USA > Ohio > Seneca County > A centennial biographical history of Seneca County, Ohio > Part 16
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A stalwart supporter of the Republican party from the time of its organization, Charles Foster was never a candidate for any office,
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save one or two minor local positions, until 1870, but in that year he was persuaded to accept the Republican nomination for congress. Although in a Democratic district, he was elected by a majority of seven hundred and twenty-six votes, overcoming a normal Democratic majority of eighteen hundred, and that on an occasion when the district gave a Democratic victory on the state ticket. His opponent was Edward F. Dickinson, who had been previously elected in the same district by a majority of one thousand, six hundred and forty-five. He took his seat on the 4th of March, 1871, the Hon. James G. Blaine, speaker of the house, placing him upon the committee on claims. Mr. Foster soon gained the confidence of the members of the house, and it should be noted in the connection that Horace Greeley spontaneously wrote to Mr. Blaine and stated that a man who could carry his district as had Mr. Foster must possess power and ability entitling him to good places on com- mittees, preferments not usually accorded to new men. This let- ter was sent to Mr. Foster by Mr. Blaine some years later, and the same is duly appreciated, particularly in view of the fact that Mr. Greeley had at that time never seen the man of whom he wrote. In 1872 Mr. Foster was renominated, by acclamation, and in the ensuing election defeated,by seven hundred and seventy-six votes, Rush R. Sloane, of Upper Sandusky, a Greeley Republican and Democrat. In the forty- second congress the speaker placed him upon the important ways and means committee and he was also made chairman of the sub-committee on internal revenue. As a member of the committee last mentioned he was a prime factor in bringing to light the Sanborn contract frauds. From the close of the war much revenue had remained uncollected, and General Benjamin F. Butler secured the passage of an act authorizing the secretary of the treasury to contract for the discovery and collection of the same, paying fifty per cent. for such work. Sanborn, General Butler's sutler during the Rebellion, secured the contract and was paid four hundred thousand dollars for collections made through regular government officials, Sanborn having simply pointed out the delinquencies. Mr. Foster made an investigation and through his fearless and active efforts secured a repeal of the law, being bitterly attacked by Butler in
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connection with the debate on the measure and thus gaining a national reputation. He also took an active part in the movement which resulted in the repeal of the moiety laws, and was prominently concerned in the Pacific mail investigation, as a member of the committee on ways and means. Early in 1874, as chairman of an investigating committee, he went to New Orleans in connection with the investigation of Louisiana affairs, and in his official report he severely criticized the methods of both political parties in that state. He was present at the organization of the Louisiana legislature in 1875, when Wiltz assumed to be speaker and as such entertained motions to unseat sixteen Republican members and place sixteen Democrats in the chairs thus vacated. He was also present when the United States troops, under General Sheridan, upon order from Governor Kellogg, reinstated the Republican members in their seats. His report created a sensation and many feared that he had thus entirely ruined his political prospects, but it eventuated that he had but strengthened his position in public confidence and esteem. In 1874 Mr. Foster was re-elected to congress by one hundred and fifty-nine majority over a very popular Democrat, George E. Seney, although the state went Democratic by over seventeen thousand, its candidates for congress being elected in thirteen of the twenty districts. In the ensuing session he served as a member of the committee on appropriations, of which Samuel J. Randall was chairman, and in 1876 he was renominated. By reason of the fact that General Hayes, the presidential nominee, was from his district, the Democracy made a special effort to defeat Mr. Foster at this time, but he was triumphantly re-elected, by a majority of two hundred and seventy-six over his Bourbon competitor. He was the only Republican member of congress from Ohio to vote in favor of the electoral-count bill, a Democratic measure, whose enactment resulted in placing General Hayes in the presidential chair.
