USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > A twentieth century history of Trumbull County, Ohio; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 16
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Mr. and Mrs. Webb lived all their married lives in their home on South street, and there celebrated their golden wedding. Mr. Webb was quite an astronomer, and being very fond of mathematics he pursued the study of higher mathematics as far as Fluxions, a copy of which he owned. This was the only copy in town, and a rare book anywhere. In Mr. Webb's later years Judge George M. Tuttle occasionally studied this book with Mr. Webb. It is not now in the possession of the family. It is feared it must have been sold with some of Mr. Webb's books at the time of his death.
Miss Elizabeth Iddings says:
"My own recollections of my grandfather are not many. One instance I distinctly remember, however. One evening three of the grandchildren were at grandfather's, and I sup- pose we made considerable noise. After awhile grandfather offered each of ns a cent if we would sit quiet for an hour. My brothers did not manage to do it, but I kept quiet and got the cent. When my grandfather gave it to me he said, .solemnly, 'Elizabeth, I am a very old man. I am almost ninety.' This made a great impression on me, as he in- tended it should. I have laughed over it a good many times since, as he was only eighty-one when he died, and this must have been ten years before that time."
Whittlesey Adams was born in Warren in 1829. Ile gradu- ated from Yale in 1857, and was admitted to the bar in Spring- field in 1860. Ile intended to practice law, and in this he was encouraged by his uncle, Elisha Whittlesey. Although he found the study of law very pleasing, the practice was distasteful. He
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disliked controversy, and early turned his attention to insurance business, which he conducted very successfully for many years, still being in the same business with his sons.
In 1864 he received the appointment as paymaster in the United States army. He was identified with all the early history of Warren, and is more conversant with the same now than prob- ably any other person in Trumbull County.
Judge Rufus P. Ranney was born in Massachusetts in 1813. His father took up land in Portage county in 1824. The family was poor, and young Rufus earned money by chopping wood and by doing other manual labor, as well as by teaching, not only to get a rudimentary, but a college education, as well. He studied law with Giddings and Wade, and was admitted to the bar in 1836. When Mr. Giddings went to Congress. he was Mr. Wade's partner for ten years. When Mr. Wade became judge, Mr. Ran- ney removed to Warren, where he soon became the leader at the bar. He was one of Trumbull County's members of the constitu- tional convention in 1850. Here he did remarkable work, and at that time was elected by the legislature to the supreme bench. After the adoption of the constitution the people re-elected him to this position, which he held till 1856, when he resigned to take up his practice in Cleveland. He was one of the finest law- vers of his time.
Rufus P. Spaulding was born in West Liberty, Massachn- setts. in 1798, just as the Connectient Land Company was open- ing up the Reserve. When he was fourteen his people moved to Norwich, Connectient. He graduated from Yale at nineteen and read law with Judge Swift, chief justice of the state. When he first went west he practiced in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he remained one year and a half. Ile then moved to Warren, where he resided sixteen years, living part of the time at the head of Franklin street. He then went to Portage conty, and his later history belongs to that county. He possessed a profound knowl- edge of the law, was a good debater, "while his dignified appear- ance heightened the effect of his arguments." He turned from the Democratie to the Republican party because of the slavery question. In 1862 he was a representative in Congress.
Ira L. Fuller, born in New York, came to Brookfield in 1833. being then seventeen years old. He had the usual education in the common schools; was not a college graduate. Two years later he became clerk of the Warren postoffice, when David Tod was postmaster. He then read law, and was admitted to the bar
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in 1840. He served two terms as prosecuting attorney of the county, and for three years as probate judge. He died in 1874. He was an estimable man, but because of his strong sympathy with the south during the war was severely criticized by his fellow attorneys. He married Mary Stevens, the daughter of Horace Stevens, and had a large family of children, all of whom prospered. Additional information in regard to him and his family is given elsewhere in the history.
