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HISTORICAL AND
BIOGRAPHICAL
CYCLOPEDIA OF THE STATE OFOHIO
ILLUSTRATED
M.
Gc 977.1 B52b v.3 1378368
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
0
Imr. x Forms. Dr. Dr. Leppelman, Glendale, Chia
&
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00825 2444
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/biographicalcycl03west
0
THE
BIOGRAPHICAL CYCLOPÆDIA
AND
PORTRAIT GALLERY
WITH AN
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF. THE
STATE OF OHIO.
ILLUSTRATED WITH MANY FINE STEEL ENGRAVINGS.
VOLUME III.
RIO
WESTERN BIOGRAPHICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, CINCINNATI. OHIO. 1884.
COPYRIGHT, WESTERN BIOGRAPHICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1884.
ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY THE WESTERN METHODIST BOOK CONCERN, CINCINNATI.
1378368
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE.
ABBOT, BUTLER F., .
594
AIKEN, SAMUEL C.,
804
ALEXANDER, ISAAC N.,
670
ALLEN, MARSTON, .
758
ALMS, WILLIAM H., .
608
ANDERSON, CHARLES, .
704
ARMSTRONG,' WILLIAM W.,
612
ASHLEY, JAMES M.,
. 622
BACKUS, FRANKLIN T.,
674
BAKER, WILLIAM, .
750
BALDWIN, J. WILLIAM,
632
BALL, FLAMEN, .
758
BARNES, MILTON,
612
BATEMAN, WARNER M.,
789
BATES, BETHEL,
785
BATES, JOHN,
696
BEACH, WILLIAM, M.
659
BEDELL, G. T.,
BENTLEY, AHOLIAB, .
596
BETTMAN, BERNHARD,
685
BINGHAM, JOHN A.,
691
BIRCHARD, MATTHEW,
626
BISHOP, ROBERT H.,
772
BISSELL, EDWARD, .
656
BLENNERHASSETT, HARMON
583
BODMANN, FERDINAND,
732
BOERSTLER, GEORGE W.,
700
BOHL, HENRY,
762
BOLTON, THOMAS, .
686
BOWEN, GEORGE,
705
BOWEN, OZIAS, .
731
BRADDOCK, JOHN S., .
601
BRADSTREET, STEPHEN I.,
797
BRINKERHOFF, JACOB,
829
BRINKERHOFF, RŒLIFF,
749
BROOKE, JOHN T., .
805
BROWN, JAMES M.,
792
BROWN JR., JEREMIAH B.,
763
BROWN, JOHN H., .
764
BROWN, JOSEPH H.,
. 625
BROWN, MARCUS, .
794
BROWNE, SAMUEL J., .
770
BROWNE, THOMAS McL.,
802
BRUSH, CHARLES F.,
724
BURDSAL, SAMUEL,
699
BURNET, JACOB, .
606
BURNETT, CHARLES C.,
642
BUSH, PHILO P.,
622
BUTLER, RICHARD,
778
BUTTERWORTH, BENJAMIN,
661
PAGE.
PAGE.
Foos, JOSEPH,
.
734
FOULKE, LEWIS W.,
830
FRAZER, ABNER L., .
7 19
FREEMAN, FRANCIS,
. 726
GALLOWAY, SAMUEL,
. 750
GARLICK, THEODATUS
621
GARRETT, HORATIO G.,
686
GIBBS, FRANKLIN C.,
614
GILL, JOHN S.,
635
GILMORE, JAMES,
799
GLENN, WILLIAM,
628
GODDARD, CHARLES B.,
591
GOFORTH, WILLIAM,
661
GOODE, PATRICK G.,
680
GOODRICH, WILLIAM H.,
672
GRANDIN, PHILIP,
644
GRANT, ULYSSES S.,
577
GRASSELLI, EUGENE, .
681
GRIMES, ALEXANDER, .
746
GRIMES, WILLIAM McC.,
589
HALL, JOSEPH L., . 698
HALSTEAD MURAT,
784
HANNA, MARCUS A.,
758
HARBEIN, JOHN,
669
HARMON, CHARLES R.,
585
HARRIS, JOSIAH A.,
682
DAWSON, WILLIAM W.,
691
HARRIS, LEONARD A.,
728
HARRISON, BENJAMIN,
806
HART, ALPHONSO, . 824
HARTZLER, JOSHUA C., . 637
HASSAUREK, FREDERICK,
831
HAYDOCK, THOMAS T.,
721
HAYNES, DANIEL A., .
