Husband Col. John McPherrin Sullivan 1
Born: 9 Aug 1822 - Butler, Butler Co, PA 1
Christened:
Died: 1899 - Butler, Butler Co, PA 2
Buried:
Father: John Sullivan (1793-1854) 3 4 5
Mother: Mary McPherrin (Abt 1800-1888) 4 5 6
Marriage: 10 Jun 1873 7
Wife Mary S. Agnew 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: 14 Dec 1874 7
Buried:
Father: Hon. Daniel Agnew (1809-1902) 7 8 9 10
Mother: Elizabeth Moore (Abt 1809-1888) 11 12 13 14
Children
General Notes: Husband - Col. John McPherrin Sullivan
He received his primary education in the old stone academy of Butler, under the tuition, severally, of Rev. John W. Scott, D. D., Rev. Douthett, Alexander Shirran and Rev. Loyal Young, D. D., and entered Jefferson College in November, 1838. He graduated at that institution on September 28, 1843, in a class of forty-seven, representing thirteen states, with an award from the faculty of one of the first honors of the class, and was assigned to deliver the valedictory. Among his well-known classmates were Rev. Dr. James Matthews, of San Francisco; Hon. A. W. Hendricks, of Indianapolis; Hon. Richard T. Merrick, of Washington; Hon. John P. Penney and Gen. J. B. Switzer, of Pittsburg, and Rev. Dr. E. E. Swift, of Allegheny.
Immediately after leaving college he entered the law office of Hon. Samuel A. Gilmore, of Butler, and was admitted to practice December 9, 1845, A few months later he formed a law partnership with Hon. Samuel A. Purviance, of Butler, which continued until January 1, 1855. The winters of 1845 and 1846 were spent at Harrisburg, as a legislative correspondent of the New York Tribune, Philadelphia Enquirer, and Pittsburg Commercial. He served as assistant clerk of the Senate of Pennsylvania in 1847, 1848, 1849 and 1850, and as chief clerk in 1852 and 1853. His last election was a unanimous one, every member of the Senate being present and voting for him, while a unanimous vote of thanks was recorded at the close of his term. This was all the more gratifying to him as the Senate at that time was nearly equally divided in politics.
In January, 1855, Colonel Sullivan became deputy secretary of the Commonwealth under the administration of Governor Pollock, Andrew G. Curtin being secretary of the Commonwealth. At the close of Governor Pollock's administration, in January, 1858, Colonel Sullivan was appointed deputy superintendent of common schools, and held that office until July, 1860, when he resigned to assume the duties of secretary of the Republican State Committee in the memorable campaign of that year, which resulted in the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. After the presidential election he returned to his home in Butler, where he remained until July, 1861, when he received an invitation from Hon. Simon Cameron, secretary of war, urging him to come immediately to Washington, and render assistance in the rapidly accumulating work of the war department. This summons was at once obeyed, and from that date until April 1, 1867, Colonel Sullivan held the position of chief corresponding clerk in the office of the quartermaster-general of the army. These were nearly six years of very arduous labor. Over thirty letter-press volumes in the files of the war department, bearing the impress of his handwriting, remain as witnesses of his official work. These duties were supplemented during the war by unremitting services for the soldiers of Butler county in the field, camp and hospital, and for their friends at home, who with anxious hearts made him the medium to aid them in planning and executing their kind ministries. The patriotic people of his native county owe him a debt of gratitude for his noble services in thus aiding her brave boys who went out in defence of the flag. During his residence in Washington he was secretary of the Pennsylvania Soldiers' Relief Association, and also of the Pennsylvania Republican Association.
In March, 1867, Hon. Thomas Williams, member of Congress from the district, and Hons. Simon Cameron and Charles R. Buckalew; United States Senators from Pennsylvania, without any knowledge or solicitation on the part of Colonel Sullivan, united in asking President Johnson, to appoint him collector of internal revenue for the Twenty-third district, an office which had been vacant for several months, owing to the inability to secure an agreement between the President and Senate, then of opposite politics, as to a nominee. The appointment was made and unanimously confirmed by the Senate, and Colonel Sullivan immediately resigned his position in the war department to enter upon his new duties as collector in Allegheny. He held the collectorship from May 1, 1867, to July 1, 1882, excepting a few months, interval, from July, 1869, to April, 1870. On July 1, 1882, he turned over the collectorship to his successor, and before the close of that month he received from the commissioner of internal revenue a certificate that all his accounts were satisfactorily closed, every cent of over $7,000,000 of public money that had passed through his hands having been faithfully accounted for.
Soon after retiring from the collectorship, Colonel Sullivan, from inclination as well as filial and fraternal duty, returned to his old home in Butler. After the death of his mother, he and his sister, Miss Mary E. Sullivan, occupied the old family residence. After his return to Butler he did not resume professional life, but was ever ready to assist all worthy enterprises and to aid in every good work. He retained unabated interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the surviving soldiers of the Civil War, and was one of the leading spirits in organizing the movement that culminated in the erection of the handsome monument in Butler, to the memory of “Our Silent Defenders.” A descendant of two leading pioneers families of Butler county, he gave close attention to the preservation of local history, and was one of the best authorities, of his time, on pioneer reminiscences. The title of Colonel, usually applied to him, was not acquired from military service, but followed commissions from Governors Johnston and Pollock, who each assigned him to a position on the staff of the Governor as aide, with the rank of lieutenant colonel. [HBC 1895, 678]