USA > Ohio > Adams County > A history of Adams County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, including character sketches of the prominent persons identified with the first century of the country's growth > Part 24
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115
Digitized by Google
203
THE COURTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION
removed to Canandaigua, New York, and engaged in farming. He was a Union man during the Civil War. It is said he never lost a case he prepared or had it reversed. He had great powers of concentration and was of great industry in his business, always ready to try his cases. He was true to his friends and very grateful to those who favored him, and of an undoubted integrity.
He was married June 7, 1843, in New York, to Cordelia A. Jenkins. He had an only son, Henry, who died in 1879.
Samuel Bush was living in 1880 at Canandaigua, New York. He was of a low stature, dark complexion and of medium size.
James Keenan.
was born near Killala, County Down, in the Province of Ulster, Ireland, December 30, 1800. He was the youngest of fourteen children, but four of whom survived to maturity. His father was William Keenin, and his mother Miss Deborah Gaugh. His ancestors were originally from Scotland. His parents were well educated, and strict members of the Presbyterian Church. His father died when he was but eighteen years old; and with his mother, his brother William, and one sister, he took passage on a sailing vessel to this country in 1819. The ship was bound for New York, but it was chased by Al- gerian pirates, and driven out of its course. After landing in this coun- try, they went to Pittsburg.
Our subject received a good education. He read medicine; but on account of his health and the advice of physicians, never practiced. He then took up the legal profession ; and after being admitted to the bar, located in Adams County for the practice of the profession. In 1832 he married Miss Lucasta H Cole, a daughter of James M. Cole, who was then the sheriff of Adams County. His wife died June 29, 1834, and is buried in the Collings Cemetery at West Union. In 1835 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Adams County, and served until 1837; when he resigned and moved to Pike County. He removed from Piketon in the same year, and went to Tennessee. He located at Camden, and prac- ticed law there and at Paris.
In 1844 he removed to Mississippi and was admitted to the bar there. On June 3, 1840, he was remarried to Mrs. Lucynthia W. Rucker Coun- sulle, of Ripley, Mississippi. Of this marriage there were two daughters, Mrs. Linnie A. Robertson and Susan Deborah, and one son, William James. Soon after his marriage, he devoted himself to farming.
He was a natural born orator, and possessed much ability as a law- yer. He was frequently called upon to act as a special judge. He was a magistrate of his neighborhood for years. He died the eighteenth of October, 1873, and is buried in Rucker Cemetery, near Ripley, Mississ- ippi, and his wife died the first of September, 1875. His daughter Linnie married Charles Alexander Robertson, son of Col. C. S. Robert- son, a prominent lawyer of New Albany, Mississippi. His daughter Susan Deborah is unmarried, as well as his son William James. They reside in the old homestead. In his religious belief, he was a Univer- salist ; but not a church member. In his political views, he was a Demo- crat. He was of a kind disposition, gentle and affectionate to those about him, and charitable to all.
Digitized by
204
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY
Joseph McCormick,
the son of Adam McCormick and Margaret Ellison, his wife, was born in 1841 in Cincinnati. He was an only child. As a child, he lived a part of the time in Cincinnati and a part of the time in West Union. He is said to have attended college at Marietta. In 1831 and 1832, he was at Pine Grove Furnace, ostensibly as a store-keeper. He studied law soon after this under Nelson Barrere and was admitted to the bar in about 1835. Directly after his admission to the bar, he located in Ports- mouth, where he remained for only a few months. He then went to Cincinnati and remained there most of the time until 1838 when he be- came prosecuting attorney of Adams County. In 1843 he was again prosecuting attorney of Adams County, first by appointment and after- wards by election, until 1845; On May 20, 1840, he was married to Elizabeth Smith, sister of Judge John M. Smith, of West Union .. They had three children, two sons and a daughter, born in Adams County, but only one survived to maturity, Adam Ellison, born January 31, 1843. He was a fine looking man, of magnificent physique, an Apollo Belvidere, but the bane of his life was the drink habit. His father died in July, 1849, of the Asiatic cholera and left a large estate, which was dis- posed of by will. He gave a life estate in it to his son, Joseph, with the remainder over to his grandchildren, Adam and Mary, the latter of whom died at the age of ten years. He made Judge George Collings trustee of his estate and directed him that in case his son should reform his present unfortunate habit as to drinking, he was to turn the whole estate over to him. That event, however, never occurred and the estate was held by the trustee until his death, when it was turned over to his son, Adam. He was elected to the Constitutional Convention in 1850 from Adams County, where he served with much distinction. On May 5, 1851, he was appointed, by Governor Wood, attorney general for the state of Ohio in place of Henry Stansberry, whose term had expired. He served about seven months, until George E. Pugh, the first attorney general under the new constitution was elected and qualified. At the time of Mr. McCormick's appointment, the salary of the office was $750. Henry Stansberry was the first attorney general appointed in 1846, and Mr. McCormick was the second.