723
HAZEN, WILLIAM B.,
765
HENSHAW, GEORGE,
679
HIBBS, JOSEPH L., .
HIGLEY, WARREN,
810
HILLIARD, RICHARD,
655
HITCHCOCK, HENRY L.,
727
HITCHCOCK, PETER,
678
HITCHCOCK, REUBEN,
730
HOGE, JOHN, .
595
HOGE, SOLOMON L.,
714
HOLMES, SOUTHWORTH,
829
HOLT, GEORGE B.,
640
HOWARD, NELSON M.,
600
HOWE, ANDREW J., .
770
HUFFMAN, WILLIAM P.,
773
C-I
CALDWELL, JOHN D.,
7II
CALDWELL, WILLIAM B.,
756
CALHOUN, HENRY,
602
CAMPBELL, JOHN,
737
CAPPELLER, WILLIAM S.,
590
CARY, FREEMAN G.,
765
CASE, LEONARD,
662
CASSELS, JOHN LANG,
688
CATLIN, MILTON M.,
604
CLARK, BENJAMIN F.,
654
COLE, AMOS B.,
598
COLEMAN, ASA,
784
COMLY, JAMES M.,
579
COOK, GEORGE,
620
COPPIN, JOSEPH,
761
COURTRIGHT, SAMUEL W.,
690
COWLES, E. W.,
598
Cox, JACOB D., .
647
828
Cox, SAMUEL S.,
810
CROOK, GEORGE,
744
CROSLEY, POWEL,
694
CULBERTSON, HOWARD,
687
CULBERTSON, JAMES C.,
675
CUMMINGS, JOHN,
718
CUSTER, GEORGE A., .
587
DAVIES, EDWARD W.,
710
DAVIS, GEORGE W., .
717
DAY, LUTHER,
666
DENNIS, ROBERT B.,
793
DICKSON, WILLIAM M., 741
DOAN, AZARIAH W., .
694
DOANE, WILLIAM H.,
683
DODGE, HENRY H.,
726
DODGE, SAMUEL, .
725
DODSON, WILLIAM B.,
747
DOTY, CALVIN B.,
615
DOYLE, JOHN H.,
658
DUHME, HERMAN,
672
DURFLINGER, SYLVESTER W., .
643
DUTCHER, ADDISON P., .
781
EDGAR, ROBERT,
688
EDWARDS, JOHN S.,
641
EGGLESTON, EMERSON H.,
650
ERKENBRECHER, ANDREW,
746
. ESTE, DAVID K.,
755
FALCONER, CYRUS,
779
FEARING, BENJAMIN D.,
803
HETZLER, JOSEPH N.,
712
607
576
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
HUGHES, EZEKIEL, 780
HUNTINGTON, HENRY D., 807
JACKSON, WILLIAM J.,
739
JAMISON, JAMES B., 631
JEFFRIES, JOHN P., 645
JENNEY, WILLIAM H.,
636
JEWETT, THOMAS L., .
727
JOHNSON, EDGAR M., .
677
JOHNSON, WILLIAM D., .
666
JOHNSTON, ROBERT A.,
668
JORDAN, ISAAC M.,
814
JORDAN, JACKSON A.,
707
KELLY, MOSES,
635
KELLY, WILLIAM H. H.,
829
KENTON, SIMON,
580
KEYES, ALVAH E.,
759
KING, DAVID S., .
. 709
KING, EDWARD A.
735
KING, RUFUS,
584
KINNEAR, JOSIAH,
594
.
KINSMAN, JOHN, .
582
LANE, P. P., .
706
LANE, WILLIAM G.,
596
LAUBIE, PETER A.,
827
LE BLOND, FRANCIS C.,
. 708
LEEDOM, JOHN S.,
813
LEIGHTON, USHER P.,
787
LEVERING, ALLEN,
689
LEWIS, ELIAS L.,
776
L'HOMMEDIEU, STEPHEN S.,
797
LOCKE, JOHN F.,
644
LOURY, FIELDING,
696
LOWE, PETER P.
