Oglesby, Richard James

From Encyclopediak

Oglesby, 0' gls by, Richard James 1824-1899, a United States senator, born in Oldham County, Kentucky. He removed to Illinois at the age of 12. In 1845 he was admitted to the bar. From 1849 to 1851 he was engaged in mining in California, after which he returned to Decatur, Illinois, where he had previously lived. He was elected to the State Senate in 1860, but soon resigned to enter the Union army, serving at Ft. Henry, Ft. Donelson, Shiloh and Corinth. He retired from the army in 1864 with the rank of major-general of volunteers. The same year he was elected governor of Illinois, which position he occupied until 1869, and was again elected in 1872. He was United States senator from 1873 to 1879, and served again as governor of the state from 1884 to 1889, after which he retired to private life.