Mr. Foster thinks the most valuable service rendered by him was the successful efforts he made to secure the peaceful and orderly inaugura- tion of Hayes. His position was peculiar and especially helpful to this purpose. He represented Hayes, and was known to be on confidential relations with him. He had endeared himself to the south by the fair-
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ness of his report on the Louisiana matters two years before. The last, most serious and most dangerous movement of the Democrats was a determination on their part to filibuster out the session, and thus prevent the completion of the court, and so entail the necessary failure to elect a president. About two-thirds of the Democrats of the house joined in the movement after it became evident that under the electoral-count bill Hayes would secure the election. They all believed that Tilden had been elected, and most of them were ready for anything that would defeat Hayes. If they could get all, or nearly all, of the Democrats to join in their filibustering movement they could prevent a declaration of the count.
No one knows how near this movement came to being successful, nor can one now determine the result to follow from such a condition of chaos. There was just one condition of safety: General Grant was president, and he had given out that he would remain president until a legally elected successor was ready to take his place. Fortunately, Mr. Foster, with others, by untiring effort, kept the Democrats from uniting and the danger was averted. Hayes was declared elected at half past one o'clock Friday morning, the 2d of March. Mr. Foster was the leader in the movement. He had the confidence of the southern leaders, -Lamar, Ben Hill, John Young, Brown and others. When he said in a memorable speech that under Hayes the "flag should float over states, not provinces," over "free men, not subjects," no question was raised as to the attitude of Hayes toward the south. While he and others were charged with bargaining with the southern people to secure the election of Hayes, there was no truth in the statement. Mr. Foster was frank and open in asserting to them that Hayes would not use troops at the polls,-the particular thing the south dreaded.
In 1877 the Democratic legislature of Ohio redistricted the state, placing Mr. Foster in a district which at the previous election had given a Democratic majority of nearly five thousand and which contained but one Republican county. In the face of certain defeat Mr. Foster did not desert his party and made the run in his district in the election of 1878, being defeated by only thirteen hundred majority, having refused nomination in the Toledo district, where his re-election would have been practically certain.
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The Republican state convention of 1879 tendered to Mr. Foster the nomination for governor, and he was elected by a majority of seventeen thousand, over General Thomas Ewing, of Fairfield county, one of the strongest candidates the Democracy could put forth. It was in this campaign that the Democrats dubbed Mr. Foster "Calico Charlie," referring to his being simply a merchant, but the sobriquet proved a boomerang. Toward the end of the campaign calico was used for badges, and was worn as such by Republicans in all sections of the state, while various newspaper editions were printed on this material. In 1881 Governor Foster was re-elected, over John W. Bookwalter, of Clarke county, by a majority of twenty-five thousand. As governor a previous publication has well said that "his administration was regarded as a model." As chief executive of the Buckeye commonwealth he gave special attention to public institutions, making strenuous efforts to free them from partisan superintendence and control, his boards being made up of three Republicans and two Democrats and such appointments being made with marked discrimination. Through his efforts in this connection economy was conserved and in other particulars great im- provements were made in the management of the state institutions. He believes political control in such cases a curse, and he absolutely refused to place in office men whose claims were based simply on political work done. In connection with that distinctively model institution, the Toledo hospital for the insane, the labors and efforts of Governor Foster will redound to his lasting credit and honor, the new system having had its inception during his gubernatorial regime and having proved a revela- tion in the matter of providing for and treating the unfortunate wards of the state. The system involves, intrinsically and strenuously, the treatment of the insane by the "extreme application of the law of kind- ness," as the Governor himself aptly puts it ; the adoption of a plan of de- tached buildings, now known as the cottage system ; and the elimination of the restraint system so far as practicable. In this article it is impossible to enter into details as to the institution or the results attained through the humane methods employed. Suffice it to say that the new institution was built and equipped, and that it represents the pioneer undertaking
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of the sort in the world, the success attending it having drawn the attention of all civilized nations and gained the highest endorsement, leading to the adoption of the new system wherever means and proper appreciation are at hand. Mr. Foster has given untiring interest to the institution for a period of fifteen years, and has been a member of its board of trustees consecutively save for an interim of one year.