729
LUSKEY, HENRY,
591
MACK, WILLIAM A., 800
MANNING, HENRY, .
793
MARSH, RICHARD B., 623
MASON, SAMPSON,
609
MATHERS, JOHN H.,
711
MAY, JOHN M.,
826
MAY, MANUEL, .
805
McBRIDE, JAMES, 781
MCCLINTICK, JAMES, .
639
MCCLINTICK, WILLIAM T.,
657
MCCOLLUM, EPHRAIM J.,
634
MCCONNELL, SAMUEL,
613
McCOOK, ALEXANDER M.,
764
McCOOK, DANIEL, .
597
MCCORMICK, JOHN W., . 808 MCDERMOTT, GEORGE C., 769
MCDONALD, JOSEPH E ..
756
MCDOWELL, IRWIN,
631
MCKINLEY, JR., WILLIAM, 807 MEANS, JR., JAMES, 685
MEANS, SEN., JAMES,
684
MEHARRY, ALEXANDER,
831
MILLER, CHARLES A., . 808
PAGE.
MILLER, EMANUEL, . · 592
MILLER, JOHN H. . 627
MILLIKIN, JOHN M., 755
MILLIKIN, MINOR,
720
MOORE, OSCAR F.,.
584
MOORE, ROBERT M.,
697
MOORE, WILLIAM T.,.
734
MOREY, HENRY L., .
786
MORRIS, JUSTIN G.,
697
MORRISON, JOHN W.,
824
MORSE, JOHN F.,.
730
MUHLHAUSER, GOTTLIEB,
605
MUHLHAUSER, HENRY,.
610
MURDOCK, CHARLES C.,
760
MURRAY, HIRAM B., .
589
MURRAY, R. MAYNARD,
807
NEFF, PETER,.
732
NEWBERRY, J. S., .
752
PAIGE, DAVID R.,
. 798
PAYNE, NATHAN P.,
733
PEASE, CALVIN, .
586
PECK, HIRAM D., .
738
PERKINS, WILLIAM L.,
738
PERRY, NATHAN,
626
PIATT, JOHN J.,
592
PLATT, EDWARD F.,
716
POPPLETON, HOUSTON H., 634
POSTON, CLINTON L.,
593
POWELL, THOMAS W.,
638
PRICE, JOHN A.,
638
QUINBY, JR., EPHRAIM,
627
RAY, JOSEPH,
611
REEVE, JOHN C.,
610
REID, WHITELAW,
617
REILY, JOHN,.
794
RIDDLE, ALBERT G., .
815
RIDENOUR, WILLIAM T.,
753
ROCKEFELLER, JOHN D.,
788
ROGERS, GEORGE P.,
588
ROSA, STORM,
679
ROSECRANS, S. H., .
650
ROWLAND, CHARLES W.,
769
SAGE, GEORGE R., 674
SATER, JOSEPH,
766
SAVAGE, JOHN S.,
681
SAXTON, JOHN, .
736
SCHENCK, JAMES F.,
802
SCOTT, THOMAS,
723
SCOTT, WILLIAM H., 616
SCRIBNER, CHARLES H.,
656
SCUDDER, JOHN M.,
783
SENEY, HENRY W.,
609
SHERRARD, JR., ROBERT,
614
SHERWOOD, ISAAC R.,
744
SHORT, FREDERICK H.,
719
SLOCUM, CHARLES E.,
703
PAGE.
SMITH, REUBEN F., 619
SMITH, SAMUEL S., 748
SPALDING, RUFUS P.,
SPENCER, P. M., . 713
STARBUCK, CALVIN W., 754
743
STEELE, CHARLES M., 788
STEELE, JAMES,
830
STOCKLY, GEORGE W.,
648
STOCKLY, JOHN G.,
646
STONE, WALTER F.,
619
STRATTON, WILLIAM P.,
759
SULLIVANT, WILLIAM S.,
625
SUMNER, WILLIAM,
826
SUTLIFF, MILTON, .