John F. Beaver is never to be forgotten by the younger people of today who saw him, and by the people who did business with him. He was a unique figure .- strong of body and mind, wholly indifferent to his appearance in dress, and rather brusque of manner. He was born in Pennsylvania, and like so many of the men of his age who came from that state, he obtained his education under the greatest difficulties. It is tradition that he was at one time a law partner of Hon. Edgar Cohen, a United States senator from Pennsylvania. This is not wholly verified. He lived in Pittsburg for a time, where, by great industry, he made and saved money, but, not liking the city, he purchased a farm and mill property in Newton Falls in 1844, and for a time abandoned the actual practice of law. His ability was recognized in his new home. He became state senator, serving three terms. His late life was exceedingly happy because he had the respect of his fellow men, bad plenty of means, had land of his own upon which he could hunt, and because he was an onivorons reader and an unusual conversationalist. He was often spoken of as "Old John Beaver, " and the mention of his name almost always cansed good feeling. He died when he was 77 years okl.
Jonathan Ingersoll was educated for the United States navy, and when but a boy went on a cruise in the Old Constitu- tion, going ahnost around the world. He resigned from the navy in 1836, married Catherine Seely, a daughter of Dr. Sylvanus Seely, in 1838. Having prepared himself for the law, he began practice, and about 1840 was clerk of the court of common pleas. which office he held for seven years. He was then clerk of the supreme court of Trumbull County. He died in 1875.
llon. John Hutchins, although he lived in Cleveland in the last years of his life. was really identified with the history of Trumbull County. His ancestors came from Connectient in 1800. making the journey with ox teams, and settling in Vienna. He had all the advantage of the men of his time in education, for. aside from common schools, he attended Western Reserve Col-
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lege. He studied law with David Tod, and was admitted in 1838 in New Lisbon. Later he was clerk of the Trumbull County court for five years. He had at different times as his partners David Tod, B. F. Hoffman, J. D. Cox, Milton Sutliff and others. He succeeded Joshua R. Giddings in Congress in 1858, serving two terms. He removed to Cleveland in 1868.
Although R. W. Ratliff was a soldier and a banker, he prac- tired law for many years in Trumbull County. Like most of the young men of his time, he worked part of the year on the farm and attended school. He finished his law course with Wade & Ranney, and was admitted in 1846. During this law course he taught school in the little one-story schoolhouse which stood on High street near Ehn, and upon which lot, many years after, he erected a beautiful home for himself and family. He was in partnership at one time with Judge B. F. Hoffman, with John Hutchins, with J. D. Cox, and William T. Spear, afterwards supreme judge. He was lientenant-colonel of the Second Ohio Cavalry, did service in the Indian expedition in Kansas, was in Kentucky and Ten- nessee, later raised the 12th Ohio Cavalry Regiment, of which he was first lieutenant, and of which he afterwards became colonel. He was made brigadier-general for gallant service. and was severely wounded at Duck Creek, Tennessee. Upon his re- turn from the army he resumed the practice of law, and after- wards became cashier of the Second National Bank. He married Olive, the sister of Samnel Freeman, for his first wife, and Jane Tod, the sister of Mrs. Samuel Freeman, for his second wife. lle had two daughters by the second marriage, both of whom are living. He was greatly beloved and respected in the community.
General M. D. Leggett and General J. D. Cox were both lawyers of Trumbull County, but were educators and soldiers as well. Accounts of their lives and works are found in other chapters.
Mr. Selden Haines, the great-unele of Judge D. R. Gilbert, was one of the early members of the bar. He graduated at Yale, and says: "in the spring of 1831 I located at Poland, then in Trumbull County, hung out my shingle. The principal influen- tial members of the bar of Trumbull were Whittlesey & Newton, of Canfield, Hine & Rockwell, of Youngstown, Thomas D. Webb, Gen. R. Stone, R. P. Spaulding, Birchard & Tod, John Crowell (of Warren), George Swift, of Kinsman. George Tod of Brier Hill was the presiding judge. Whittlesey & Newton always had
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the largest calendar of canses. Joshua R. Giddings attended conrt in Trumbull. Wade was associated with him. At Poland I was on the direct route from Pittsburg to Cleveland, and, through the aid of the hotel keeper, I seenred quite a business from Pittsburg and Philadelphia; besides I was honored with the dignity of justice of the peace. By the most rigid economy I secured a living. In addition to other positions, I commanded a regiment of riflemen for five years. My last official act as colonel was to command the escort that was called ont by Sheriff Mygatt when he executed the extreme penalty of the law npon Ira Gardner, who murdered his step-daughter in Gustavns."