Governor Foster's administration was also marked by efforts to regulate the sale of intoxicating liquors. The constitution of the state forbade the issuing of licenses, and Governor Foster, in his messages to the legislature, recommended the submission to the people of amend- ments that should establish either prohibition, high license or local option. Before this was done the Pond bill, imposing a tax on liquor dealers and declaring that such tax was not a license, became a law, in the spring of 1882. This was declared unconstitutional by the supreme court, but in 1883 the Scott law, of a similar character, was passed and was sus- tained by the courts. In the election of this year two constitutional amendments were submitted to the people, as had been advised by the governor, but both were defeated, as was the entire Republican ticket. The whole agitation was marked by much excitement, especially in the canvass of 1883, in which women took an unprecedented part, and for a time Governor Foster was quite unpopular in his party, which soon, however, endorsed his views and pronounced in favor of his policy.
In 1889 President Harrison appointed Mr. Foster chairman of the commission to which was assigned the work of treating with the Sioux Indians, the result being the distribution of the tribe on six reservations. The Indians had previously been located on one large reservation in North Dakota, and it was deemed advisable to divide the tribe, and by the adjustment made about one-half of the original reservation was thrown open to settlement. In 1890 Mr. Foster received the support of the Republican members of the Ohio legislature as candidate for the United States senate, and in that year he was again placed in nomina- tion for congress, in the district which had given Governor Campbell (Democrat) a majority of one thousand, nine hundred and sixty, and he was defeated by one hundred and ninety-four votes. Upon the
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death of Hon. William Windom, president Harrison appointed Governor Foster to the thus vacant post as secretary of the treasury, on the 27th of February, 1891, and in this responsible office he proved anew his dis- tinctive executive, business and administrative capacity and his fidelity to the trust imposed. The adjustment of the four and one-half per cent. government loan was one of the prominent acts of his official career. Of the $50,869,200 bonds of this character outstanding, $25,- 364,500 were presented on the Ist of July, 1891. for continuance at two per cent., and the remainder called in for redemption and paid upon pre- sentation. No other financial officer of the government has ever negotiated a loan at so low a rate of interest, this being the first loan of the sort in the history of any nation. The condition of the country at that time demanded that one hundred million dollars be kept intact and in reserve in the federal treasury, and this caused great anxiety to Secretary Foster, who anticipated the reduction that would come in consequence of Demo- cratic legislation. He studied the matter carefully and besought con- gress to make provision for increased revenue. He managed to keep the reserve intact, and upon leaving the office of secretary he left the treasury with more than two millions above the prescribed reserve, but within two months after the accession of his successor this balance had been wiped out and encroachments made upon the reserve. Mr. Foster retired from the office of secretary of the treasury on March 7, 1893, and since that time has been practically retired from public life, residing in peace and repose in his beautiful home in Fostoria, where his friends are as numerous as his acquaintances.
On the 7th of November, 1853, Mr. Foster was united in mar- riage to Miss Ann M. Olmstead, daughter of the late Judge Jesse Olm- stead, of Fremont, Ohio, and they are the parents of two daughters,- Jessie, the wife of Dr. Park L. Myers, of Toledo; and Anna, who remains at the parental home.
Of Mr. Foster it may be said in conclusion that he is strong in his convictions, but not intolerant ; firm in the defense of right, but with no room in his heart for revenge. Flattery has proved impotent to cajole him into compromise and power to awe him into silence. He is a man of the people and has their confidence. He has done a good work, has
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gained distinguished honors and has been true in all the relations of life. He has dignified his native state by his life and labors and his strength has been as the number of his days. He has left an indelible impress upon the history of the nation, and has lived the life of usefulness, integ- rity and honor. Such men are the crown jewels of our republic.
CAPTAIN NELSON L. BREWER.