In about 1857, he left Adams County and went to the state of Cali- fornia, where he remained until his death in 1879. His wife and son continued to reside in Manchester from 1857 until 1872 when she died.
Joseph Allen Wilson
was born September 16, 1816, in Logan County, Ohio. His father, John Wilson, was born December 17, 1786, in Kentucky, and died October 5, 1824, in Logan County. His wife, Margaret Darlinton, was born in Winchester, Virginia. She was married to John Wilson in Adams County, August 6. 1810, by Rev. William Williamson. She survived until March 8, 1869. Her father was born March 24, 1754, and died May 20, 1814, at Newark, Ohio. Her mother was born April 10, 1700, and died December 14, 1832. John Wilson, grandfather of our subject, moved to Maysville, Kentucky, about 1781, and bought land on the Kentucky side of the river for twelve or fifteen miles. This land is all
Digitized by Google
205
THE COURTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION
divided up, and a part of it opposite Manchester is known as Wilson's bottoms.
The father of our subject had fifteen children, all of whom lived to maturity, married and had families. Our subject went to reside with his uncle, General Joseph Darlinton. in Adams County in 1823. He was brought up in the Presbyterian church and had such education as the local schools afforded. At the age of sixteen, in 1832, he became an assistant to his uncle in the clerk's office of the court of common pleas and Supreme Court. In 1837, when he had attained his majority, he started out for himself, with a certificate from J. Winston Price, presiding judge of the common pleas that he was of correct and most unexceptionable moral character and habits. Gen. Darlinton also gave him a certificate that he was perfectly honest and of strict integrity ; that he was familiar with the duties of the clerk's office, that he had had some experience in retailing goods from behind the counter and in keeping merchant's books. Between 1837 and 1840, he was a clerk in the Ohio Legislature at its annual sessions. In September, 1838, he was employed in the county clerk office at Grecup County, Kentucky. In November, 1838, he obtained a certificate from Peter Hitchcock, Frederick Grimke, Ebenezer Lane, Supreme Judges, that he was well qualified to discharge the duties of clerk of the court of common pleas of Adams County, or any other court of equal dignity in the State. In November, 1840, he obtained employment in the office of Daniel Gano, clerk of the courts of Hamilton County, as an assistant for four years at $380 per year. He was married to Harriet Lafferty, sister of Joseph West Lafferty, of West Union, April 14, 1839, by Rev. Dyer Burgess. He formed a great friendship with Nelson Barrere, a young lawyer who had located in West Union in 1834 and several of Barrere's letters to him are in existence. To Barrere, he disclosed his inmost soul as to a father confessor and Barrere held the trust most sacredly. He seems also to have had the friendship of Samuel Brush, an eminent lawyer of that time, who practiced in Adams County. In 1846, he was an applicant for the clerkship of the Adams Court of Common Pleas, when Gen. Darlinton resigned the office. He was recommended by George Collings, Nelson Barrere, William M. Meek, Chambers Baird, John A. Smith, James H. Thompson and Hanson L. Penn, but Joseph Randolph Cockerill was appointed. However, on September 18, 1846, he entered into a written contract with Joseph R. Cockerill, the clerk, to work in the office at $30 per month until the next spring, and in that period, to be deputy clerk. In April, 1848, he was admitted to the bar at a term of the Supreme Court held in Adams County, but it is not now known that he ever practiced. He always had a delicate constitution and died of pulmonary consumption December 16, 1848. His wife died August 12, 1850. They had two children, a daughter, who died in infancy, and a son, John O., who has a sketch herein.
David B. Graham
was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, February 7, 1826, the son of the Rev. John Graham, D. D., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this book, and of Sarah Bonner, his wife. He resided in Washington, Pa., until the age of four years when his father moved to Greenfield, Highland, County,
Digitized by Google
206
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY
Ohio. He resided at Greenfield and Chillicothe till 1840, when he went to West Union, Ohio. In 1845, he attended Washington College at Washington, Pennsylvania, and was a student there until the summer of 1848. At that time, he began the study of law at West Union, Ohio, under the late Thomas McCauslen, and completed his studies in 1850, when he was admitted to the bar. He resided at West Union and prac- ticed law there from 1850 until 1853, when he removed to Xenia, Ohio, and formed a partnership with Mr. Beatty Stewart.
