424 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
federacy at the opening of the Civil
War. He remained in Kan-
sas and continued "steadfast in his
devotion to the union of the
states." He died August 14, 1864.
WILSON SHANNON.
Wilson Shannon was born in Belmont
County, Ohio, in 1802.
He was graduated from the Ohio
University at Athens and Tran-
sylvania University, Kentucky. He began
the practice of law
at St. Clairsville, Ohio, in 1835. He
was governor of Ohio from
December 13, 1838, to December I6, 1840.
In his campaign for
re-election he was opposed by Thomas
Corwin. Both were
orators with power to appeal strongly to
the electors of the state.
In their campaign they spoke in almost
every county of Ohio.
Corwin won, but two years later Shannon
was again elected and
served from December 14, 1842 to April
15, 1844, when he re-
signed to accept appointment as United
States Minister to Mex-
ico. He was afterwards representative in
Congress 1853-1855.
He was appointed territorial governor of
Kansas and held office
in this position fourteen months until
he was superseded in 1856
by Governor John W. Geary. His
administration while in this
position was a very stormy one. While he
was disposed to favor
the pro-slavery party he refused to go
to the limits desired and
was removed by President Pierce. He
settled permanently in
Kansas where he built up a lucrative law
practice and won the
regard, even of those who had formerly
bitterly opposed him.
He died in Lawrence, Kansas, August 31,
1877.
SAMUEL MEDARY.
Samuel Medary was born in Montgomery
County, Pennnsyl-
vania, February 25, 1801. He was largely
self educated. He
learned the printer's trade,
subsequently moved to Columbus,
Ohio, and became editor of the Ohio
Statesmen which he made
one of the ablest Democratic journals of
the West. He was a
vigorous writer and a staunch Jacksonian
Democrat. He was
appointed governor of Minnesota
Territory by President Bu-
chanan in March, 1857, and continued in
office until the admission