One of the venerable and representative members of the bar of Seneca county is Mr. Brewer, who has here been engaged in the active practice of his profession for more than forty years and who is hon- orded as one of the sterling citizens of Tiffin. At all times a true and loyal citizen, faithful to the best interests of his country in peace or war, he has always commanded unequivocal confidence and esteem, stand- ing high in the regard of his professional confreres and in the respect of the general public. His influence has ever been wielded in the pro- motion of the higher interests of the community, and religion, education and all worthy agencies have ever enlisted his earnest support.
The family of which Captain Brewer is a representative is of Ger- man origin, and it is practically well authenticated that the founders of the same came to America prior to the war of the Revolution, settling in Pennsylvania and thence sending representatives, of later generations, into the most diverse sections of the Union. Captain Brewer was born near Clear Spring, Washington county, Maryland, on the 17th of Sep- tember, 1832, and of the same county his father, Emanuel Brewer, was likewise a native, there passing his entire life and devoting his attention to agriculture. He died at the age of forty-three years, having been a zealous member of the Lutheran church, in whose extension he took an important part, while his political support was given to the old-line' Whig party. He was a son of Henry and Catherine Brewer, both of whom passed their entire lives in Washington county, Maryland; so that the respective families must have been early settled in that com- monwealth. The original spelling of the name was Brua. The maiden
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name of Captain Brewer's mother was Catherine Zacharias, and she likewise was born in Washington county, Maryland, where she lived until summoned into the life eternal. She was a daughter of George Zacharias, who devoted his life to agricultural pursuits, in Maryland, where he died at the age of seventy-five years, having been of German lineage and a member of the Reformed church, in which his son, Rev. Daniel Zacharias, D. D., became a clergyman, having been for forty years pastor of the church at Frederick, Maryland. His sister, the mother of our subject, died at Clear Spring, in Washington county, Maryland, at the age of forty-three years, leaving four daughters and one son, Captain Brewer being the youngest and one of two who are living at the present time.
Nelson L. Brewer was but six years of age at the time of his father's death and was about ten when his mother passed away. He thereafter passed two years in the home of his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Draper, and then went to live with his uncle, Rev. Dr. Zacharias, to whom reference has already been made. Thus he was given the priv- ilege of attending the old Glade school house near Frederick, Maryland. At the age of nineteen he came west to Monroe county, Michigan, where he joined another uncle, Peter K. Zacharias. He there taught school for a period of about eighteen months, at the expiration of which he came to Seneca county, Ohio, arriving in Tiffin on the IIth of May, 1853. Here he was matriculated in Heidelberg College, where he con- tinued his studies until June, 1855, when he was graduated. He there- after was for a time an instructor in the college, while engaged in pre- paring himself for the profession of law. After his graduation he began reading law under the preceptorship of the late General John C. Lee, and his earnest and indefatigable application and marked power of assimilation made it possible for him to secure admission to the bar of the state on the 8th of May, 1858. Forthwith, at the request of his honored preceptor. General Lee, he entered into a partnership alliance with him, under the firm name of Lee & Brewer, under which favorable auspices he entered upon the active practice of his profession in Tiffin, this association continuing until June, 1869, when General Lee removed
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to Toledo. Thereafter our subject continued an individual practice until October, 1890, when he admitted to partnership his son, Edward A., who continued his able coadjutor until his untimely death, on the 9th of October, 1901. Captain Brewer has maintained the highest reputation in his chosen profession, being thoroughly read in the literature of the law, familiar with precedents and having a ready facility in application, so that he has held precedence both as an advocate and a safe and duly ·conservative counselor ; while he has never wavered in his devotion to his profession, observing its highest ethics and ever aiming to make it a vehicle of justice and equity. He has never aspired to official prefer- ment, and, though he has been a stanch supporter of the Republican party, he has refused to allow his name to be considered in connection with all condidacies-notably that for judge of the court of common pleas, for which he was peculiarly well equipped. His profession has engrossed his attention for nearly half a century, and in all this time his integrity of purpose as lawyer and man has never been questioned.
