WI BIO - Lafayette Co - BINTLIFF, James
History of Lafayette County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, pp 
713-714 

Gen. James BINTLIFF, publisher and proprietor of the Darlington "Republican," 
is a son of Gershom and Maria Hanson BINTLIFF, and was born in Yorkshire, 
England, 01 November 1824. At the age of fifteen he became clerk in a 
lawyer's office at Halifax [Yorkshire, England], and subsequently served as 
bookkeeper for the Halifax and Wakefield Canal Company. In 1842 he [James 
BINTLIFF], with a younger brother and sister, came to America, his father and 
mother and four children having preceded him by one year; they located in New 
York State, where he [James BINTLIFF] was united in marriage in 1847 at 
Skaneateles [County, New York] to Miss Harriet SNOOK, daughter of John SNOOK, 
Esq., a native of Somersetshire, England, and from that time until 1851, he 
was a partner with his father-in-law in business there. The fruit of his 
[James BINTLIFF's] marriage with Miss [Harriet] SNOOK is four children, two 
sons and two daughters.

In 1851 he [James BINTLIFF] came West to Green County, Wisconsin, and engaged 
in farming, and afterward held the position of Cashier of the Bank of Monroe. 
In 1856 he was elected Register of Deeds of Green County, and held that 
office two years. In 1859 he was admitted to the bar in Green County 
[Wisconsin]. In 1860 he purchased an interest in the Monroe "Sentinel," the 
leading newspaper of the county, and two years later became its sole 
proprietor.

After the war broke out, in July 1862, he recruited a company, which was 
assigned to the 22nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and he was commissioned 
Captain. The regiment was ordered to Kentucky; he and some of his regiment 
was taken prisoners at Brentford by General FORREST; he [James BINTLIFF] was 
taken to Libby Prison, where he was held until the following May and 
exchanged; he then joined his command at St. Louis, where the regiment was 
reorganized. In December 1863 he was appointed by President LINCOLN a 
Commissioner on the Board of Enrollment for the Third Congressional District 
of Wisconsin. In March 1864, he was commissioned by Governor LEWIS [as] 
Colonel of the 38th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, which was sent to the Army 
of the Potomac. In November following, Colonel BINTLIFF succeeded General 
HARTRANFT in command of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps. In 
the assault on Petersburg, Colonel BINTLIFF, in command of three regiments, 
was ordered to take a fort of five guns, known as "Reeves' Salient." He 
accomplished the capture gallantly, though his own regiment which led the 
column suffered heavily. On the evening of the same day, he was placed in 
command of the Third Brigade for his gallant services on this occasion. He 
was commissioned Brigadier General by brevet [promoted without increase in 
pay] for conspicuous gallantry in the assault on Petersburg. He [James 
BINTLIFF] continued to take part in the movement of his troops until the 
close of the war, and was finally mustered out of the service in June 1865.

He returned to Monroe and engaged in mercantile business until 1870, when he 
purchased an interest in the Janesville [Rock County, Wisconsin] "Gazette," 
and removed there with his family. He remained there until 1878, when he 
came to Darlington [Lafayette County, Wisconsin] and bought the Darlington 
"Republican," and since then has conducted that paper. He has always taken 
an active interest in political affairs, and was a delegate from this State 
to the National Republican Convention in Chicago in 1868, also to the 
National Convention in Philadelphia in 1872, and at Cincinnati in 1876. He 
has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Wisconsin Soldiers' 
Orphans' Home, and was chosen President of the board in 1877. When the State 
Board of Health was organized, he was commissioned a member.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly