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 26
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The following was said by the Defender in respect to his sudden death :
"He was just entering into the realities of life and beginning to assume the responsibilities of manhood. His star of hope shone bright in the firmament of his ambition. The future to him was the fairest of visions, and his life full of the enthusiasm of youth. His most earnest desires and aspirations seemed to be fast approaching a happy con- summation. Young in years, buoyant in spirits, ardent in hope, his light was dashed out at the beginning of a splendid and promising career. The midnight of the grave drew its sable curtains at a time when all things seemed fair. To say that his death caused universal grief but illy expresses the universal feeling of sorrow at his sudden demise."
The following was the expression of the bar of Adams County, on the occasion of his death :
"George C. Evans, a highly esteemed and respected member of the bar, having been suddenly removed by the casualty of death, his late associates, in commemoration of his estimable qualities of head and heart and as expressive of their unfeigned sorrow at his sudden death, take this action :
"George C. Evans is taken away from us while yet in the vigor of his early manhood, being only 24 years of age, having within three
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years been admitted to practice, he had scarcely developed to the pub- lic the large ability which his fellows at the bar knew him to possess. Notwithstanding his brief career as a practitioner, he gave clear evidence of the many qualities which form the able and successful lawyer.
"He possessed in the prosecution of his business almost untiring energy. He was always prompt and persistent in attending to the interests committed to his keeping. He manifested much more than usual ability as an advocate and had a happy vien of humor, and a pleasant faculty of expressing himself, which rendered him a pleasing and forcible speaker. His unquestioned integrity rendered him at all time a safe representative of the interests of clients and he was an agreeable associate and respected and trusted opponent in the practice His social qualities render particularly sad his untimely death. He had an almost uninterrupted flow of good spirits-always a kindly disposi- tion and a general warm heart with a hopeful view of the future. These qualities made him a rare addition to any social occasion. Those of this bar who have known him as a man and boy during his life, cordially bear testimony by this tribute that no loss that could have been visited upon us would have been more sadly deplored than the sudden death of the brave, .warm-hearted genial gentleman, and upright lawyer, George C. Evans. Great as our sense of bereavement is, we can only appreciate in a small way, the sorrow that has fallen upon his aged parents and young wife. We tender them our heartfelt sympathies in their great loss. In token of our respect of the deceased,
"Resolved, That the court be requested to enter upon its journal the foregoing action, that the same be published in each of the several papers of the county, and a copy furnished the wife, the parents, brother and sister of the deceased."
The Masonic Fraternity also passed resolutions in respect to the awful calamity. His Sunday School class, consisting of ten young boys, all of whom are now men, and two of whom have since passed beyond, expressed, by written resolutions, their feeling on the occasion of the sudden demise. These resolutions were presented at a memorial service held by the Presbyterian Sunday School. They spoke of him as their able and beloved teacher, of his genial manners, his earnest instruction, of his liberality and of the brave manner in which he sub- mitted to the last enemy.
His office was opened the day after his funeral and his papers were found just as he had left them at noon on Monday September 25. The administrator's deed lay on his desk half finished, just as he had left it to go to his dinner.
His child, born after his death, is now (1900) almost a woman, Georgia C. Evans, residing at Winchester, Ohio, with her widowed mother.
When we reflect that in the disease of which George Evans died, there is only one fatal case in every hundred, and that almost immed- iately after his death, the medical profession began the practice of suc- cessfully relieving such cases, by surgery, it seems a thousand pities that this young man, so full of manly vigor, of courage and hope with such happy prospects for a long life, and so full of the activities of this
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life, should be so suddenly called away, but until every one living in West Union, who realized this startling event, has passed away, the shock caused by his untimely demise will not be forgotten.
