116ROBERT
WILKINSON FURNAS.
of the most noted newspapers, and its editor, one
of the first newspaper men in the West or South. Young
Furnas remained in this office until 1843, and
acquired a large store of practical knowledge of
trade, general business, and life, as well as
considerable information upon all ordinary topics,
besides the specific attainment desired in the
knowledge of the business. The benefit of this
schooling is perhaps clearly traceable even in the
present, and the immediate past. Leaving Covington he
proceeded to Cincinnati, opened a book and job office,
and continued in the printing business at that place
for two years with good success.
Near the close of that time, and in
the year 1845, our subject was united in marriage with
Mary S. McComas, a native of Ohio, and a most
excellent lady, one who has the power and ability to
assist him in life, and fitted to grace any position
in society, however high. There have been born of this
union five children.
One of the first public engagements
entered into by our subject when he became a voter was
when, in company with several other young men, he felt
the necessity of education as the means necessary to
power in this life in any of its relations. They
bound. themselves to advocate the building of the
school-house in Troy, and a lot was reserved for that
purpose. Older citizens, perhaps not so well alive to
the progressive spirit of the age, thought it
unnecessary, and threw in the way a thousand
objections. The young men were defeated at the poles
the first year, but nothing daunted continued the
contest, and the next year carried their point by a
small majority, with the result that a $17,000
school-house was erected, and has stood a monument to
the enterprise and foresight of these young men. Upon
the success of the above undertaking, Mr. Furnas was
elected one of the School Directors, which he
continued to be until his removal to Nebraska, when he
resigned.
Our subject was only twenty-three
years of age when he became proprietor of the Troy
Times, an organ of the Whig party, of which
also he was the editor and publisher, and by his
trenchant articles did much service in the Taylor
campaign. In 1852 he sold this paper, and was engaged
first as Freight and Ticket Agent, afterward as
conductor for the Dayton & Michigan Railroad,
continuing until 1856.
In March of that year he emigrated
to this State, established himself at Brownville, and
in July of the same year established the Brownville
Advertiser, and entered the arena of political
life. He became a very zealous advocate of the
agricultural and educational interests of the State,
and in the fall of that year was elected to the
Territorial Legislature. Here the masterly
qualities that have since distinguished him before the
State were made manifest.
During his term of office, as noted
in the forgoing paragraph, our subject originated the
school system of the Territory, which was modeled in
its general features after the system of Ohio. In the
year 1858 he was re-elected and again took his seat in
the Legislature. In 1861 he was elected Chief Clerk,
and early in the spring was commissioned Colonel in
the United States Regular Army, and received orders
from the Secretary of War to organize the loyal
Indians and have them mustered into the service. He
was successful in his mission and raised three
regiments. These were fully equipped, and Col. Furnas
commanded them in the Southern expedition under Gen.
Blunt, which took in the borders of Kansas, Missouri,
Arkansas and the Indian Territory. Resigning his
commission after having done splendid work with his
command, he returned and went to work to recruit, and
established the 2d Nebraska Cavalry, and added fresh
glories to the already brilliant record of military
achievement. With this command he served under Gen.
Stilly in the now renowned "Sully expedition" against
the Sioux Indians, wherein they were pursued to
British Columbia.
The next four years our subject was
employed as Indian Agent for the Omaha and Winnebago
Indians, which he resigned to take his place at the
helm of the State as already recorded. Among the many
honors worn so gracefully, and in such manly spirit,
are: Regent of the State University, President of the
State Board of Agriculture, President of the State
Agricultural Society, President of the State Soldiers
Union, Vice President of the National Pomological
Association, Past Grand Master of the I. O. O. F.,
Past Grand High Priest, and Past Grand Commander of
the Masonic bodies of the State of Nebraska.