Worthington Perry Wachter (1881-1941)

From the Book of Maryland: Men and Institutions, 1920.

  Lifelong Maryland resident Worthington Perry Wachter was for over two decades a leading figure in the Washington County bar, and in addition to his profession served as county tax collector and secretary of the State Industrial Accident Commission. In 1926 he became the Democratic nominee for Chief Judge of Maryland's fourth judicial circuit, and though unsuccessful in his run, achieved further distinction in the Improved Order of Red Men fraternal organization, being named as that group's head in 1932. The son of Sidney H. and Phoebe (Smith) Wachter, Worthington Perry Wachter was born in Ceresville, Frederick County, Maryland on May 30, 1881.

   A student in the public schools, Wachter graduated from Walkersville High School in 1899 and enrolled at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. Following graduation in 1902, he embarked upon a teaching career in Washington County that extended nearly a decade. During this period he served as principal of the Sharpsburg public schools and married in June 1906 to Maude C. Young (1885-1959), to whom he was wed until his death. The couple had three children, Samuel Sidney (1906-1981), Evelyn Mae (1910-1980), and Mildred (1914-2010). 

   Wachter made his first move into local politics in 1913 with his service as Washington County deputy sheriff, and in February 1915 was appointed as Washington County tax collector. He served until November of that year, and was defeated for reelection by Republican John Fleming, the margin being just two votes! Two years after his defeat Wachter was elected as chairman and executive officer of the Washington County military exemption board, and in 1918 was selected as secretary of the State Industrial Accident Commission. During this time Wachter decided to pursue a law degree, and following a period of study at the University of Maryland Law School, earned his degree in 1920.

   Active in several fraternal groups in his state, Wachter was a member of the St. Bernards Commandry, Knights Templar; the Queen Esther Chapter, No. 3, Order of the Eastern Star; the Scottish Rite Masons; the Loyal Order of Moose; the Independent Order of Oddfellows; the Modern Woodmen of America; and the Improved Order of Red Men. From 1920-21 he was Grand Patriarch of the Grand Encampment of Oddfellows of Maryland, and in those same years was Grand Sachem of the Improved Order of Red Men of Maryland. He was also a past potentate of the Ali Ghan Temple, Mystic Shriners.

  After several years away from public office, Wachter set his sights on a state judgeship in 1926. In that year's Democratic primary, Wachter ran for Chief Judge of Maryland's fourth judicial district, and after announcing his candidacy was featured in campaign advertisements in area newspapers. In a writeup in the Hagerstown Daily Mirror, Wachter made note of his previous areas of service and remarked:

"I am keenly appreciative of the honor and the dignity of the office to which I aspire, yet I feel justice and fairness to all demand that you be publically informed of my candidacy. I, therefore, submit my candidacy to you, the Democratic voters of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, for your consideration, with the hope of your endorsement by your votes, Tuesday, September 14."

From the Hagerstown Daily Mirror, February 10, 1926.

  That September Wachter was defeated by William C. Walsh, 5,765 votes to 3,448. Walsh, in turn, was defeated in the November general election by Republican D. Lindley Sloane. Wachter returned to practicing law in Hagerstown following his loss, and while his judicial aspirations were dashed, he achieved a measure of consolation outside of politics in 1927, when he was elected as district governor of the Lions Club. This post saw Wachter as chief of the Lions clubs in Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C., and during this period continued his rise through the hierarchy of the Improved Order of Red Men. In 1928 he served as Patriotic Director of that organization's grand council, and in September 1932 was elected as Great Incohonee at the group's biennial convention in North Carolina. 

  As the highest-ranking office in the organization, Wachter visited numerous Red Men lodges during his tenure and installed degrees on new members of that organization. In September 1933 he undertook "a tour of units of the order in  Texas and other western and midwestern states", and was succeeded as Great Incohonee in September 1934 by Arthur J. Ruland. 1934 also saw Wachter be a candidate for the Maryland state senate but lost out in the September Democratic primary to Joseph D. Mish.

