Page:Autobiographies and portraits of the President, cabinet, Supreme court, and Fifty-fifth Congress (IA autobiographiesp02neal).pdf/111

 STEPHEN BENTON ELKINS

, of Elkins, was born in Perry County, Ohio, September 26, 1841; received his early education in the public schools of Missouri, and graduated from the university of that State, at Columbia, in the class of 1860; was admitted to the bar in 1863, and in the same year emigrated to New Mexico, where he acquired a knowledge of the Spanish language and began the practice of law; was a member of the Territorial legislative assembly of New Mexico in 1864 and 1865; held the offices of Territorial district attorney, attorney-general, and United States district attorney; was elected to the Forty-Third Congress as a Republican, and while abroad was renominated and elected to the Forty-Fourth Congress; during his first term in Congress was made a member of the Republican national committee, on which he served for three presidential campaigns; after leaving Congress he removed to West Virginia and devoted himself to business affairs; was appointed Secretary of War December 17, 1891, served until the close of President Harrison's administration; in February 1894, was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican to succeed Hon. Johnson N. Camden. His term of service will expire March 3, 1901.