18 MARYLAND MANUAL.

section 21, of the Constitution, chairman committee on temper-
ance, chairman committee on insurance, fidelity, security and
loan companies.

CARROLL COUNTY.

Senator J. W. Hering.

Dr. J. W. Hering, Democrat, the Senator from Carroll
county, was born near Johnsville, in Frederick county, Mary-
land, in 1833, and came to Westminster in 1851. At the age of
eighteen, he procured a position as clerk in tile store of Jacob
Reese, and later on undertook the study of medicine and gradu-
ated from the Maryland University School of Medicine, and
began practice in 1855 with Dr. William A. Matthias. After
the death of Dr. Matthias, which occurred in 1864, he practiced
alone for a year and then entered into partnership with Dr. J.
Howell Billingslea. In 1867, he was made cashier of the Union
National Bank, whereupon he gave up the practice of medicine,
and has been cashier of that bank ever since. Dr. Hering has
been such a prominent citizen and so much trust and reliance has
been placed in him that he has had quite a number of large
estates to settle up. He was one of the founders of the Western
Maryland College and is now chairman of the executive com-
mittee, and is a member of the board of trustees, and is also
lecturer on hygiene of that institution. Hering Hall is named
in his honor. He is also one of the charter members of the
Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Carroll County, and has
been president of the company since 1873, succeeding the late
Augustus Shriver after his death. Dr. Hering has always been
an active member of the Methodist Protestant Church. In May,
1892, he was chosen president of the General Conference, the
highest position in the church, and was the first layman ever
elected to fill the position. Dr. Hering is also one of the
trustees of the Home for Aged People in Westminster, and to
his earnest work the opening of that charity is due. He has
always been a Democrat, and, although never holding political
office, has been engaged more or less in every campaign for the
past thirty years. Dr. Hering is in favor of an assessment bill
that will make each and every taxpayer pay his just and equal
share of taxes. His election gave the Democrats control of the
present Senate, which they had lost by the sudden death of
Senator Bennett.

Dr. Hering has shown in the Senate the same fidelity to the
interests of the State that had marked his career in every other
phase of his earnest and active life.

He is chairman committee on contingent expenses of Senate,
on committee on finance, on committee on corporations, on com-
mittee on elections, on committee on education, on committee on