606
SWAYNE, WAGER,
740
TAFT, CHARLES P., 624
TAYLOR, JOSEPH D.,
686
TAYLOR, ROYAL,
586
TELFORD, JOHN G.,
736
THOMAS, WILLIAM I.,
722
THORNE, SAMUEL S.,
768
THORNE, WILLIAM F.,
741
TORRENCE, GEORGE P.,
747
TRAINER, JOHN H. S.,
701
TURLEY, JOHN A.,
608
UNDERWOOD, JOHN C.,
632
VOORHEES, DAN. W.,
. 767
WALBRIDGE, HORACE S.,
678
WARD, DURBIN,
58 1
WARREN, J. T.,
710
WARRINGTON, JOHN W.,.
. 825
WARWICK, JOHN G.,
630
WATMOUGH, PENDLETON G.,
733
WEBER, GUSTAV C. E.,
809
WEBSTER, FRED,
715
WEITZEL, GODFREY,
742
WEST, WILLIAM H., .
790
WHITE, WILLIAM, .
798
WILLEY, GEORGE, .
800
WILLEY, JOHN W.,
616
WILLIAMS, GEORGE W.,
770
WILLIAMS, JOSEPH R.,.
701
WILLIARD, GEORGE W.,
640
WILSON, POLLOCK, .
768
WILSON, WILLIAM M.,
761
WINCHELL, GEORGE D.,
664
WINDISCH, CONRAD,
599
WINSLOW, RICHARD, .
746
WINSLOW, RUFUS K.,
767
WOLCOTT, SIMON P.,
603
WOODS, JOHN, .
774
WRIGHT, CYRUS M.,
663
WRIGHT, JOHN C., .
604
YEATMAN, THOMAS H.,
668
YOUNG, GEORGE M., .
702
YOUNG, THOMAS L.,
. 721
BIOGRAPHICAL
CYCLOPEDIA AND PORTRAIT GALLERY
OF
REPRESENTATIVE MEN
OF THE
STATE OF OHIO.
GRANT, ULYSSES SIMPSON, eighteenth President of the United States, was born at Mount Pleasant, Ohio, on the 27th of April, 1822. Entered West Point Academy in 1839, graduated in 1843, received a commission in the United States army in 1845, and served under Generals Taylor and Scott, in Mexico. In 1852 he was ordered to Oregon, and in August, 1853, became full captain. In July, 1854, he resigned his commission, and going to Galena, Illinois, there settled. From this privacy he was drawn by the civil war, first serving as aide-de-camp to the governor of his State in 1861, and afterward as colonel of the 21st Illinois volunteer infantry. His promotion was rapid, as in July of the same year he was commissioned a brigadier general. His ability as an execu- tive army officer was manifested when in command at Cairo, by securing Paducah, and thus holding the key to Kentucky. In November, 1861, he fought the battle of Belmont, in Mis- souri, on the 7th, securing a victory, and in the following January conducted a reconnoisance in force to the rear of Columbus, Kentucky. After capturing Fort Henry on the Tennessee river, he pursued the confederate troops to Fort Donelson, and there after a battle that raged three days and three nights, he summoned the fort to surrender, and in reply to the answer of the confederate commanding general, re- turned those memorable words which caused the confederate generals to seek safety in flight and escape under the cover of darkness on the 15th February, 1862, and "the unconditional surrender " of the fort was the result. This brilliant victory won for our subject the rank of major general, and his ap- pointment to the command of the Union army in west Ten- nessee. Crossing the State from north to south with about one-half of his forces, he attacked the confederate army, con- sisting of 70,000 men, at Pittsburgh Landing on the Tennes- see river, and though, as the result of the first day's fighting, his lines were overwhelmed, crushed, and greatly dispersed,
on the night of that day he reformed them, and planted new batteries, and thus held the enemy in check until dark of the next day, when the arrival of his rear guard of 35,000 men under General Buell enabled him, April 6th and 7th, to fight the glorious battle of Shiloh, whence the enemy, abandoning their positions, retreated to Corinth, Mississippi. General Halleck, at the siege of this position, being chief in command was suddenly called to Washington, and thereupon General Grant was invested with the command of the entire Tennes- see department, and which at that time comprised all the troops engaged in fighting for the Union in the southwestern States. With this army he passed down the Mississippi river to Vicksburg, and after discovering that strongly fortified city could not be captured by approach from the river, passed down and landed his troops several miles below, and, march- ing to the rear of Vicksburg, stationed his forces for a siege. Vicksburg was regarded impregnable, so well was it fortified on every side, but after a long and memorable siege, this important stronghold was surrendered unconditionally, and 37,000 prisoners, 150 cannon, with an immense quantity of military stores fell into the hands of the victors. Upon the defeat of General Rosecrans at Chickamauga in September, 1863, General Grant was ordered to that point, and there on the 25th November, he defeated General Bragg's command. This great victory, by which east Tennessee was reduced, and Kentucky and west Tennessee secured permanently from confederate control, was perhaps the most important battle of the war, and it placed General Grant beside the ablest gen- erals of any age or country. It caused a change hitherto unknown to the American army, the creation of the rank of Lieutenant General, under which General Grant was made commander-in-chief in the field of all the armies of the United States on the Ist March, 1864. Invested thus, General Grant went to Washington where he took command of and directed
578
BIOGRAPHICAL CYCLOPEDIA AND PORTRAIT GALLERY.
