William Pitt Kellogg – Colonel, United States Army United States Senator – Judge

KELLOGG, William Pitt, senator, born in Olwell, Vermont, 8 December, 1831. He removed to Illinois in 1848, studied law in Peoria, and was admitted to the Dar in 1854, beginning practice in Fulton county, he was a delegate to the Republican national conventions of 1856 and 1860, and a presidential elector in both these years, and in 1861 was appointed chief justice of Nebraska, which office he resigned later in the year to become Colonel of the 7th Illinois cavalry.

He served under l)ope in Missouri, and commanded a brigade until the evacuation of Corinth, but left the army on account of feeble health, and in April, 1865, was appointed collector of the port of New Orleans.

On the reorganization of the state government in Louisiana he was chosen to the United States senate as a Republican, and served from 1868 till 1871. On 19 June, 1872, he was nominated for governor by the “custom-house” branch of the party, and in August, by an agreement with the branch that had nominated P. B. S. Pinchback, became the candidate of the whole party. The various wings of the Democratic party united on John McEnery. The election was held on 4 November, and Kellogg, on 16 November, obtained a temporary injunction in a United States court, restraining the returning-board from announcing the result, alleging among other things that changes had been illegally made in the board for the purpose of declaring McEnery elected. Judge Edward H. Durell rendered a final decision in Kellogg’s favor; but both the rival boards were organized, two legislatures convened, each candidate was declared elected, and both were inaugurated on 14 January, 1873.

A committee of congress investigated the matter, and advised that a new election t)e held; but a bill to that effect was lost, and the administration recognized Mr. Kellogg as legal governor of the state. The McEnery party finally appealed to arms, alleging that the Kellogg administration was a usurpation, and after a conflict with the metropolitan police, in the streets of the city, seized the state and city buildings and property on 14 September, and compelled Governor Kellogg to take refuge in the custom-house. President Grant immediately issued a proclamation ordering the insurgents to disperse, and by 20 September order had been restored by United States troops, and the Kellogg government was re-established. The political excitement continued, and civil war was prevented only by the presence of the United States forces; but in 1875 there was a second congressional investigation, and an agreement was made by which Governor Kellogg remained in office, while a compromise legislature was recognized as the legal one. On 25 February, 1876, Governor Kellogg was impeached by the lower house of the legislature, the principal accusation being that he had used for other purposes money that had been set apart for the payment of interest; but the case was dismissed by the senate.

On 8 January, 1877, his term expired, and, as before, both the Republicans and the Democrats organized state governments. Mr. Kellogg was chosen to the United States senate by the former, and admitted to his seat by vote of the senate on 30 November, 1877. He was elected to the lower house of congress in 1882, and served from 1883 till 1885.

Born on December 8, 1830 in Orwell, Vermont, he served as Colonel of the 7th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry during the Civil War.

During his career he was also Governor, Senator and Representative in Congress from Louisiana, Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court, Collector of the Port of New Orleans.

He was elected to the 40th Congress (March 4, 1883-March 3, 1885). He eventually withdrew from political life and lived in retirement in Washington, D.C. where he died on August 10, 1918. He was buried in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery.

His wife, Mary Ellen Wills Kellogg (February 9, 1836-March 15, 1918), is buried with him.

KELLOGG, MARY WILLS W/O WM P

• DATE OF DEATH: 03/15/1918
• DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
• BURIED AT:
• ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
• WIFE OF WP KMELLOGG – COL 7TH ILL CAV

KELLOGG, WILLIAM P

• COL 7TH ILL CAV
• VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
• DATE OF DEATH: 08/10/1918
• DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
• BURIED AT:
• ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard