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 32
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"No one could have passed through so many years with so large a practice and sustained more friendly relations to other members of the bar. He was never known to have a serious difficulty or misunder- standing with any member of the bar. Being actuated by a high sense of honor and courtesy toward his brethren of the profession, he was al- ways able to reconcile matters of mistake or misunderstanding so as to leave no ground of complaint. Through the kindness and generosity of his nature, he was disposed to make large allowance for the errors and infirmities of his fellow men, and always strongly-perhaps too strongly-leaned to the side of mercy."
He died at Waverly, Ohio, June 24, 1885, in active practice, and while attending the circuit court at that place. He was seized with a severe chill while in the court room, went to sleep the next night, feel- ing better, but never awoke.
Hon. Thomas McClauslen
was of Scotch-Irish descent. He was a native of Jefferson County, Ohio, born March 16, 1819, the eldest son of Hon. William McCauslen, a congressman of Ohio. He attended the district schools of his home and Scott's Academy at Steubenville. In the academy he was a good student, and from there he went to the study of the law in the office of Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, afterwards the great war secretary. In 1844 he was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court in Warren County, and located at West Union the same year. He was quite a society man, while single, in West Union, and much devoted to the ladies. He was liked very much by the young people, and was popular with all classes. As a lawyer, he was diligent and attentive to business and a fluent advocate. He filled the office of prosecuting attorney for three terms from 1845 to 1851, and did it with great credit to himself. In 1853 he was elected to the Ohio senate from the seventh district, composed of Adams, Scioto, Pike, and Jackson counties, and served one term. He participated in the election of the Hon. Geo. E. Pugh to the senate. During his term the superior court of Cincinnati was created and the judges' salaries fixed at $1,500, and the circulation of foreign bank bills of less than $10 was forbidden in the state. This leg- islature must have had a sweet tooth, for, by joint resolution, it asked congress to repeal the duty on sugar and molasses. It also favored the construction of a Pacific Railway. He declined to be a candidate for a second term. He was married in West Union on February 19, 1851, to Miss Mary Jane Sparks, daughter of John Sparks, the banker of West Union, and niece of David Sinton, of Cincinnati.
In 1856 he was one of the attorneys who defended William Milli- gan, indicted for the murder in the first degree, and was undoubtedly guilty as charged, but the jury brought in a verdict of murder in the second degree, and Milligan died in the penitentiary. In 1857 Mr. Mc- Causlen removed to Portsmouth, where he resided and practiced law until 1865, when he removed to his native county, and located at Steu- benville. He continued in the active practice of his profession in Steubenville until 1883, when he retired. He, however, left his busi-
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HON. THOMAS MCCAUSLEN
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ness to his eldest son, William, born in West Union, and who has suc- ceeded him.
At his pleasant home, within one-half mile of Steubenville, he spent thirteen years of dignified and honorable retirement in the enjoyment of the society of his family and of his old friends.
He died February 10, 1896. He had a family of four sons and four daughters, all of whom grew to maturity, and some of whom are married.
As a young man, Mr. McCauslen was jolly, good natured, and fond of outdoor sports. In politics he was a staunch Democrat, but with no particular taste for party work. In religion he was a Presbyterian. As a lawyer he was active and energetic and a fine speaker before a jury. He enjoyed a legal contest, and would throw his whole soul into it. He was an honorable gentleman, an excellent conversationalist, and a delightful companion. His manners were uniformly cordial, and it was always a pleasure to meet and converse with him. While he grew old in years, he preserved the perennial spirit of youth.
"In his years were seen "A youthful vigor and an autumnal green."
William Newman
was born at Salem, Ronaoke County, Virginia, on the nineteenth of January, 1807, the son of William and Catherine Ott Newman, who had removed from Virginia to Pennsylvania. His boyhood years were spent at Harrisonburg, Virginia. He came to Ohio in 1827, and cast his first vote at Newark, Ohio, for Andrew Jackson for President. He returned to Virginia, and on the twentieth of February, 1834, was married to Catherine Ott Williams, of Woodstock, Shenandoah County. They re- sided at Staunton until 1838, where Anna M. (now Mrs. Joseph G. Reed) and George O. were born. In March of the latter year, they came to Portsmouth, where they resided ever after with the exception of a brief period of residence in Highland County in 1841. Five children were born to them in Ohio-William H., James W., J. Rigdon, Charles H., and Hervey C., who died in infancy. The others still live except Rev. Charles H. Newman, who was an ordained minister of the Episcopal Church. He was sent as a missionary to Japan in 1873. For years his health was impaired; he retired from the ministry and died in St. Augustine, Florida, May 30, 1887, where he had gone with his wife to try the effects of its mild climate.
William Newman was, by occupation, a contractor and builder, and many of the larger and finer buildings erected in Portsmouth from 1840 to 1874 were his work, including churches and school houses. Among these are the First Presbyterian Church, All Saints, the two Catholic Churches, the Massie Block, the George Davis residence and many others. others.
Mr. Newman served as a member of the Portsmouth board of educa- tion several terms, and for a number of years, was an active member of the city council. In 1847, he was the Democratic candidate for the state legislature from the Lawrence-Scioto district, these two counties then constituting one legislative district. In 1859, he was elected to the Ohio
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senate from the seventh senatorial district, composed of Adams, Scioto, Pike and Jackson counties. He served in the same senate with Garfield, who afterward became illustrious in the nation's annals, and although differing radically in politics, a warm personal friendship sprang up be- tween these two men, as a correspondence several years after, testified. He died in Portsmouth on the twenty-third day of July, 1847, aged 67 years.
William Newman was a man of strong character and earnest con- victions. To any cause that he espoused, he stood true to the end. He believed in the principles of Jefferson. Madison and George Mason, of his native state. He was a Virginian in all that the word implies, and the doctrines sought by its early statesmen and leaders were implanted deep in his heart. He was noted for his honesty. Integrity was the very corner stone of his character. As his old friend, the well known editor, Walter C. Hood, once wrote, "William Newman is an honest man, a strong stocky man of the people. He would rather stand up, assured with conscious pride alone, than err with millions on his side."
General Benjamin F. Coates
was born June 23, 1827, near Wilmington, in Clinton County, Ohio. His father was Aquila Coates, born in 1799, in Chester County, Penn- sylvania. His mother was Rachael Pidgeon, born in 1801, near Lynch- burg, Virginia. His maternal grandfather, Isaac Pidgeon, was the owner of 1,600 acres of land, about five miles north of Winchester County, Virginia, which he divided among his children. General Coates' father and mother, and his grandfather Pidgeon were Friends, and were married according to the formula of that faith at Hopewell Meeting House, near Winchester, Virginia. They came to Ohio in 1823. They had eight children, six sons and two daughters. Gen- eral Coates was reared on his father's farm, and attended the common school in Clinton County. He also attended an academy at Wilming- ton, conducted by Oliver W. Nixon. He studied medicine with Dr. Aquila Jones at Wilmington, and took his first course of lectures at the Ohio Medical College, of Cincinnati. His second course was taken at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He began the practice of medicine at Mawrytown, in Highland County, in 1850, and remained there two and one-half years. He located in West Union, Ohio, in 1853. In 1857 he was married to Elizabeth J. Patter- son, a daughter of John Patterson, a former resident of Adams County, and a prominent politician. In Adams County General Coates was a Democrat, and as such was elected to the Ohio senate in 1861, to rep- resent the present seventh senatorial district. George A. Waller, of Portsmouth, was his opponent, and Coates' majority was twenty-three. In the legislature, he found himself at variance with his party, and acted with the Republicans on all questions relating to the Civil War. On August 10, 1862, after having attended the regular session of the fifty- fifth general assembly from January 6 and May 6, 1862, he entered the Volunteer Army as lieutenant colonel of the 91st Regiment, Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry. From January 6th until April 14, 1863, he was granted a leave of absence to attend the adjourned session of the fifty-fifth gen- eral assembly. He was wounded August 24, 1864, at the battle of
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Halltown, Virginia. He was promoted to the colonelcy of his regiment December 9, 1864, and was brevetted brigadier general March 13, 1865. He was mustered out of the service June 24, 1865. He made an excel- lent officer, and was highly esteemed for his ability and bravery by his superior officers. He located in Portsmouth, Ohio, July 1, 1865, as a physician. On July 1, 1866, he was appointed deputy collector of in- ternal revenue, under Colonel John Campbell, of Ironton, Ohio, and on October 1, 1866, was appointed collector in the eleventh district of Ohio, in place of John Campbell, and held the office until July 1, 1881, when he resigned. He was a trustee of the Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home from 1868 to 1871. He was receiver of the Cincinnati & Eastern Railway Company from September 1, 1885, until February I, 1887, and as special master commissioner, sold the road to the Ohio & Northwestern Company. He has served on the Portsmouth city board of equalization one or more terms. In 1897 he was appointed a member of the city board of elections for a term of four years.