On the twelfth of February, 1857, he was married to Miss Cornelia McCroskey. Of this marriage, there were three daughters, all now re- siding in Cincinnati, Ohio. Miss Henrietta, the eldest, is a fine musician'; Mrs. Minnie Redd is a widow with a grown daughter, and the youngest is the wife of Dr. Landis, of the Brittany Building.
David Graham removed to Delphi, Ind., in September, 1859, and remained there till 1872. when he located in Logansport, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died there in 1887. His wife, a lovely and lovable woman, survived him but a short time, and side by side their ashes repose in the beautiful cemetery at Logansport.
David B. Graham resided in West Union from his fourteenth year until his twenty-seventh year, and as a youth and young man, he was the soul and life of the society of the young people in West Union, and in his young manhood, they had more social pleasures than any generation since. He was genial, companionable and full of humor and fun. He was fond of the society of young people and they were all fond of his companionship. He was kind, loving and jolly, and always looking out to do a kindness or a friendly favor, and among his accomplishments, he was a fine musician. In his mature life, his genial spirit never forsook him and he was very popular. He was a cholera sufferer in 1849 and went through the scourge in 1851. He was of strong religious feelings and was a member of his father's church in West Union. At Delphi, Indiana, he connected with the Presbyterian Church and at Logansport, he was connected with the Methodist Episcopal, and so remained until his death. In politics, he was first a Whig and afterwards a Republican. He will be remembered as a man with a great and generous soul, with a heart for all humanity and a sympathy for all who knew him, which made them love him in return.
Edward Patton Evans.
Edward Patton Evans was born May 31. 1814, on Eagle Creek. Jefferson Township, in Brown County. Ohio. He was the eldest son of William Evans and his wife, Mary Patton, daughter of John Patton, of Rockbridge County, Virginia. His mother was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, in 1789, and was married to Charles Kirkpatrick in Virginia in 1806. She and her husband came to Ohio in that year, and he bought the farm on Eagle Creek on which our subject was born. In 1818 Kirkpatrick obtained his deed to the farm of one hundred and thirty-eight acres in Phillip Slaughter's Survey No .- , of 1.000 acres, and paid $600. The deed was executed in 1812 before John W. Camp- bell, justice of the peace, at West Union, Ohio, and afterwards U. S. Judge for Ohio, and was witnessed by him and his wife, Eleanor Camp- bell.
Digitized by Google
EDWARD PATTON EVANS
Digitized by
Digitized by
207
THE COURTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION
The same year Charles Kirkpatrick went out in Captain Abraham Shepherd's company, and on his way returning, was shot and wounded by Indians, and died of his wounds at Chillicothe, Ohio, and was bur- ied there. William Evans was his friend, and had to break the news to his widow. Next year, August 13, 1813, he married her, and our sub- ject was their first child. He had nine brothers and sisters, and on March 22, 1830, his mother died at he early age of 41.
When our subject was born, it was customary to name the first boy for his two grandfathers, so he got Edward on account of his grand- father Evans, and Patton, for his grandfather, John Patton. As his father and mother had four other sons, they might have saved the name of one grandfather for one of them. His grandfather, Edward Evans, was born in Cumberland County, Pa., in 1760, and was a member of Col. Samuel Dawson's company, 11th Pennsylvania Regiment, Col. Richard Humpton, in the Revolutionary War, and was in the battles of Germantown, Brandywine, and Monmouth, and spent the winter of 1777 at Valley Forge. His great-grandfather, Hugh Evans, was also in the Revolutionary War, and before that had been a school teacher in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and had had Mad Anthony Wayne for a pupil, when the latter was only twelve years old. He was a very unruly pupil and always at pranks. His four times great-grandfather, Hugh Evans, came over with William Penn in 1682, and the family were Quakers until the Revolution.