Benjamin F. Hoffman came from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1833. He intended to teach school and survey land, but instead he studied law in David Tod's office. It was not his intention to be a lawyer, but he grew to like it. went to Cincinnati for a six- months' course. He was there admitted to the bar in 1836, and formed a partnership with Hon. George Tod at Warren. When David Tod was elected to the senate he held the po- sition of postmaster. Mr. Hoffman succeeded him as post- master. Mr. Hoffman was associated at different times with Hon. Mathew Birchard, Hon. John Hutchins and Colonel R W. Ratliff. He was elected judge of the second sub- division of the ninth judicial district in 1856, was Governor Tod's private secretary in 1861, and resided in Warren until 1870. He is at this writing living in Pasadena, California, at the age of ninety-seven.
Gen. L. V. Bierce was born in 1801. His father, a Connecticut farmer, moved to Nelson, Ohio, in 1816. Earned his living at Ohio University where he obtained his education. He was examined by Elisha Whittlesey, John C. Wright and Thomas Webb. Judge George Tod became interested in him and appointed him prosecuting attorney in 1836. lle moved to Ravenna and lived there until 1837, when he went to Akron. Although he was 60 years old when the war broke out, he raised two companies of marines. Ile boarded them for two days and partially clothed them and delivered them at the Washington Navy Yard. Re- turning home he raised a company of one hundred men for the artillery service. Ile was too old to go himself. He was elected to Ohio senate by 3,000 majority. Being appointed assistant adjutant general of the United States in 1863, he disbursed over
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a million dollars. In 1875 he gave his entire property of $30,000 to Akron for publie buildings.
Joel W. Tyler was identified with the bar of the Western Reserve and lived in Warren in 1858, forming a partnership with Judge Mathew Birchard. Two years later he was elected judge of the court of common pleas and said that he would hold his office until some man who was in the army was wounded or made unfit for service, when he would resign in his favor. He was elected for the second term and yielded his place to Judge Albert Yeomans, who was badly wounded in the army and who long held the office of probate judge. Mr. Tyler taught school, attended the Western Reserve Academy at Hudson, studied law with Tilden and Ranney of Ravenna; practiced a while at Gar- rettsville, removed to Kent in 1851. He became interested in the Atlantic & Great Western Railway as an attorney, lived in Mansfield, then in Warren, and in 1865 moved to Cleveland, where he lived the rest of his life.
Charles E. Glidden was born in Claremont, New Hampshire, in 1835. He studied law in New York state and at Poughkeepsie. graduating at the Law College there in 1855. He removed to Poland that same year and was admitted to the bar in 1856 at Ravenna. He practiced law in Poland until 1862, when he was elected judge of the court of common pleas. His term expired in 1867. He then formed a partnership with Hon. F. E. Hutch- ins and Jolin M. Stull. He practiced until 1872, when he was again elected judge. At the expiration of his term, 1877, he resumed practice in Warren, but his health soon failed and he removed to Massachusetts, where, after a long illness, he died. He was married in 1856 to Mrs. Eliza K. Morse, of Poland. They had one son, Charles, who now lives in New England.
Levi Sutliff was born in Vernon in 1805. He belonged to a family of lawyers, being a brother of Milton and Calvin. Both his father and mother had unusual mental attainments. The getting of an education for young men of his time was exceed- ingly difficult. He did not study law until middle life. He was admitted to the bar in 1840. Ten years later he removed to Warren, having had rural practice before that. He formed a partnership with Judge Birchard, but soon retired to care for his property interests. Although a lawyer he is better known as a business man, as a slavery agitator and as a student. He married Miss Mary Plum, of Vernon, for a first wife, and Miss Phoebe L. Marvin, of Bazetta, for the second. He died in 1864.
