Jason W. Strevell
From birchyHistory
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Jason W. Strevell (????-1903) 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 Albany, New York to Harvey & Elizabeth (Lewis) Strevell, natives of New York. | + | ==Early life== |
| + | Strevell was born in Albany, New York to Harvey & Elizabeth (Lewis) Strevell, natives of New York. Harvey was a teacher, then a farmer. His grandfather, Woolrick Strevell, was wagon master in Gen. Washington's army during the Revolution, in which he served until the close of the war without injury. He located in the state of New York more than 2 centuries ago. His wife was a niece of Col. Lyman Lewis, an officer in the Continental army of the Revolution. She became the mother of six children, Jason W. Strevell being the fifth in order of birth. Jason W. Strevell was educated in the Rensselaerville Academy, in Albany county, N. Y., and then began reading law with Peckham & Tremaine, prominent members of the Albany bar. | ||
==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 twenty-four year practice in Pontiac. On 15 August, 1858, Jason was married to Miss Elizabeth Kelley, daughter of Dr. John Kelly, a physician and surgeon of Lake City, Minnesota. He served as a Republican in the lower house of the state legislature for four years, as a member of the senate for the same period of time and was a member of the electoral college that elected Hayes to the presidency, and he was actively concerned in the first presidential nomination of William McKinley. He was a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln and did yeoman service in securing his presidential nomination, having been a member of the Illinois legislature during the critical epoch of the Civil war. |
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. | 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. | ||
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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. | ||
| − | 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. | + | 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. If he ran livestock independently, he had closed out those interests by 1902 or so. He was a director of the [[First National Bank of Miles City]] and the owner of real estate in Montana and in Phoenix, Arizona, and Tacoma, Washington. He undoubtably financed part of Charlie's hardware store partnership with Miles. |
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| + | Since coming to Montana Mr. Strevell took little part in politics. Mr. Strevell was a Presbyterian, an elder in the local church. He was three times a delegate to the general assembly of the church and a regular attendant of the synod and presbytery. He enjoyed reading good literature and traveled to Turkey, Palestine, Egypt, and Europe. | ||