the movements of the different army corps commanders, wherever placed. He ordered Sigel to cover Washington City, Butler to menace Richmond from the James river, and Sherman to press his campaign in Georgia, and thus prevent the reinforcement of the confederate General Lee; while Gen- eral Grant himself, with the army of the Potomac north of the Rapidan, was to draw Lee's army out of their intrenchments between that and the James river, and either destroy them, or compel them to seek safety in Richmond, their capital. On the night of May 3d, 1864, General Grant's forces crossed the Rapidan, and entered what was known as the Wilder- ness, an extensive belt of uncultivated swampy land on the south bank of that river, and in which Lee's army was in- trenched in force. By a flank movement General Grant's forces were getting between Lee's army and Richmond, when the latter rushed from their intrenchments and attempted to destroy the former, and then began the most gigantic and terrific destruction of human life known to the history of mod- · ern warfare. During eleven days the battle continued almost uninterruptedly, and on the morning of the twelfth, both armies sternly confronted each other. Lee had met stubborn com- manders, but for the first time he felt the army of the North had a commander whose persistence knew no limit, and after a council of war with his chiefs in command, he resolved to retreat upon Richmond, and this he was enabled to do, pass- ing with his army to and crossing the famous Chickahominy, where he had beaten McClellan in 1862. General Grant fol- lowed, crossing the North Anna, when a reconnoisance of his enemy's position assured him that he was too formidably en- trenched to be beaten by assault, and he therefore moved his army along the north bank of the Chickahominy to the James river, and there joined Butler at Bermuda Hundred. The performance of this movement in the presence of Lee's army, at many points distant but a few rods south of him, is regarded as one of the most brilliant of the many brilliant movements of his military career. While Thomas was sweeping Tennes- see, Sheridan riding from apparent defeat to certain victory in the Shenandoah valley, and Sherman pressing on his matchless march through the confederate States, General Grant sat patiently down at Petersburg, as he had sat at Vicksburg, with but one aim, and that was to crush the army of Lee and capture peace. Murmurings and newspaper scandal passed over him as the empty wind. All winter long, there the army of the North lay, reinforced by troops from every point where they were no longer required, and with the patience of their commander, abided their time. On the other hand, Lee's army wearied at length, and seeing the early consumption of their supplies with the stores of the South cut off, determined to assume the offensive, and in the night of the 27th March, 1865, their commander massed three divi- sions in front of Fort Steadman, on the extreme right of the Union army, and which in the morning they captured. Be- fore noon, however, it was recaptured by the Union troops, with 1,800 confederate prisoners, all the cannon, and other- wise but little injured. But this seemed to be that which the Union army commander had patiently waited all the previous autumn and winter for, and thereupon he directed General Sheridan, in command of the left wing of the Union army, to mass his men to extent of three army corps, south of Peters- burg, and attack the enemy. Sheridan obeyed, and flanking the confederates, captured their entrenchments with 6,000 men. This done, the attack under General Grant's immedi- ate direction of the right and centre became general, and so