Since 1862, General Coates has been a Republican. He left the Democratic party on account of war questions. During the time he held the collector's office, he was the leader of his party in the county and congressional district. He had a wonderful insight of human nature, and could tell beforehand how the public would form opinions of men and measures. He had great executive ability, and always had the courage of his opinions. He was a pleasant and agreeable com- panion, and had hosts of friends. He had been unwell for some two weeks prior to his death. On Saturday evening, May 6, 1899, he went to the Republican primary meeting in his precinct and voted. On re- turning, he lay down for a few moments, and then arose and undertook to walk to his chair. He sank between the bed and chair, where he breathed once or twice, and then died of heart failure. He leaves a widow and three children-his son Joseph, and daughters Lilian and Sarah. The latter was in Boston, Mass., at the time of her father's death. General Coates made quite a reputation as an officer, and his memory will be always cherished by the survivors of his regiment.
Hon. James W. Newman,
of Portsmouth, Ohio, was born in Highland County, Ohio, March 12, 1841, the son of William and Catharine Ott Newman. His father has a separate sketch herein.
Soon after the birth of our subject, his parents removed to Ports- mouth, Ohio, where he has since resided. He was educated in the Portsmouth schools, graduating therefrom in the year 1855. After- wards he attended Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, where he graduated in July, 1861. In November of that year, when but twenty years of age, he began the publication of "The Portsmouth Times," which he continued for thirty years, and his talents and ability, as dis- played in its publication and management, brought him reputation and fame. That newspaper is now one of the most influential in the state, and its columns in the thirty years he managed it show Mr. Newman's ability as a journalist. In 1894, the "Times" property was turned into a corporation, in which Mr. Newman still retains an interest.
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In 1867, Mr. Newman was elected on the Democratic ticket to rep- resent Scioto County in the legislature, defeating Colonel John R. Hurd, the Republican candidate for that office. In 1869 he was a can- didate for re-election, but was defeated by Hon. Elijah Glover, by a majority of twenty-three votes. In 1871 Mr. Newman was the candi- date of his party for the state senate in the seventh senatorial district, composed of Adams, Scioto, Pike, and Jackson counties, and was elected, and re-elected over the late Benjamin B. Gaylord, to the same office, in 1873. During his second term he was chairman of the com- mittee on finance, and also of benevolent institutions, and conducted the affairs of these committees with recognized ability. In 1882 lie was elected secretary of state on the Democratic ticket by a majority of 19,117 over Major Charles Townsend, of Athens County. In this election he came within forty-one votes of carrying his own county, strongly Republican; and carried Hamilton county by over 10,000 ma- jority. In 1884 he was defeated for re-election as secretary of state by Gen. James S. Robinson, by a majority of 11,242. It was the memorable campaign year in which Grover Cleveland was first elected president. Mr. Newman headed the state ticket in the October con- test, and received the highest vote that has ever been cast for a Dem- ocrat in Ohio. In his first annual report, as secretary of state, he rec- ommended a system for taxing corporations, in the granting of articles of incorporation, and drafted the bill carrying out his ideas. This meas- ure was that winter enacted into a law by the legislature, and the sys- tem has since developed until it now produces a very considerable rev- enue to the state. On June 20, 1885, Mr. Newman was appointed col- lector of internal revenue for the eleventh collection district of Ohio, and held the office four years.
He has always been prominent in his party, has served on its state, central, and executive committees, has aided it in its councils and on the stump in every campaign for the past thirty-five years.
He is a prominent and active Elk, and served two terms as Exalted Ruler of the Portsmouth Lodge. He has been called upon to deliver addresses on numerous occasions in connection with that body. He is a public speaker of high order, and his addresses on these occasions, as well as others, have been eloquent and well received.
In 1893 he aided in organizing and establishing the Central Sav- ings Bank in Portsmouth, and lias since been its president.
In all public enterprises in the city of Portsmouth, Mr. Newman takes a leading and prominent part, and is known as a public-spirited citizen. He is fond of good literature, and keeps well informed on all current topics.
On October 24, 1871, he married Miss Kate Moore, daughter of Colonel Oscar F. Moore, who has a separate sketch herein. They have one son, Howard Ott Newman.
Hon. John William Gregg,
one of the principal farmers of Pike County, was born July 13, 1845, on the farm where he now resides. His father, John Gregg, was born October 15, 1808, in Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Ohio in 1818. He came to Ohio to make a fortune, and succeeded. He worked on the
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HON. JOHN K. POLLARD
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Ohio canal when it was made through Pike County. Our subject had only a common school education, and was reared to the occupation of farming and stock raising.
He was married November 8, 1866, to Miss Minnie C. Downing, whose parents were among the first settlers of Pike County. They have five children, John W., aged 32, who is the recorder of Pike County; George A., who is bookkeeper at Washington Court House; Edgar M., who is bookkeeper in the Bank of Waverly, and two daughters, Ada Belle and Minnie E., who are at home with their parents.
Mr. Gregg represented Adams County as a part of the seventh senatorial district in the sixty-sixth and sixty-seventh general assem- blies, from 1884 to 1888, and did it ably and well. Mr. Gregg was in the dry goods business in Waverly from 1864 to 1866, and with that ex- ception has always been a farmer. He resides in Seal Township, two and a half miles east of Waverly. His two eldest sons are married and have families. He has always been a Republican, served on the central committee of his county many times, and has often been a delegate to district and state conventions.
Mr. Gregg is a man of a generous and genial disposition. His heart is full of kindness and sympathy. It is said of him that no deserv- ing person ever applied to him in vain. To the poor he has always been kind.
In politics he is the strongest of strong partisans. He never fails in an opportunity to aid his own party, or advance its interests as he sees them.
In business life he is a man of the highest integrity and honor, and or those qualities he enjoys the confidence of all with whom he has had any business relations. As a legislator, Mr. Gregg made a most creditable and honorable record.
Hon. John Kilby Pollard
was brought up on a farm in Adams County, Ohio, and at the age of eighteen enlisted as a private in Company G, 70th O. V. I., October 16, 1861, serving therein until December 22, 1862, when he was honorably discharged on account of general debility incurred in the service. He re-enlisted in the spring of 1864 as a private in Company I, 182d O. V. I., and was commissioned from the ranks as second lieutenant in the same regiment, serving until the close of the war, participating in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Nashville, and numerous skirmishes. Upon his return home he attended school two years, taking an academic course. He then resumed farming; and while engaged in that pursuit, in the year 1867, was married to Miss Anna Watson, of Manchester, Ohio, a daughter of Lawson Watson. Two children were born of this union, Lucille E. and William S. Lucille was educated in the West Union public schools and at the Ohio Wesleyan University, taking a three years' course afterwards in piano at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. She then traveled and studied two years in Berlin with Moritz and Moszkowski. William also attended the Wesleyan Uni- versity, studied pharmacy two years afterward, and has since held many positions of trust and honor. In the fall of 1875, John K. Pollard was
18a
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elected sheriff of Adams County on the Republican ticket. He was re- elected in 1877 by a large and increased majority. In the fall of 1879, he was nominated and elected state senator from the seventh senatorial dis- trict by a majority of one hundred and three votes, and was re-elected in 1881 by one thousand four hundred majority. In the fall of 1888, he was a Harrison presidential elector from the eleventh congressional district of Ohio. In 1892, he was appointed by Governor Mckinley financial officer of the institute for the deaf and dumb, at Columbus, Ohio, which place he held until appointed by President Mckinley counsul general of the United States at Monterey, Mexico, one of the most important posts in the service, so far as jurisdiction and trade are concerned, there being within its compass nine consulates over which the consul general has supervisory authority.