Luther Thompson,
who in his time was one of the prominent lawyers of the county, was born December 10, 1848, In Oliver Township, the only son and child of Archibald and Sarah Ann (Mckenzie) Thompson. He was reared in the county. His education was in the public schools of the county and at the Lebanon Normal School. As a boy, he was serious, con- scientious and exemplary. He was strictly truthful and was never known to use a profane or vulgar word. His moral character as boy and man was perfect. He was ambitious and studious and always honest and conscientious. He began the study of law with the Hon. F. D. Bayless, in 1869, and continued it while engaged in teaching until April 24, 1873, when he was admitted to the bar and began prac- tice at West Union. . It has been a custom in West Union to have a lawyer, young or old, as justice of the peace, and in 1874, Mr. Thomp- son was elected as such and served two terms.
On January 5, 1876, he was married to Miss Jennie Smith, daughter of the Hon. John M. Smith. They had six children, but only two survive-Charles L., born October 22, 1877, and Matilda, born April 1, 1883.
He was, at one time, a school examiner for the county. He had no ambitions for political honors, but an intense ambition to succeed as a lawyer. In his profession, he was thorough in all he did. He never tired in his legal work. He had a love for his profession and delighted in the performance of its duties. He had in his work that most essential element of success, enthusiasm. The elements of his character held for him the confidence of all who knew him. His at- tainments and his conscientious discharge of his professional duties gave him the respect of the court and his fellow lawyers, and secured' him the devotion of his clients.
From 1879 to 1881, he was in partnership with the late George C. Evans, under the firm name of Thompson and Evans. From 1882, until his death, he was in partnership with his father-in-law, Hon. John M. Smith under the firm name of Thompson & Smith.
He was only thirteen years at the bar, but in that time he demon- strated that had he been permitted to live, he would have made a noble success in his profession, but consumption had marked him as its own, and at thirty-eight years, when the world is brighest and fairest, he was called away. For nine years he had been a member of the Pres- byterian Church and lived up to his religious profession. Politically, he was reared a Democrat and adhered to that party, but never was a partisan and had as many friends in the other party as in his own. In the testimonial the lawyers gave him, they said he was a good citizen, an able lawyer and an honest man.
What greater tribute could he have earned or could have been given him than this? All that is grand or good, all that is valuable is character, and Luther Thompson left the memory of one, which his
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widow, his children and his friends will be proud, and which will be a beacon light to those who come after.
One of the editors of this work, Mr. Evans, knew Luther Thomp- son well. He respected him for his high personal standard of life, for his attainments and his work as a lawyer. He knew from his own lips how bitter it was to him to turn his back on the world and face death at the early age of thirty-eight, and he knows how bravely and well, how like a philosopher and a Christian, he met the inevitable and sub- mitted to it. No truer man, no more honorable and noble in his life ever lived, and the passing of one so endowed, but illustrates that irony of fate which takes those best qualified to live.
David W. Thomas,
lawyer and soldier, was born in Loudon County, Virginia, August 1I, 1833, the fourth child in a family of six. His father was Joseph Thomas and his mother, Sallie Worthington. They were natives of Loudon County, Virginia, whose male ancestors were soldiers in the Revolu- tion. His father was a wagon and carriage maker. He removed to Ohio in 1836, locating at Mt. Vernon, Knox County, and remained there three years. He then removed to Adams County, near Mt. Leigh, where he resided until his death in 1870. He was noted for his ability as a master mechanic, and esteemed for his sterling integrity of character.
Our subject's earlier years were passed in various employments, in the carriage shop and on the farm. His early training was limited to the common schools. In his twentieth year, he was so far advanced by self-culture, that he became a teacher of the district schools and engaged in that profession at Locust Grove, Adams County, where he taught two winters, and labored on a farm in the summers. In this period he began the study of law. In the winter of 1860, he removed to West Union and resumed his law studies under Col. Joseph R. Cock- erill. In May. 1861, he enlisted in the immortal Co. D. of the 24th Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served with that regiment the full period of three years. On the second day of the battle Shiloh, he was wounded in the thigh and was incapacitated from service for about two months. After the battle of Stone River, he was promoted to first lieutenant and subsequently made captain of the company.
At the expiration of his term of service, he returned to West Union and again resumed the study of law under the late E. P. Evans. He was admitted to the bar on the first of October, 1864. Most of the time during the remainder of his life, he resided at West Union, and ac- quired a very extensive practice. In 1867, he was elected prosecuting attorney of Adams County, and served until May, 1869, when desiring to remove to Georgetown, Ohio, to practice his profession, he re- signed that office and was succeeded by Franklin D. Bayless. Our subject, however, resided at Georgetown but two years, and then re- turned to West Union. He was elected mayor of West Union in 1873, and re-elected in 1874, holding the office three years consecutively. In his political faith, he was always a Democrat.
He was married on November 9, 1854, to Miss Elizabeth Fritts, a native of Loudon County, Virginia. Their children were: Nellie,
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married to Charles Q. Lafferty, and died in 1889; William T., David Ammen, Joseph J., Alfred Tennyson, Hattie M., and Charles V.
Our subject died April 13, 1893, at Cincinnati, Ohio. He is buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery at West Union, Ohio. His widow, daughter Hattie, and sons who are at home, reside at West Union.
David Thomas was a man of the most generous impulses. He was always ready to do a kind act for an enemy or a friend. His patriot- ism was of the unselfish, exalted kind, and it was his pride that he had been able to serve his country as a soldier in the Civil War. As a lawyer, when in the possession of good health, he was active, indus- trious and devoted to the interests of his clients. He possessed more than common ability in his profession and was successful, but his last years were burdened by infirmities, resulting from his service in the army, and he was compelled to relinquish the practice of his profession for several years prior to his death. He was of that noble band of patriots who offered their services to their country at the very outset of the war, to whom the people of Adams County and of all the country will be lastingly grateful. In politics he was always identified with the Democratic party. He was identified with the Presbyterian Church of West Union.
Franklin D. Bayless
was born February 2, 1839, on Brush Creek, at a time when the ther- mometer stood fifteen degrees below zero. He was thus early thrown upon the cold world, but this fact has never seemed to have had a bad influence on his subsequent life. His parents were Elza Bayless and Jane W. DeCamp, and from his mother, he received his second name. He received his education principally in the West Union schools. In 1858 and 1859, he taught school and in 1860 and 1861, he was a student. In the latter year he was in school, and just prior to Major McFerran's departure with the 70th O. V. I., he enrolled him- self as a law student under him.
On July 29, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, gIst O. V. I. He was appointed sergeant on the 22d of August, 1862. On July 20, 1864, he was severely wounded at an engagement at Stephenson's Depot; being shot in both thighs. He was appointed first sergeant, December 1, 1864, and was mustered out June 24, 1865. When he returned from the war, he resumed the study of law, and was admitted to the bar at Portsmouth, Ohio, April 23, 1866. The same fall, he was a candidate on the Democratic ticket to represent Adams County in the Legislature, but was defeated by Captain W. D. Burbage, now of Washington, D. C., by a majority of twenty votes.
In 1869, he was elected prosecuting attorney of Adams County on the Democratic ticket, and was re-elected in 1871. In 1873, he was again a candidate for the legislature on the Democratic ticket and was defeated by Richard Ramsey, Republican.
In 1881, he was a candidate for common pleas judge in the counties of Adams, Brown and Clermont, on the Democratic ticket, but was defeated by Col. D. W. C. Loudon, of Brown County, by 41 votes. He received the remarkable majority of over 600 votes in his own county, but was defeated by his own party votes in the other two counties,
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owing to the personal popularity of Col. Loudon, and the activity of the latter's friends.
He has been twice married, first to Helen M. Young, on Novem- ber 22, 1869. She died September 9, 1884. He entered into a second marriage with Nora White Young, on October 8, 1885. Mr. Bay- less has three daughters, two of his first marriage and one of his sec- ond marriage. Politically, he is a Democrat, and in his religious views, he is a Presbyterian. He is one of the ablest lawyers who ever prac- ticed at the West Union bar.
George Washington Pettit.
It is a great responsibility for a father to name a son for the father of his country, but in this case, Mr. Pettit's father assumed it. If a boy or man having this prenomen, does not live up to the model set by his immortal name, then it is always cast up to him, but in this case, our subject has always done the best he could under all circum- stances, and has never been reminded that he did not follow the model of his patronymic.
