Abraham Lincoln has received much praise, particularly in recent years, from historians who have appreciated his ability to form an effective Cabinet with some of the best talent in the country during the Civil War years. This is perhaps best covered in the award-winning book A Team of Rivals. Lincoln surrounded himself with several men with very high political ambitions of their own, including politicians who had their own presidential aspirations.
Among the Cabinet members with perhaps lesser abilities was Simon Cameron, who served as Lincoln’s first Secretary of War, holding the position until January 14, 1862. He was forced to resign because of allegations of rampant corruption.
Cameron hailed from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He was born in March 1799 in Maytown, a small village near Marietta. Orphaned at the age of nine, he became an apprentice to a printer in Northumberland County. Later, Cameron became an influential newspaperman and a U.S. Senator in the Republican Party. He ran for president in 1860 but switched his allegiance to Lincoln when it became clear he would not win the nomination.
The simple log cabin where Cameron was born has long been gone. A handsome brick house now occupies the site.
The town square in Maytown has an impressive traffic circle with monuments to local residents who served in World War I and World War II.
Scott L. Mingus, Sr. is a scientist and executive in the paper and printing industry, as well as the author of several books and magazine articles on the Civil War, including some that deal primarily with York County during the Gettysburg Campaign.
This Cannonball blog presents stories and anecdotes from the war years, as well as announcing local Civil War events of the modern day.
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Simon Cameron owned an impressive summer residence near Donegal, Lancaster Co. It was later owned by Elizabethtown College. The college used it as off campus student housing. I was privileged to tour the estate and ball room with it’s inlaid parquet floors before it was sold off as a bed and breakfast.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron_Estate
Maytown looks like quite the nice town. I plan on visiting in November while I’m in Lancaster County, along with Marietta and other towns in the area. I have a liking to towns with a promenent main square & traffic circle.