Obituaries for Harford County Maryland Senator Benjamin Silver, Jr. "Baltimore Sun", 28 July 1890 Senator Silver Dead. He Expires Unexpectedly at His Home in Harford County [Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun] BELAIR, MD., July 27. - Senator Benjamin Silver, Jr., died unexpectedly yesterday morning at his home, at Glenville, Harford county, aged 32 years. He was sick at different times last winter while the Senate was in session, but neither his physician nor his relatives expected any serious results to follow his periodical attacks. During the spring he was again sick, but rallied, and was in Baltimore a few days ago. Last Sunday he visited Belair, but did not complain then of feeling unwell. On Tuesday the symptoms of what proved to be his fatal illness manifested themselves very distinctly. He began to grow worse, but at no time was his death anticipated until yesterday morning. Next to Mr. Somervell, of Calvert county, Mr. Silver was the youngest member of the Senate. He was nominated after a hard contest in his county, and was elected last fall by a majority of 32? over Baker, republican, Ball, prohibitionist, and Richardson, independent. It was not his first experience as a member of the Maryland Legislature, having first served in the lower House at the session of 1884, when he was 2? years of age. He also served at the session of 1886. In the Senate Mr. Silver was chairman of the committee on railroads and canals, and as such took a prominent part in the proceedings for the lease of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal to the Washington and Cumberland Railroad Company. He was fourth on the committee on finance and second on the committee on printing. He was also a member of the committee on executive nominations. He was as a rule a passive member of the Senate, devoting his energies to committee work rather than to debate on the floor. He always took a keen interest in the proceedings, however, and would occasionally take the floor on some important measure, but his speeches were brief. Mr. Silver was a native of Harford county, his ancestors being farmers for several generations back. After attending the county schools until he was seventeen years old he entered the freshman class at Lafayette College, Easton, Pa. from which he graduated in 1877. He was extensively engaged in the canning business in Harford county. Last fall Mr. Silver married a daughter of ex-Treasurer Stevenson Archer. During all the latter's difficulties Mr. Silver was true to Mr. Archer. The election for Silver's successor will not take place until the fall of 1891. It is stated here that the death of Mr. Silver was a severe blow to Mr. Archer. Warden Weyler informed him yesterday evening that his son-in-law was dead, and although Mr. Weyler endeavored to prepare him, the shock was very great, and Mr. Archer gave way to a violent outburst of weeping. It is stated that he was somewhat composed today, but showed his distress very plainly. His duties in the hospital were nominal, and he spent today in a chair in one of the wards. Mr. Archer placed great dependence in Mr. Silver as a support to his family. [Submitted by Rita Bergendahl]                 Back to Harford County Home Page   © Genealogy Trails