Edward Patton Evans worked on his father's farm and went to school of winters until his eighteenth year. He went to school at Rip- ley for awhile, and afterwards at Decatur. He became a school teacher and law student, and May 20, 1839, he was married to Amanda J. King, at Georgetown, Ohio. Subsequent to his marriage, he carried on a general store at Hamersville, Ohio, and afterwards removed to Sardina, and carried on a cooperage business there. In 1842 his eldest son was born, and in 1844 he was admitted to the bar. He removed to West Union, Adams County, Ohio, in April, 1847, and continued to reside there until his death. He was engaged in the active practice of the law from his location in West Union in April, 1847, until 1877, when he re- tired on account of failing health. He was a Whig until that party dis- solved. When the Republican party was organized he identified him- self with that, and was an enthusiastic Republican all his life. But at all times he was an anti-slavery advocate. He was a very successful lawyer, and made more money at the practice of his profession than any lawyer who has ever been at the bar in Adams County. When he was at his best, physically and mentally, he was on one side or the other of every case of importance. When he brought a suit, he never failed to gain it, unless he had been deceived by his client. The fact was, he would not bring a suit unless he believed his client had the chance to win largely in his favor. Once a farmer called on him to bring a suit in ejectment. Mr. Evans heard his statement and informed him that if he brought the suit he would lose it, and declined to bring it for him. This made the farmer very angry, and he went away in a great passion. He found a lawyer to bring his suit, and Mr. Evans was employed by the defendant, and won the case. He was very positive in his judgment about matters of law, but his judgment in such matters was almost in-
Digitized by Google
208
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY
variably correct. He was an excellent trial lawyer, and commanded the confidence of the entire community. He never sought office, but in 1856 was presidential elector on the Fremont ticket, and, as such, can- vassed his entire congressional district with Caleb R. Smith, R. W. Clarke, and R. M. Corwine. From 1856 until after the war, he usually attended all the State conventions of his party. In 1860 he took part in the canvass for the election of President Lincoln, and during the war was chairman of the military committee of Adams County, which was charged with raising all the troops required in the county. As such, he did a great work in aiding the prosecution of the war. He also did a great work in looking after the families of the soldiers. In the fall of 1864 he went out with the 6th Independent Infantry to guard rebel prisoners at Johnson's Island. In 1862 he became a member of the banking house of G. B. Grimes & Company, and continued in that busi- ness until 1878. During and directly after the war for a time, he owned and was concerned in operating the flour mill at Steam Furnace. In the seventies he and three others for a time conducted a woolen mill at West Union, but, it proving unprofitable, the business was closed down. Up till 1877 he had apparently had an iron constitution, had never been sick, but in that year his health began to fail, and continued to grow worse until he gave up all business. He survived until April 17, 1883, when death ended his sufferings. He was an honest man, punctual about all his obligations. He was positive in his convictions on every subject. He was devoted to the interests of the community in which he lived, and in the county seat contest spent his money, time, and labor freely for West Union. He was energetic and enthusiastic in everything he undertook. He was always in favor of public im- provements, and the West Union school house and new court house in West Union were largely due to his efforts.
Major Chambers Baird.
Chambers Baird was born July 25, 1811, at Sandy Springs, Adams County, Ohio, and died at Ripley, Brown County, Ohio, March 20, 1887. aged 75 years, 7 months, and 25 days. He was the son of Judge Moses Baird, an Ohio pioneer, who came from Washington County, Pennsylvania, and settled at Sandy Springs in 1790, and who has a sketch herein.
Chambers Baird was reared on the home farm on the banks of the Ohio River opposite Vanceburg, Kentucky, where he remained with his parents until the age of nineteen, when he entered Ripley College in 1830. He entered Jefferson College, Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1832, in company with his cousin, Stephen R. Riggs, afterward noted as a minister and missionary among the Dakota Indians. He was graduated with him in the class of 1834 with second honors, having dis- tinguished himself in Greek, Latin, English composition, and as a speaker.
He returned to Ripley after his graduation and began the study of law with Hon. Archibald Leggett and Col. Francis Taylor, formerly of Kentucky. He was admitted to the bar in November, 1836, and he was a regular practitioner in the courts of Adams County from 1837 during the whole time he was in the practice of the law. He was mar-
Digitized by Google
-
209
THE COURTS JNDER THE CONSTITUTION
ried in 1837 to Miss Mary Ann Campbell, of Ripley. She died in 1844, childless. He was again married May 6, 1845, to Miss Judith Anne Leggett, only daughter of Mr. A. Leggett, who had married two daughters of Col. Taylor. Mrs. Baird is still living in Ripley (1899). To them were born five children, three daughters and two sons, of whom three died in infancy. The surviving children are Florence C., now Mrs. John W. Campbell, of Ironton, Ohio, and Chambers, Jr., the youngest, an attorney of Ripley.
