INGERSOLL, liOlI•RT CrICEEN (I8.13 .
American lawyer and infidel writer and lec turer. Ile was horn at Dresden, N. Y.. August II, the youngest of the five children of a Congregational minister of liberal views. The family removed to Illinois in 1845, and there Robert studied law, was admitted to the bar, and entered polities as a Democrat. In 1857 he made his residence in Peoria, where lie soon be came recognized as an able lawyer, chiefly em ployed in railroad litigation. In 1860 lie was nominated for Congress, hut was defeated. In 1862 lie went to the war as colonel of the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, and was taken pris oner, but exchanged. lie returned to citizenship a Republican in polities, and was appointed Attorney-General of Illinois in 1868. In at the Republican Presidential Convention at Cin cinnati, lie delivered a fervid and vigorous speech in favor of the candidacy of James G. Blaine, which won for him a national reputation, and from this time he was recognized as one of the foremost orators of the country. lie soon after
entered the lecture field, where the matter as well as the manner of his discourse excited public attention. lie developed the views of a pro nounced opponent to Christianity, and, adopting religions topics as his subjects, attacked the Bible. the personal nature of the Deity. and the existence of a hell, with all the force of which lie was capable. and with the advantage of splendid rhetorical powers. In matter his orations were much dependent upon the writings of Thomas Paine. Colonel Ingersoll was counsel for large He died suddenly at Dobbs Ferry. N. Y., July 21, 1800. His published works in clude: The Uods, and Other Lent ures ( I5713) ; Nome Mistakes of Moses : Urea/ Speeches I ) : Comp/ete ( 1 8S3) and Prose Poems and Selections (15841. llis complete works Were in New York, Consult the biographical sketch by Han ford (Chicago. 1809).