At the time of the war of the Rebellion Captain Brewer manifested his intrinsic loyalty to the Union by giving to it every possible degree of support. In May, 1864, he recruited and organized Company A, of the One Hundred and sixty-fourth Ohio Voluneeer Infantry, his partner General Lee, who had been colonel of the Fifty-fifth Ohio Regiment and who had been wounded at Chancellorsville, being prevailed upon to accept the command of the new regiment. It was sent to the defense of the national capital, being stationed at the forts near by. Captain Brewer continued in the service and in command of his company until discharged, at the expiration of his term of enlistment. He retains a vital interest in his old comrades in arms, holding membership in Gen- eral William H. Gibson Post, No. 31, of the Grand Army of the Republic. and is president of the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Regiment Asso- ciation.
Captain Brewer is one of the influential and honored members of the First Reformed church, and has long been one of the devoted workers in the same, having been an elder for the past eighteen years, while he has continuously held the office of superintendent of the Sunday-school
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since 1861. During all this long period he has probably not been absent from his post ten Sundays, save when absent from the city,-certainly a record of notable fidelity, and one probably unequaled in the entire state. He has been active in temperance work also, and his life and example have been such as to make his influence potent for good in all tlie relations of life. For about forty years he was a member of the board of regents of Heidelberg College, in whose affairs he has ever maintained the deepest interest. He is a man of fine physique, strong and vigorous ; and in his manner is genial and unassuming, thus naturally gaining firm and lasting friendships in his intercourse with his fellow men.
On the 17th of September, 1857, Captain Brewer was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Mason, who was born in Tiffin, being a granddaughter of Josiah Hedges, who was the founder of the town. Mrs. Brewer passed away on the 29th of March, 1860, at the age of twenty-two years, the only child, Lettie, having died in infancy. On the Igth of February, 1861, Captain Brewer married Miss Harriet M. Chidester, who was born in Cayuga county, New York, where she was reared and educated and whence she came to Tiffin shortly before her marriage. She likewise has been a devoted worker in the First Reformed church for many years, and of her marriage four children have been born, namely: Julia, the wife of Dr. Frederick W. Shaley, of Terre Haute, Indiana; Edward A., deceased, is mentioned in an appending paragraph; Wallace W., who is employed in the division freight office of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, in Tiffin ; and Grace C., who remains at the parental home.
Edward A. Brewer, son of the subject of this review, was called into eternal life in the midst of a career which he had dignified with high abilities and earnest character and which was untimely in its termination. He was born in Tiffin, on the 5th of July, 1865, and in his native city he was reared and educated, completing the course in the high school and thereafter entering Heidelberg College, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1884. He then began the study of law under the direction of his father, and was admitted to the bar
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in October, 1890, whereupon he entered into active practice as a part- ner, gaining a creditable position at the bar of the state and being known as a young man of signal ability and honor. He was a stanch Repub- lican in his political adherency, and fraternally was a popular mem- ber of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, being a representative to the grand lodge at the assembly held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July, 1901, by virtue of his official relation to the home lodge. The death of Edward A. Brewer occurred on the 9th of October, 1901, and was an inexpressibly severe blow to his parents, as well as to a wide circle of devoted friends. His genial nature and sterling character had endeared him to all with whom he came in contact, and he was recog- nized as one of the most promising and representative young men of the town in which his life was passed.
WILLIAM T. KING.
It is always interesting to watch from the beginning the growth and development of a locality, to note the lines along which marked progress has been made and to take cognizance of those who have been factors in the work of advancement and in the establishing of a pros- perous community. The subject of this review has been a witness of the development of Seneca county from the early pioneer epoch, since he was born here more than half a century ago and has here passed the greater portion of his life, which has been one of signal usefulness and honor, involving the rendering of the loyal service of a true patriot, since he went forth in defense of the nation during the war of the Rebellion, participating in many of the most important battles of that memorable conflict and enduring the horrors and privations of one of the southern prison pens. He is now numbered among the progressive and prosperous farmers of Eden township, and it is fitting that we enter a review of his life history, as being one of the representative men of his community.
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