   In 1940 Wachter began experiencing heart trouble, and by February 1941 had entered the Washington County Hospital for treatment. He remained under hospital care until his death at age 60 on November 23, 1941. He was survived by his wife and three children and was interred at the Boonsboro Cemetery in Boonsboro, Maryland.

From the Hagerstown Daily Mail, November 24, 1941.

Goldburn Hiram Wilson (1864-1941)

From the 1905-06 Official Manual of the State of Missouri.

   A five-term member of the Missouri State House of Representatives, St. Louis resident Goldburn Hiram Wilson was also a physician and educator, being a professor of chemistry at the Marion-Sims Medical College in the early 1890s. A native of Illinois, Goldburn H. Wilson was born in the city of Rock Island on April 29, 1864, being the son of Thomas and Sarah E. Quick Wilson.  He removed with his family to Henry County, Missouri at age five and would attend the public schools local to that county.

   Wilson entered upon study at the State University of Missouri at Columbia in 1882, and after four years at that college continued in the study of medicine at the St. Louis College of Physicians. A graduate of that school in the class of 1889, Wilson shortly thereafter journeyed to Oklahoma but soon after returned to Missouri, establishing his medical practice in St. Louis. In the succeeding years "success came rapidly" to Wilson, with the 1909 edition of "St. Louis, the Fourth City" noting that:

"In handling the many complex problems he showed marked strength and ability, and the public soon came to recognize that he was most careful in the diagnosis of a case and correct in applying remedial agencies to the needs of his patients."

   In 1892 Goldburn Wilson took on the position of professor of chemistry at the now-defunct Marion Sims Medical College, remaining in that post until 1894 when he accepted the same professorship at the Women's Hospital Medical College. His professorship at the latter college concluded in 1895 and in 1896 married to Laura Phillips, with whom he had two sons, Goldburn Hiram Jr. (died 1935) and Thomas Phillips. In November of that year, Goldburn H. Wilson was elected as one of St. Louis' representatives in the Missouri State Assembly, serving in the sessions of 1897-1899, 1899-01, and 1901-03. During the last-named session, Wilson held seats on the house committees on Life and Accident Insurance and Fraternal Associations; Private Corporations; Public Health and Scientific Institutions; Public School Textbooks and Rules.
  After several years in the legislature Goldburn Wilson wasn't a candidate for renomination in November 1902, but two years later decided to once again enter political life, running for his old seat in the assembly. He would win the election in November 1904, garnering 11, 377 votes on election day.  During the 1905 session he would serve as Speaker of the House Pro Tempore and in November 1906 was elected to his fifth term in the house. Recognized as one of the ablest members of the assembly, Wilson's terms received prominent mention in the Vol. II of St. Louis, the Fourth City, which relates that:

"He was one of the champions of and was largely instrumental in securing the passage pf the pure food laws. He has stood for practical advancement and reform, placing the public welfare above partisanship and the interests of the commonwealth before personal aggrandizement."

  In the final year of his legislative service, Wilson served as part of the Missouri delegation to the 1908 Republican National Convention in Chicago. Little is known of the remainder of Wilson's life, except that he died in St. Louis on October 31, 1941, at age 77. He was later interred at the Valhalla Cemetery, also located in St. Louis.

Goldburn H. Wilson, portrait courtesy of ancestry.com.

Candelario Vigil (1877-1941)

    From the 1913 work "Representative New Mexicans"

   Candelario Vigil is honored today as the first political strange name profile from the state of New Mexico. A resident of Union County, Vigil was a prominent figure on the New Mexico political scene both before and after it became a state in 1912. Little could be found online in regard to his life and political career, but enough information has been located to compile a small write-up on his accomplishments.

  Born on February 2, 1877, in San Wapello, New Mexico, Candelario Vigil was the son of Augustin (1843-1909) and Eleuteria Ortega Vigil. Candelario is recorded by the 1913 work Representative New Mexicans as attending public schools in the Mora County, New Mexico area and was later enrolled in a private school in the village of Wagon Mound. 

