Jason W. Strevell
From birchyHistory
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| − | Jason W. Strevell was an early day attorney and judge in Miles City. | + | Jason W. Strevell (????-1903) was an early day attorney and judge in Miles City. |
| − | Strevell was born in New York. | + | Strevell was born in Albany, New York to Harvey & Elizabeth (Lewis) Strevell, natives of New York. |
==Illinois== | ==Illinois== | ||
| − | Strevell migrated to Illinois in 1855. He was admitted to the Illinois bar that same year, and began his practice in Pontiac. | + | Strevell migrated to Illinois in 1855. He was admitted to the Illinois bar that same year, and began his practice in Pontiac. In 1858, Jason was married to Miss Elizabeth Kelley, of Lake City, Minnesota. He was involved in practiced law for twenty-four years. He served as a Republican in the Illinois House of Representatives, and also had one term as a Senator. He was a member of the electoral college that elected Hayes to the presidency, and was actively concerned in the first presidental election of [[William McKinley]]. |
| − | Strevell and Lincoln were close friends and shared many hours together in conversation. One of the most documented meetings between these two gentlemen | + | Strevell and [[Abraham Lincoln]] were close friends and shared many hours together in conversation. One of the most documented meetings between these two gentlemen occurred on the evening of [[January 27, 1860]]. Lincoln, earlier that same day, accepted an invitation to speak to the Pontiac Young Men's Literary Society. He was in Bloomington for a trial and took an afternoon train to Pontiac. His speech was a moderate success, and after the presentation, Lincoln went to the Strevell house to spend the night. Strevell and Lincoln stayed up late, talking about politics, slavery, and other national and local issues of the day. During the course of the conversation, Strevell suggested that Lincoln might be selected as the Republican Party's presidential candidate at the upcoming party convention. Lincoln argued that he might be chosen as a vice-presidential candidate, but did not believe he would gain the top spot on the ticket. |
As the conversation turned to less important topics, Strevell, who was six foot tall, said he did not believe that Lincoln was really 4 inches taller than himself. Lincoln offered to let himself be measured and stood in a doorway in his stocking feet while Strevell made a scratch in the door frame to mark Lincoln's height. Strevell then measured, from floor to the mark on the door frame, and found Lincoln to be exactly, 6 foot, 4 inches tall. | As the conversation turned to less important topics, Strevell, who was six foot tall, said he did not believe that Lincoln was really 4 inches taller than himself. Lincoln offered to let himself be measured and stood in a doorway in his stocking feet while Strevell made a scratch in the door frame to mark Lincoln's height. Strevell then measured, from floor to the mark on the door frame, and found Lincoln to be exactly, 6 foot, 4 inches tall. | ||
| − | + | His son, [[Charles Nettleton Strevell]], took up residence in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he devoted his life to archeology, after partnering with his sister's husband in hardware stores ("Miles & Strevell", then "Miles, Strevell & Ulmer", which later was just [[Miles & Ulmer]]. They also had a store in Odgen, Utah). Before the Strevell's left Pontiac, they removed the door jam which was marked with Lincoln's height, and it was subsequently placed in the Salt Lake City museum started by Charles Strevell. Strevell's home in Pontiac has recently been purchased by the Livingston County Historical Society and is currently undergoing restoration with the goal of turning it into a local history and Lincoln museum. | |
| − | Strevell's home in Pontiac has recently been purchased by the Livingston County Historical Society and is currently undergoing restoration with the goal of turning it into a local history and Lincoln museum. | + | |
| − | == Montana = | + | ==Montana== |
| − | Judge Strevell practiced law in Miles City for many years until his death in February, 1903. He homesteaded a tract of land on the east side of town, where the Veterans' Hospital now stands -- in fact his residence was right in the middle of what is now Wibaux Park. | + | |
| + | Strevell moved from Pontiac to Montana in 1879, where he reestablished himself as an involved citizen of Miles City. Judge Strevell practiced law in Miles City for many years until his death in February, 1903. He homesteaded a tract of land on the east side of town, where the Veterans' Hospital now stands -- in fact his residence was right in the middle of what is now Wibaux Park. | ||
While not primarily a farmer, a record exists of a planting of sugar beets in 1898, which includes an accounting of his costs, but (as he laments) the yield record was lost, though he waxes exurberantly about the yield being as good as anyone ever saw. | While not primarily a farmer, a record exists of a planting of sugar beets in 1898, which includes an accounting of his costs, but (as he laments) the yield record was lost, though he waxes exurberantly about the yield being as good as anyone ever saw. | ||
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| + | Besides Charles, Jason and Elizabeth had a daughter [[Helen Strevell Miles|Helen]], who married [[George M. Miles]] in 1880. Strevell partnered with his son-in-law in livestock (with Hawes) using a range 100 miles from town. He undoubtably financed part of Charlie's hardware store partnership with Miles. | ||