successful the assault on the enemy that in that same night their intrenchments were in the possession of the Union troops, from the Appomattox, above Petersburg, to the river below. At three o'clock that Sunday afternoon, Lee tele- graphed to the President of the Confederate States at Rich- mond that his army had been driven out of its intrenchments, and that Petersburg and Richmond must be evacuated, and which consequently was done that night, and on the next day, April 3d, 1865, the Union army entered Petersburg, and the troops under General Weitzel occupied Richmond. Seeing that it was the intention of his enemy to run rather than there surrender, by rapid movements General Grant cut off Lee's retreat to Richmond and beyond, stopped him at Appomattox court house, or county seat, and demanded his immediate sur- render. There the two chiefs met and arranged details, and on Sunday, April 9th, 1865, the army of Lee capitulated. The whole of this army was paroled on condition that officers and men should at once return to their homes, the former retain- ing their side arms, and the field officers allowed one horse each. All other property, that of the Confederate govern- · ment, within the department was surrendered to the United States. General Johnson's surrender to General Sherman in South Carolina followed shortly after on similar terms, and the war of the Rebellion against United States authority was forever crushed. In i866, General Grant was promoted to the rank of General, an honor that was created especially for him. In August, 1867, President Johnson suspended Secre- tary Stanton, and General Grant consented to temporarily fill the office of Secretary of War, but the United States Senate refusing to sanction the suspension, Mr. Stanton was restored to his office January 13th, 1868. . Unanimously nominated by the National Republican convention on the 20th of the follow- ing June, at Chicago, General Grant was, November 3d, 1868, elected President of the United States, and reelected in 1872. His conduct in office is a part of the history of the Nation, and not our province to discuss. The principal occurrences of his administration are the resumption of specie payments, the arbitration of the Alabama claims, the settle- ment of the northwestern boundary question, the Indian con- flict in which General Custer and the peace commissioners lost their lives, and the increase of presidential, congressional and other official salaries. When President Grant's term of office expired he undertook a tour around the world. He first visited Europe, and then sailed for Asia and the further East, returning by way of China and Japan, across the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco. Everywhere he was re- ceived with distinguished honors. No imperial guest could have met with greater favors or louder applause. Rich testi- monials and tokens of national regard were presented to him, not only in his character as a military chieftain, but as the civil representative of a great nation ; and the American people witnessed the spectacle of a plain and unpretending 'President being welcomed and feasted as the peer of the grandest and most powerful sovereigns. So well had General Grant executed the duties of his office as President, and such a mass of information had he acquired concerning inter- national affairs while abroad, that upon his return a large number of his friends and adherents in the Republican party desired to see him nominated and elected for a third term. Some of the best and most prominent citizens of the Union favored this action, though contrary to the traditions and practice of the government. Accordingly, when the nomi- nating convention met in Chicago, in June, 1880, those who
1 ml
James Mboule .
579
BIOGRAPHICAL CYCLOPÆDIA AND PORTRAIT GALLERY.
favored General Grant's nomination constituted a large and influential portion of that body. For thirty-five ballots, con- tinued through six days, they held the balance of power, neither gaining nor losing materially in the number of votes cast (on the final ballot 306), but not having enough to nom- inate. Seeing no hope of securing a nomination in this way, and wearied by their long stay at Chicago, the delegates whose votes had been divided among other candidates, finally agreed to concentrate upon General Garfield, and upon the thirty-sixth ballot he was nominated. General Grant himself showed no disappointment at the result, but entered into the canvass for the success of the Republican party; and though not accustomed to public speaking, made several effective speeches in behalf of General Garfield's election. The re- sults of the presidential campaign are matters of history. General Grant has since that time resided mostly in New York, where he conducts his business in a quiet, unobtrusive manner, honored and respected by the entire world.