   Candelario married in 1897 to Ms. Carolina Vigil (1878-1941, no relation) with whom he had several children, who are listed as follows: Daniel (1898-1898), Candelario (1900-1979), Lionela (1902-1995), Agustin (1907-1999), Esequiel (1905-1998), Max Elmer (1909-2000), Fulgencio (born 1912) and an adopted daughter,  Juanita (born 1918).

  From the few sources that mention him, Candelario Vigil is recorded as being "one of the most successful stockraisers" in the Union County area, owning a large amount of American Hereford cattle. The Representative New Mexicans also note that Vigil was a notary public and served a term on the Union County Board of Education from 1902-1904. 

  In 1911 Vigil's public profile received a boost when he became a delegate to the New Mexico Constitutional Convention from Union County. This convention was of major importance in New Mexico's history as it drew up a state constitution, and within two years of its creation, New Mexico became the 47th state, with its statehood proclamation being signed by then-President William Howard Taft. 

  In 1912 Candelario Vigil was elected as a Republican to the New Mexico State House of Representatives. Taking his seat in January 1914, Vigil's term concluded in 1916. Due to the lack of information on Mr. Vigil, it is unknown at this time if he took part in any important legislation during his years of service, and it is also a mystery as to the committees he may have served on.

  Little else is known of Vigil's life after his tenure in the New Mexico legislature. He is recorded as dying on March 14, 1941, at age 63 in the town of Clayton, New Mexico, and was shortly thereafter interred at the Clayton Cemetery in Union County. Carolina Vigil died a few months after her husband in September 1941 at age 64 and was interred alongside him in Clayton. 

                   This portrait of Vigil appeared in the 1915 edition of the New Mexico Blue Book.

Pius Louis Schwert (1892-1941)

From the Buffalo News, October 6, 1938.

    Two-term U.S. Representative Pius Louis Schwert is profiled today, and it is worth noting that previous to political service he was a professional baseball player, playing for the New York Highlanders, later to be known as the New York Yankees. A popular figure in his home state, as well as the U.S. Capitol, Schwert's promising political career was curtailed by his death while in office in March 1941.
  Pius Louis Schwert was born in the village of Angola, New York on November 22, 1892, the son of Julius and Louise Ahlers Schwert. Distinguished in his own right, Julius Schwert was at various times a business owner, town treasurer, town clerk, and eventually deputy sheriff of Erie County, New York. Pius Schwert attended schools local to the Angola area and eventually graduated from the Lafayette High School in Buffalo, New York. He later enrolled at the famed Wharton School of Commerce in Philadelphia, graduating from there in 1914. 
   While attending college in Pennsylvania, Schwert gained prominence as a stand-out ball player on the varsity team. He eventually made the All-American college team, and after leaving college went on to the Major Leagues. In 1914 he joined up with the New York Highlanders (later known as the Yankees) and played with the team for two seasons. Sources also denote Schwert as playing for professional teams in Jersey City and Newark, but dates aren't known for his time with those clubs. Schwert left the major leagues in 1916 and became an ensign in the Navy, being stationed at the Bremerton Navy Yard in Washington state during WWI. During his service he "had charge of submarine and ammunition depot payrolls", and continued with his baseball career during his Navy service, playing on a Naval District team.  In the succeeding years, Schwert looked back with fondness on his time in baseball, and reflected on its "power of fellowship" after entering politics, remarking:

"It was to the advantage of a young man in college to discover that when men unite for a common cause, whenever they feel the sense of fellowship and comradeship drawing them together, whenever they fight with their backs to the wall, a power comes into play that is greater than the strength of the individuals."

              Pius Schwert (1892-1941), as he looked during his tenure on the NY Highlanders, ca. 1915.