Our subject was born near Dukinsville, Adams County, April 5, 1856. His father was Isaac Pettit and his mother's maiden name was Sarah Chambers. His father was a native of Greenup County, Ken- tucky, and his mother of Washington County, Pennsylvania. His father was a farmer and a blacksmith, and young George partially learned the latter trade while a boy at home with his father. All the education he received from others was in a log school house in Oliver Township, known as the "Gulf District," and he had but three months school in any one year, but George was ambitious and determined to seek learning and did so. He acquired a sufficient knowledge of the comon branches and began his career as a county school teacher, April 30, 1866, at Mt. Tabor, in Jefferson Township. The same year he taught at Bentonville, and continued there until 1870. In 1871, he began teaching at Rome, and taught there until 1874.
On May 20, 1874, he was married to Laura A. Adamson, daughter of John Adamson, of Bentonville. In 1874 and 1875, he taught in Con- cord, Kentucky. In 1875 and 1876, he taught again at Rome. In 1876 and 1877. he and his wife both taught at Buena Vista, in Scioto County, and in 1877 and 1878, he taught again at Rome.
In April, 1878, he removed to Chenoa, Illinois, and was there five months, when he returned to Adams County, and that same winter he taught at Bentonville. He began the study of law under the Hon. F. D. Bayless, of West Union, and continued it while he was teaching. He was admitted to the bar in West Union in 1878, and began prac- ticing in April, 1879, at West Union. In October, 1880, he was elected clerk of the courts of Adams County by a majority of 215 over L. J. Fenton, afterward congressman. He was re-elected in 1883 over R. S. Kirkpatrick by 420 majority and had 124 more votes than the Demo- cratic state ticket.
He has three children-Horace G., who married Vida Sutterfield, daughter of D. R. Sutterfield, Ernest G., aged eighteen, and Helen, aged II. He is a member of the board of elections of Adams County,
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having been appointed August 1, 1899. In his political views, he is a Democrat. He is a member of the Methodist Church. He is a ·strong advocate of the cause of temperance. He is known everywhere as a Christian gentleman. He is honest and honorable in all hi: rela- tions of life. As a lawyer, he is active, energetic and industrious. He always prepares his cases well, tries them thoroughly and excels as a trial lawyer. At the great day, when all records are read and examined, George Washington will have no occasion to blush for this namesake.
John W. Hook
was born August 26, 1854, at West Union, Ohio, in what was then known as the "Dyer Burgess property," now the Palace Hotel. His father, James N. Hook, was at that time, clerk of the courts of Adams County. His mother's maiden name was Sarah Jane Baird, daughter of Joshua Baird, a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania, and her mother's name was Susan (Gibson) Baird. The last named was left a widow early in life with a large family to care for. She is said to have been a woman of great natural ability and force of character. She was able to take care of a farm and raise and educate a large family of children. She lived near Bentonville, and it is said of her that noth- ing but serious sickness prevented her from attending the services of the Presbyterian Church at West Union, of which she was a devoted member, and of bringing her numerous family with her in an old buggy over the worst roads in the world, every Sunday, rain or shine, winter as well as summer.
John W. Hook passed the greater part of his boyhood on the farm of his father, attending the village schools of his native town in the winter and assisting with the farm work in the spring and summer. At the age of eighteen years, he began teaching school, which occupied him for a part of the time. During the remainder of the time, he either attended school or pursued the study of the law, having determined early in life to make that his calling.
In September, 1876, at a session of the district court of his county, he was admitted to the bar, having had the firm of Bayless & Thomp- son as his instructors. After teaching another year, he began the prac- tice of his profession in his native town and has continued therein for the greater portion of his time to the present.
In 1881, he was elected a member of the board of education of the West Union village school district. He was mayor of his native town in 1884 and was re-elected again in 1886.
On July 1, 1889, he accepted the position of chief deputy under the United States Marshal for the southern district of Ohio, which posi- tion he held for four years. After leaving the marshal's office he re- turned to the practice of law at West Union where he has since been actively engaged in the courts of Adams and adjoining counties and in the United States Courts.