Mr. Baird's early years of manhood were spent in the active work of his profession. He was a close student and a hard worker. His great ability, perfect integrity, and high character secured for him recogni- tion in his profession and in the county, and he became a prominent and influential figure at the bar to the end of his long life. He was in all the activities of life at home, and served several terms as mayor of Rip- ley, and was also repeatedly a member of various elective and ap- pointive local boards, in which positions he was an efficient and accept- able officer.
Being a man of strong convictions and great industry, Mr. Baird early took an active part in political life. He was originally a Whig, a follower of Henry Clay, and championed the cause of the party in the great campaign of 1840 and many others following. As a strong anti- slavery man, he was one of the organizers of the new and great Re- publican party, to which he constantly adhered to the end of his life. In 1855 he was elected State Senator from Brown and Clermont coun- ties, and served with honor and distinction during the sessions of 1856 and 1857. In 1856 he was a delegate to the first National Republican convention, held at Philadelphia, and assisted in the nomination of Fre- mont for President. During the troublous and exciting years preced- ing the war, some of the best work of his political life was given to the cause of free speech, free men, and a free press. Here, as usual, his courage, ability, and energy placed him in the front rank and won for him the distinction which he ever after retained. He was only pre- vented from attaining the highest political honors by his modesty and lack of ambition. He rose to every occasion and contest, but the crisis past, he returned to his profession, and left the gathering of public laurels to others.
In the campaign of 1860 he took a prominent part in the election of Lincoln, and at the outbreak of the Civil War, which he always be- lieved would and must come as the only settlement of the great question of slavery, he was one of the first and foremost to speak for the Union, to the maintainance of which he gave his highest and untiring energies. His close personal and political relations with Senator Sherman, Secre- tary Chase, Governor Dennison, and other statesmen, gave him great prominence in state affairs. His age, fifty years, prevented him from entering active military service, but he was at once appointed Provost Marshal by the Governor, and was intrusted with the responsible duty of organizing a defense of the Ohio border against the inroads of disloyal Kentuckians and raiders from the Confederate Army. This confidence of the War Governor was not misplaced. With his accustomed energy, he set about organizing minute men and military companies until the
14a
Digitized by Google
210
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY
martial reputation of the people of Ripley and vicinity, already secured by the many enlisted men in the active volunteer service, made them well known as being thoroughly prepared to repulse any attack that might be contemplated. Later in the war he desired more active ser- vice, and having been offered the appointment of paymaster in the U. S. Army, he accepted it. He was first assigned to the Army of the Cum- berland, with headquarters at Louisville, Ky. But he was often with the army in the field, and was present at several battles, having wit- nessed the famous "battle above the clouds" at Lookout Mountain, and other engagements. Later on he was ordered to Washington, and there remained on duty among the eastern armies until the close of the war. He was living in Washington at the time of the assassination of President Lincoln. At the close of the war he was sent to Annapolis to pay the Union troops returned from Southern prisons, where he witnessed many pitiful scenes. On the first day of July, 1866, after a service of three hard years, he was at last, at his own request, honorably mustered out of the U. S. service, after handling many millions of money without the loss of one cent and without a blemish or spot upon his integrity.
Leaving the army, Major Baird returned to Ripley, to his home and family, and resumed the practice of his profession. In this work he continued for a number of years, until the cares of it became a bur- den, when he relinquished a lucrative practice and occupied himself only with his private business and affairs, retiring finally with abundant hon- ors and a competence. During the last decade of his life, however, he continued his usual activities and expanded his interests. For many years he was engaged in tht banking business as director of the First National Bank of Ripley, Ohio, and later as president of the Farmers' National Bank, and of its successor, the Citizens' National Bank. He was president of the Ripley Gas Company from its organization in 1860 until his death. He was an active member of the Ripley Fair Com- pany, the Ripley Saw Mill and Lumber Company, of several turnpike companies, and also an investor in other industries and enterprises at home and abroad, always desiring to promote the welfare and pros- perity of his town and its people. His handsome home was the seat of a continuous and generous hospitality, and here he entertained many of the distinguished men of the country. He possessed two of the largest libraries of law books and miscellaneous books in southern Ohio, and wrote many addresses and articles on subjects of general interest. He also maintained a wide correspondence with friends and public men, and obtained many tokens of their esteem and confidence.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.