Among numerous other positions, he was elected lay delegate from the Cincinnati conference to the general conference of the Methodist Church, held in New York in 1888. He was a charter member of Mc- Ferran Post, G. A. R., West Union, Ohio, and a member of the mili- tary order of the Loyal Legion. He was also a member of the Masonic Fraternity, Manchester, Adams County, Ohio. After years of patient suffering, he died while in the consular service, October 22, 1899, and was buried at Manchester, Ohio.
Dudley B. Phillips
was born at Clayton, Adams County, Ohio, August 1, 1860. His parents removed to Manchester in 1864, where he has since resided. He gradu- ated from Manchester High School in 1878, studied law with Judge Henry Collings and was admitted to the bar in December, 1881, and was three times elected Mayor of Manchester and elected to the Ohio senate in 1891 and re-elected in 1893 and is now practicing his profession in his native county.
He was married to Fannie B. Adams in 1887 and they have three children : Henry Lee, Dudley Collings and Helen C.
Hon. Samuel Lincoln Patterson,
who now represents Adams County as a part of the seventh senatorial district, is a great-grandson of Judge Joseph Lucas, who represented Adams County in the first legislature of Ohio and a sketch of whom is found elsewhere.
He was born September 7, 1860, at Piketon, Ohio, son of William Patterson and wife, Hannah Brown, who was a daughter of John R. Brown and his wife Levisa Lucas, daughter of Judge Joseph Lucas. Our subject's father was born near Philadelphia. His father, Thomas, died when his son William was quite young. The father of John R. Brown named was a captain in the Revolutionary War from Virginia, as was Maj. William Lucas, father of Judge Joseph Lucas. Mr. Patterson, the father of our subject, was a wagon maker and a black- smith. His wife had a farm adjoining Piketon and he operated that in connection with his trade. He died June 11, 1879, and his widow still resides in Piketon. Our subject attended school in Piketon till 1879, when he went to Lebanon. He began the occupation of school
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teacher in 1881 and followed it until 1886. In Piketon he taught in 1884, 1885 and 1886, having the position next to the superintendent. He was mayor in the village of Piketon from 1882 until 1890, and was a justice of peace of Seal Township from 1883 to 1886. He was a member of the school board in Piketon from 1889 to 1897. He was elected state senator in the seventh senatorial district composed of Adams County, Pike, Jackson and Scioto in the fall of 1899. At the organization of the senate he was made chairman of finance and placed second on the judi- ciary committees and on the committees on public works and insurance.
He was married May 18, 1882, to Miss Lizzie M. Bateman, daughter of Rev. Samuel Bateman, of Piketon. They have six children, two boys and four girls. In his political faith, Mr. Patterson is an earnest Republican, and was chairman of the Republican Executive Committee for the first three years Pike County went Republican.
He is a man of strong convictions, but cautious and conservative in the expression of them. While amongst his friends, he is gentle and reserved in his manner, at the same time, he is one of the most positive men, and firm in his purposes. As a lawyer, the longer he devotes him- self to a cause, the stronger he becomes in it. He has great reserve force, he always appears to have something reserved for a denoument. He has rare judgment and fine discrimination. He seldom reaches a
false conclusion. As a lawyer an untiring worker. In taking up a case, he masters the facts and then the law, then he prepares his plead- ings which are models of accuracy. He gives great promise as a law- ser. As a member of the Ohio senate, he has already taken a high position amongst his fellow senators. He bids fair to make an enviable reputation as a legislator.
Joseph Lucas.
Joseph Lucas was born in Virginia in 1771. His father, William Lucas, was born in 1742 and served throughout the Revolutionary War, rising to the rank of captain. He belonged to one of the proud families of Virginia. He owned extensive lands and negroes. His son, Joseph, was married in Virginia in 1792, to Hannah Humphreys. He and his brother William came to the Northwest Territory in 1797 to locate their father's land warrants. They located at the mouth of Pond Creek in what is now Rush Township, Scioto County, then Adams County. In 1800, Capt. William Lucas, father of our subject, sold his possessions in Virginia, and came to the Northwest Territory, and joined his sons. He had a son, John, who laid out the town of Lucasville in Scioto County, and his son, Robert, was representative and senator in the Ohio legislature for nineteen vears; Governor of the State, 1832 to 1834, and Territorial Governor of Iowa from 1838 to 1841.
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