OGLESBY, RICHARD (JAMES)

born July 25, 1824, Oldham County, Ky., U.S. died April 24, 1899, Elkhart, Ill. governor of Illinois (186569, 1873, 188589) and U.S. senator (187379). Oglesby was born into a farming family, and his father was a member of the Kentucky legislature. Orphaned in 1833, he was taken to Decatur, Ill., by an uncle. In 1845 Oglesby was admitted to the bar; he practiced law until the Mexican War (April 1846February 1848) broke out, at which time he served with the 4th Illinois Volunteers. In 1849 he was drawn to California by the gold rush; he returned to law practice in 1851. Elected to the Illinois state Senate in 1860, Oglesby served only one term before resigning to serve in the Civil War as colonel of the 8th Illinois Volunteers. He was promoted to major general in 1863 and was elected governor of Illinois in 1864. He returned to law practice in 1869 but was once again elected governor in 1872. Shortly after taking office in 1873, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, in which he served until 1879. He served an unprecedented third term as governor of Illinois from 1885 to 1889. The town of Oglesby, Illinois, was named for him.