   At the conclusion of his naval service, Schwert returned to Angola and operated a general store for a short period. In 1921 he was named as the President of the Bank of Angola, serving in this position until 1931. In his first year as bank president Schwert had a brief return to the baseball diamond, playing twenty games as catcher for the Buffalo Bisons. Pius Schwert married in New York in February 1923 to Hattie Elizabeth Schwert. The couple were wed for eighteen years and would be childless.  

  After leaving the Bank of Angola in 1931 Schwert resided in Buffalo and was named manager of the Masonic Service Bureau, "in which he assisted many unemployed to find jobs." He first entered politics in 1933 with his candidacy as Erie County clerk and was elected to that post in November 1933 "by 7,000 votes." He was reelected in 1935 and served until 1938 when he announced his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives. Hoping to succeed his old friend James M. Mead (who had recently been elected to the U.S. Senate), campaign notices for Schwert appeared in newspapers throughout Western New York, and in an October 1938 announcement Schwert's time as county clerk and his character were praised by the Springville Journal, which notes:

"As County Clerk, Mr. Schwert has proven that he is not a "Yes" man. He stands up for his rights. He has fought for his employees. He believes in serving the people of the community and would continue to serve and "fight for" the people of the 42nd district, if elected to represent that district. He will cater to no one group or individual but will work for all regardless of race, creed, or color. For proof of his loyalty any of his employees will testify in his behalf."

  In that year's congressional election, Schwert was opposed by John Cornelius Butler (1887-1953). When the votes were tallied, Schwert managed a nearly 3,000-vote win over Butler, 39,287 votes to 36, 326.

                                            From "Evans and Angola", by Cheryl Delano, 2009.

  Taking his seat at the start of the 1939-40 session, Schwert was named to the committees on War Claims and World War Veterans Legislation. He was reelected to Congress in November 1940 and on this occasion defeated his Republican opponent Edward F. Moss by a wide margin, 64, 250 votes to 44, 866. 

  An active club man in addition to politics, Schwert's memberships in civic groups and fraternal clubs are also noteworthy. A former vice president of the New York State County Clerk's Association in 1938, Schwert held the presidency of the Southwestern Association of Volunteer Firemen, was a past district commander of the Second Erie Masonic District, and was commander of the Newcomb-Long Post No. 928 American Legion.

  Schwert was only a few months into his second congressional term when tragedy struck on March 11, 1941. On that particular day, Schwert had just concluded giving a speech at a dinner party at the Hotel Annapolis in Washington, D.C.  Noting that he planned to run for Mayor of Buffalo, Schwert had just returned to his seat when he suffered a fatal heart attack at age 48 and died in the arms of U.S. Senator James Michael Meade of New York. Schwert's unexpected death "came as a distinct shock" to his friends and fellow congressmen, and shortly afterward his body was returned to Angola and interred in the Forest Avenue Cemetery. He was survived by his wife Hattie, who died in 1967 and was interred alongside her husband. In the days following his passing Schwert's brief career in politics was praised by his friend, James Michael Mead, who in a moving memorial remarked:

"Possessed of a pleasing personality and an edifying humilty, he made friends from every walk of life, and their number as well as loyalty increased and multiplied with the passing years. He was my neighbor, my colleague, and above all my sincere friend. My deepest sympathy goes forth to his wife  and to the members of his family." 

From the Tampa Bay Times, March 13, 1941.

                                      Schwert's death notice from the Troy, NY Times Record.

   Earlier today (February 5, 2012) I managed to make a visit to Pius L. Schwert's gravesite in Angola and after some searching discovered the quiet, well-kept Forest Avenue Cemetery on the outskirts of the town. Schwert's gravestone is located between that of his father and mother (as well as his wife, Hattie) and it indeed mentions his service in Congress from 1939 to 1941. An American Legion marker and flag indicate his service during the First World War. Some photos from that visit have been posted below.

                         With the SNIAPH Book at the gravesite of Congressman Pius Louis Schwert.