In 1898, Congress having passed a national bankrupt law, Hon. George R. Sage, United States District Judge, appointed him referee in bankruptcy for Adams County, which position he now holds. In politics, he has always been a Republican, and being a young man located at the county seat in a Democratic county, he has been called
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upon to act as chairman and secretary of the county executive com- mittee a number of times, and has thereby been more or less prominent in the local politics of his party for a number of years. At the Repub- lican State Convention of 1880, without his knowledge or solicitation, he was made an alternate delegate from his congressional district to the National Convention at Chicago, where General James A. Gar- field was made the Republican candidate for the presidency. In 1883, he connected himself with the Presbyterian Church and has continued a member of that church to the present time. He is one of the charter members of Crystal Lodge, No. 114. He was its first presiding officer and has remained an active member of that organization to the present time. He is a member of the uniform rank of Central Division No. 37 and a present regent of Adams Council, No. 830, Royal Arcanum.
In November, 1884, at West Union, Ohio, he was married to Miss Rachael, daughter of William and Rebecca Wilson, and at that time, a member of the corps of teachers of the West Union schools. They have had five children, three of whom are living at this time.
A gentleman who knows Mr. Hook well and is capable of judging says of him: "There is no better citizen than he; his influence is always for good citizenship; that on every question of morals, he will be found advocating that side which is for the best interests of society. Mr. Hook is a man of excellent reasoning powers and a good lawyer. He is one of the most sensitive men and this is against him as a lawyer as the latter should have no feelings or sensibilities. He is not aggres- sive, but that is owing to natural diffidence born with him. He is a very companionable man and had he lived in the days of the Greek philosophers, he would have been the chiefest among them. He is a born counsellor and adviser, but he lacks just what John Alden lacked -he does not always speak for himself when he ought to. He can al- ways do better for a friend than for himself. He is an estimable citizen and one who is always ready and willing to do his part in the com- muni: y.
Richard Watson McNeal,
was born in Erie County, New York, on the twentieth day of Noveni- ber, 1840. His father's name was Milo H. McNeal, and his mother was Sarah P. Playter. Both were born in the province of Upper Canada, and both families moved into Erie County, Western New York, at the breaking out of the war of 1812. Milo H. McNeal was a farmer and our subject grew up on a farm about two miles from Williamsville. He received his education in the common schools and the Academy at Williamsville. He taught school at Clarence, New York, during the winter of 1861 and 1862, and in August of 1862, he enlisted in the 50th New York Volunteer Engineers, and served till the close of the war, being discharged at Ft. Barry, Virginia, in June, 1865. On returning from the war, he taught school four more years, one year in Michigan, one year in Indiana, and two years in Iowa.
He was married to Sarah M. Gardner, of Amsterdam, New York, on the 26th of November, 1866.
He was admitted to the bar in Iowa, in May, 1867. He came to Ohio in 1869, living in Cincinnati until the spring of 1870, when he 15a
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went to Brown County. In 1876, he went to Adams County, taking charge of the farm of Captain C. W. Boyd, at West Union. In 1878, he was elected to the office of probate judge, serving one term, from February, 1879, to February, 1882. He then formed a law partnership with J. M. Wells, which continued for two years. In the spring of 1884, he went to Indianapolis, Indiana, to take editorial charge of the Indianapolis Republican, having purchased one-half interest in the paper. In December, 1885, he sold his interest in that paper and moved to Rarden, Scioto County, Ohio, where he resided for ten years, practi- cing iaw in the courts of Adams and Scioto counties. In 1895, he left Rarden, and removed to Cincinnati. He resides at Hartwell and practices law in Hamilton County.
While a resident of Adams County, Judge McNeal was regarded as an excellent citizen. He was courageous and able in his advocacy of any principle or issue, which he believed to be right. He discharged the duties of probate judge with marked ability and fidelity. Before his election, he declared his hostility to the corrupt use of money in elec- tions and on that idea, was elected by a good majority.
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