William Morton Meredith
Encyclopedia
William Morton Meredith (1835–1917) was an official in the United States Department of the Treasury
who was Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
from 1889 to 1893 and from 1900 to 1906.
in 1835, the son of Samuel C. Meredith and his wife Margaret (Ballard) Meredith. He attended a year of college, but left shortly to work in his father's printing
office. He later worked for the Indianapolis Journal
. He married Emiline "Emma" Schelenberger in 1859.
With the outbreak of the American Civil War
, Meredith enlisted in the Union Army
, but Governor of Indiana
Oliver Hazard Perry Morton
soon appointed Meredith state commissary-general. In 1862, Meredith formed a company of volunteers made up mostly of printers and was selected as the company's captain. This company was a part of the 70th Regiment Indiana Infantry
under the command of Benjamin Harrison
. While he was posted at Wauhatchie
in March 1864, he received a telegram informing him that his wife had contracted spotted fever
; she later died of this illness. He was present at the Battle of Resaca
(May 13-15, 1864), an event he wrote about in the Chicago Current in 1886. He developed a hernia
because of a hard-riding horse and was discharged from the Union Army in Atlanta, Georgia
in August 1864.
After leaving the Army, Meredith returned to the Indianapolis Journal. He married Terressa A. Richey in 1867. He later moved to the St. Louis Democrat. He joined the Western Bank Note Company in Chicago
in 1875 as superintendent of plate printing.
In 1889, Meredith's former commander, Benjamin Harrison
, now President of the United States
, named Meredith Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
. Meredith returned to the Western Bank Note Company in 1893. He returned as Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing from 1900 to 1906. He remained employed in the United States Department of the Treasury
until his death of bronchopneumonia
in 1917 at age 82.
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
who was Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is the head of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing within the United States Department of the Treasury. The current Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is Larry R. Felix....
from 1889 to 1893 and from 1900 to 1906.
Biography
William Morton Meredith was born in Centerville, IndianaCenterville, Indiana
Centerville is a town in Center Township, Wayne County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,552 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Centerville is located at , at an altitude of 1,014 feet . U.S...
in 1835, the son of Samuel C. Meredith and his wife Margaret (Ballard) Meredith. He attended a year of college, but left shortly to work in his father's printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
office. He later worked for the Indianapolis Journal
Indianapolis Journal
The Indianapolis Journal was a newspaper published in Indiana during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The paper published daily editions every evening except on Sundays when it published a morning edition. The paper was established in the 1823 as a pro-Whig newspaper. M.B. Martindale...
. He married Emiline "Emma" Schelenberger in 1859.
With the outbreak of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Meredith enlisted in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
, but Governor of Indiana
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
Oliver Hazard Perry Morton
Oliver Hazard Perry Morton
Oliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton , commonly known as Oliver P. Morton, was a U.S. Republican Party politician from Indiana. He served as the 14th Governor of Indiana during the American Civil War, and was a stalwart ally of President Abraham Lincoln. During the war, Morton suppressed the...
soon appointed Meredith state commissary-general. In 1862, Meredith formed a company of volunteers made up mostly of printers and was selected as the company's captain. This company was a part of the 70th Regiment Indiana Infantry
70th Regiment Indiana Infantry
The 70th Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 70th Indiana Infantry was organized at Indianapolis, Indiana July 22 through August 8, 1862, and mustered in for a three year enlistment under the command of Colonel...
under the command of Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
. While he was posted at Wauhatchie
Battle of Wauhatchie
-References:* Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. ISBN 0-8129-1726-X. First published 1959 by McKay.* Cozzens, Peter. The Shipwreck of Their Hopes: The Battles for Chattanooga. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994. ISBN 0-252-01922-9.* Korn, Jerry, and...
in March 1864, he received a telegram informing him that his wife had contracted spotted fever
Spotted fever
A spotted fever is a type of tick-borne disease which presents on the skin.Types include:* Mediterranean spotted fever* Rocky Mountain spotted fever* Queensland tick typhus...
; she later died of this illness. He was present at the Battle of Resaca
Battle of Resaca
The Battle of Resaca was part of the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle was waged in both Gordon and Whitfield counties, Georgia, from May 13 - 15, 1864. It ended inconclusively with the Confederate Army retreating. The engagement was fought between the Military Division of the...
(May 13-15, 1864), an event he wrote about in the Chicago Current in 1886. He developed a hernia
Hernia
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....
because of a hard-riding horse and was discharged from the Union Army in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
in August 1864.
After leaving the Army, Meredith returned to the Indianapolis Journal. He married Terressa A. Richey in 1867. He later moved to the St. Louis Democrat. He joined the Western Bank Note Company in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1875 as superintendent of plate printing.
In 1889, Meredith's former commander, Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
, now President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, named Meredith Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is the head of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing within the United States Department of the Treasury. The current Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is Larry R. Felix....
. Meredith returned to the Western Bank Note Company in 1893. He returned as Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing from 1900 to 1906. He remained employed in the United States Department of the Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
until his death of bronchopneumonia
Bronchopneumonia
Bronchopneumonia or bronchial pneumonia or "Bronchogenic pneumonia" is the acute inflammation of the walls of the bronchioles...
in 1917 at age 82.