In 1872 J.T. Pratt printed a book called Pen-pictures of the officers and members of the House of Representatives of the Twenty-Sixth General Assembly of Missouri. This was before the time of biennial printing of the Official Manual of the State of Missouri, which would include brief, standardized biographies of G.A. members.
The "Pen-pictures" range from terse statements to lengthy prose. Here is how Josiah Colcord's sketch begins:
Josiah P. Colcord was elected to the Missouri General Assembly in 1870. He was a young attorney from St. Louis and he served one term. He was a member of the 22nd Illinois Volunteers during the Civil War and was seriously wounded at Vicksburg. He came to a lousy end. You can read all about it in the August 19, 1878, issue of the New York Times if you are so inclined.
The "Pen-pictures" range from terse statements to lengthy prose. Here is how Josiah Colcord's sketch begins:
The Representative from the Seventh district of St. Louis, who, with Nat Claiborne and the member from Mississippi county, furnishes the pyrotechnics of the House, is a native of Suckerdom, having been born in Bond county, in that State, in 1843.Suckerdom?! Until today I had no idea that Illinois had ever been known as The Sucker State. And it's the land of my birth, too.
Josiah P. Colcord was elected to the Missouri General Assembly in 1870. He was a young attorney from St. Louis and he served one term. He was a member of the 22nd Illinois Volunteers during the Civil War and was seriously wounded at Vicksburg. He came to a lousy end. You can read all about it in the August 19, 1878, issue of the New York Times if you are so inclined.