COMLY, JAMES M., journalist, was descended from a Pennsylvania family of Friends, the ancestor of whom, Henry Comly, came to Philadelphia with William Penn, in 1682. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch, James, settled in Ohio in 1804, and some years after the war of 1812, located where the town of New Lexington now stands, which town he and his brother "laid out." His son, Bezaleel Welles Comly, here married Margaret Jane Stewart, born in Maryland, of whom James M. was born, in Perry county, Ohio, March 6th, 1832. He was educated chiefly in the pub- lic schools of Columbus, and studied law with Christopher P. Wolcott, attorney general. Admitted to the bar of the Su- preme Court in 1859, after a special examination claimed by himself and a comrade, he had the honor of being sworn in open court by Chief Justice Swan. He practiced his profes- sion successfully until June, 1861, when he entered the service of the United States as a private soldier, and was elected lieutenant by his company. This company did inde- pendent guard duty on the border of West Virginia for some months, developing some excellent officers, afterward promi- nent in the war. On the 12th August, 1861, Lieutenant Comly accepted the appointment of lieutenant-colonel in the 43d Ohio volunteers. After some time engaged in duty at Camp Chase, he became impatient for more active service, and begged an exchange with lower rank into some regiment in the field. Lieutenant-Colonel Stanley Matthews, of the 23d Ohio, having been promoted to colonel of another regi- ment, Major Rutherford B. Hayes, of the 23d, was promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and Comly was appointed to the va- cancy, and was mustered in as major of the 23d Ohio volun- teers, at Camp Ewing on New River, in October, 1861. In answering a request by the editor of "Ohio in the War," for material for a personal biography, General Comly replied: "After I joined the 23d regiment, I was fortunate in having superior officers who were most of the time in command of brigade or division ; so that, as major, and all the way up to my present rank, I was with my regiment in every action of every kind, and had it under my immediate command in every battle in which it was engaged after I joined it during the entire war, except for a short time on the morning of the battle of South Mountain, where I was second in command until Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes was wounded,-Colonel Scammon being in command of the Kanawha division. The regiment was a good one. I desire no better military record
than to have been with it, and worthy to command it." Gen- eral Comly remained with his command until the close of the war. In October, 1865, he became editor and senior proprie- tor of the Ohio State Journal, which position he held until sent to the Hawaiian Islands. He still retained an interest in the paper while he occupied the position of Minister at Hon- olulu. As editor of the State Journal, he labored zealously for the success of the Republican party. While claiming and conceding the utmost independence and individuality of per- sonal opinion, he held that no line of civil policy in a repub- lican government can be maintained in any other way than through party organizations; he held that the Republican party represented the best and noblest interests and aspira- tions of the country, and was proud to have the State Journal designated as the "central organ" of that party in Ohio, at the same time claiming as much "independence" as the non-partisan newspapers. This claim has been recognized and generously conceded by the ablest of the independent press. The period covered by this editorial service was the most difficult in the history of journalism. The novel issues arising out of the war of the Rebellion had all to be met, and it was long before public sentiment-even party sentiment fused into something like unity and decision, under the cease- less purging and moulding of the press of the country. The young journalist who came to the front in those days must have opinions, and decided opinions; he must be quick and prompt to decide under the most perplexing sudden exigencies or he went to the rear. New questions in the progress of reconstruction were arising every day; the breach between Andrew Johnson and the Republican party opened and widened; party leaders were distracted at times, and knew not whether security or danger lay this way or that. The whole future of the country depended upon the first steps, then inexorably pressing for decision, in the reconstruction of the Union ; the rights of the States lately in Rebellion ; the question of suffrage for late slaves and late rebels in arms; irreversible guaranties for the freedom of the race redeemed from bondage; the security of the public debt, and its honest payment in coin ; the redemption of the greenbacks, and the uphill road back to a stable currency of unchanging value; the National bank currency; the tariff, internal revenue, and a thousand novel and perplexing questions of the gravest moment. These questions were apt to present sudden and anxious complications. as the news came over the wires at night; and the journal which was not ready next morning with an opinion more or less wise on the new aspect of things could have no voice in affairs. The State Journal maintained itself creditably during this anxious period in the history of the country, and gained additional power and influence as an independent organ of the Republican party. Some years since General Comly became equal partner with A. W. Francisco in the sole ownership of the State Journal. It is a characteristic of both that no papers have ever existed between them, nor has a question ever arisen as to the man- agement of either department of the newspaper. General Comly was appointed postmaster of Columbus, by President Grant, in 1870. His reappointment was petitioned for by the State Executive Committees of the Republican, Democratic, and Liberal parties, by the editors and proprietors of every newspaper in Columbus, by the president of the City Council, the president and members of the Board of Trade, and by the leading bankers and other business men, without distinction of party. He was reappointed. In 1877 he was appointed,
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