Jeremiah Mc Lain Rusk was born June 17, 1830, and died November 21, 1893. He entered the U.S. Volunteer Army in July 1862 as a major of the 25th Wisconsin Infantry and was brevetted colonel and brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers in March 1865 for gallant and meritorious service during the war and for conspicuous gallantry at the battle of Salkehatchie, South Carolina. He served as Bank Comptroller of Wisconsin from 1866 to 1870, was a member of the 42nd, 43d, and 44th Congresses, Governor of Wisconsin from 1882 to 1889, and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 1889 to 1893. He was remembered as upright and loyal.