latter year he was appointed 

 Governor of the Territory, and during his ad- 

 ministration he gave particular attention to the 

 subject of irrigation. A bitter political feud re- 

 sulted in his removal from office in 1874, although 

 no charge was made against him. He spent 1875- 

 76 in Europe, and on his return was made a 

 judge of the Supreme Court of Colorado. He 

 resigned this office in 1882, was again elected 

 in 1885, and served till 1888, when he resigned 

 on account of failing health. He received the 

 degree of LL. D. from Wesleyan University. 



Eldridge, Shaler W., abolitionist, born in 

 West Springfield, Mass., in 1817; died in Law- 

 rence, Kan., Jan. 17, 1899. Prior to 1855, when 

 he went to Kansas, he was a railroad contractor. 

 He bought the American House in Kansas City, 

 which was the recognized headquarters of the 

 Free-soil men. Proslavery men often stopped at 

 the hotel in their incursions into Kansas, and 

 trouble between the two factions was frequent. 

 At one time a large body of border ruffians beset 

 the house, demanding the delivery to them of the 

 Free-soil guests, but Eldridge and his hotel force 

 made a successful armed resistance. When Gov. 

 Reeder escaped from the Territory in 1856 El- 

 dridge concealed him three weeks in his house. 

 In that year Eldridge leased the Free State Hotel 

 in Lawrence, but within a few weeks it was de- 

 stroyed by Sheriff Jones and his posse under a 

 writ of indictment as a nuisance, issued by the 

 proslavery court. This act greatly stirred the 

 Free-soil men, and they appointed Eldridge a 

 commissioner to go to Washington with a me- 

 morial in their interest, and also instructed him 

 to represent them in the convention that nomi- 

 nated Fremont. He was also a delegate to the 

 convention in Buffalo, where he was appointed 

 a member of the National Committee and its 

 agent for Kansas immigration. Under this au- 

 thority he conducted large bodies of men to Kan- 

 sas through Iowa and Nebraska. With one of 

 these parties, numbering about 350 men, he was 

 captured by United States troops. Later he or- 

 ganized a party of Free-soil men, who recaptured 

 the arms from the Government officers at Le- 

 compton. During all this exciting period he 

 raised large amounts of provisions and ammuni- 



tion, which he smuggled into the Territory, and 

 powerfully aided the free State cause. In the civil 

 war he served in the National army as soldier 

 and paymaster, and afterward he was engaged 

 in the hotel business till his death. 



Ellerbe, William Haselden, politician, born 

 in Marion County, South Carolina, April 7, 1862; 

 died there, June 2, 1899. He studied at Vander- 

 bilt University, but was obliged by failing health 

 to give up the course. He then became a planter 

 and merchant, and was so engaged at the begin- 

 ning of the Tillman movement in 1886. To this 

 revolt against the old political leaders of South 

 Carolina he gave early and enthusiastic support, 

 and in 1890 was elected Comptroller General of 

 the State. In 1896 he promoted a movement to 

 combine the forces of the opponents and more 

 moderate followers of Mr. Tillman. He had at- 

 tained much popularity throughout the State, 

 and was the first choice of the leaders of the 

 conciliation movement for the gubernatorial 

 nomination in 1896. In his canvass he pledged 

 himself to know no faction, and in the election 

 he carried every county but one. He was re- 

 nominated in 1898 and was again elected, though 

 by a largely decreased majority. In his last cam- 

 paign he was suffering with consumption, and 

 he failed rapidly. (See portrait in Annual Cyclo- 

 paedia for 1897, page 731.) 



Ellis, Jacob H., composer, born in Kingston, 

 N. Y., in 1871; died in Asheville, N. C., Feb. 28, 

 1899. When thirteen years old he composed The 

 Ulster Academy March, and afterward he pro- 

 duced the music for a score of instrumental pieces 

 and songs, as well as for popular dances. Among 

 his best-known compositions are The Shenan- 

 doah March, The Carnation Waltzes, Under the 

 Palms, The Columbian Exposition Polka, Boule- 

 vard Lancers, Diana's Jubilee, Bonnie Brier Bush, 

 Remus takes the Cake, and The Man who has 

 the Cash. 



Elwell, James William, philanthropist, born 

 in Bath, Me., Aug. 27, 1820; died in New York, 

 Sept. 2, 1899. He was educated at Bath Academy, 

 and after leaving school j pined his family, which 

 had removed to Brooklyn, N. Y. He entered his 

 father's commission house in New York, and when 

 eighteen years old became a partner in the firm. 

 In 1852, five years after his father's death, he 

 founded the firm of James W. Elwell & Co., with 

 which he was actively connected till within seven 

 weeks of his death/ The firm established lines 

 of vessels to the principal Southern, West Indian, 

 South American, and European ports, and Mr. 

 Elwell acquired large influence in the commercial 

 world. He was an original incorporator of the 

 Shipowner's Association and of the Marine Bank, 

 and was interested in many financial concerns. 

 It is believed that in the past twenty years his 

 philanthropic gifts aggregated $3,000,000. He 

 was a founder of the Brooklyn Orphan Asylum, 

 the originator and for many years president of 

 the Helping Hand Society, a trustee of the Ameri- 

 can Congregational Union for twenty years, and 

 a trustee or director of the Seamen's 'Friend So- 

 ciety of New York, the New York Port Society, 

 the City Mission and Tract Society of Brooklyn, 

 the Home for Friendless Women and Children, 

 the Mariners' Family Asylum of Staten Island, 

 the Fresh-air Fund, and many other benevolent 

 associations. (See GIFTS AND BEQUESTS.) 



Ernsberg-er, Mary Annin, missionary, born 

 in Newark, N. J., Feb. 18, 1864; died in Gulbarga, 

 India, Sept. 30, 1899. She was a daughter of the 

 Rev. George Hughes, was graduated at Mount 

 Holyoke Seminary, and in 1886 entered the for- 

 eign mission field of the Methodist Episcopal 