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Mrs. Sutliff and her daughter, Miss Phoebe, live in Warren, while the youngest daughter, Mrs. Ed. Brainard, lives in Toledo.
Calvin G. Sntliff, a brother of Milton and Levi, was born in Vernon in 1808. Ile was a partner of his brother, Milton, and afterwards formed a partnership with Hon. John Hutchins. He had a fine mind, was very industrious, had a good practice. In the midst of life, when he was forty-four, he died from a cold which he contracted when on business in Geauga county. He was a powerful man, physically, being six feet two inches high. He married Miss Hannah Bennett, of Hartford, in 1845. Mrs. Sutliff was a sister of Mrs. Samuel Qninby, and later married C. W. Tyler. Of her four children by her first marriage three are now living, Mrs. Homer Stewart, of Warren, being one of them.
Col. Roswell Stone was a lawyer of learning and distinction, of fine personal appearance. He was prosecuting attorney in 1823. The legislature then appointed common pleas judges, and Stone was slated for that nomination. Mrs. Stone was an accom- plished woman and for some time tanght a school for young ladies, which was attended by home folks and foreigners as well. She still lives in Warren. Mr. Stone was identified with the bar in the sixties and was successful. His son, Fred Stone, is county auditor. Mention of Mr. Stone and family is made elsewhere.
Judge Albert Yeomans was born in Kinsman in 1826. He was educated in the district schools there and in the Grand River Institute at Austinburg. He studied law with General Crowell in Warren. He early entered the Union army and was badly wounded at the battle of Chickamauga. causing perma- nent lameness. In 1864 he was elected probate judge, and served until 1879. Ifis term of office as judge was the longest of any in the history of Trumbull County. He was an invalid for some years before his death. Ile was twice married. His first chil- dren do not live in Trinbull County. His second wife, Amelia Adams, and two daughters, Mrs. George Bunting and Mrs. J. C. Oriel, survive him.
Francis Edwin Hutchins, born in New Milford, Litchfield connty, Connecticut, September 16, 1826, was the second of three sons of Myron M. and Mary Porter Hutchinson. His father was the son of John Hutchinson, who claimed to be a lineal descendant of the royal governor of Massachusetts of that name.
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By the advice of his law preceptor, Mr. Hutchins dropped the last syllable of his name-much to his regret in later years- and has ever since been known by the name of Hutchins.
In 1832 the family removed from Connecticut to Northfield, then in Portage county, Ohio, and in 1835 they went to western Michigan, where they remained till the fall of 1844. They then returned to Ohio, and settled in Youngstown. His education has been self-acquired. The whole time of his attendance at school, aside from a little while in Michigan, would not exceed one year. He was of studious habits, and thus educated himself.
In the latter part of the season of 1845 he went one trip from Youngstown to Cleveland as driver of a canal boat, and returned first as bowsman and then as steersman of the same boat, and the rest of the season he ran it as captain, as he did another boat the next summer. He worked some time in a foundry in shaping and dressing by hand the wood work of ploughs. He spent one year in learning the carpenter trade. and then worked six months as a journeyman at that trade; and began reading law on a pecuniary capital of nineteen dollars due him from his employer, and for which he had to sue, and to dis- count the judgment obtained for seventeen dollars cash.
He read law in Youngstown, and was admitted to the bar August, 1851, and on December 11, 1851, was married to Eliza- beth M. Sanderson.
He continued the practice of the law in Youngstown until 1859, when he removed to Warren, Trumbull County, where he has sinee resided.
In 1864 he entered the "hundred days" service in the army as captain of Company A, 171st Regiment, Ohio Volunteers, and was, for a time, the superintendent of the rebel prison on Jolin- son's Island in Lake Erie; and from there was ordered to Cin- cinnati as judge-advocate of a military commission, in which capacity he served until attacked by typhoid fever, from which he was not entirely recovered at the expiration of his term of service.
He was a delegate to the Republican convention which, in 1896, nominated William MeKinley for president.
He had known Mr. MeKinley well from the time the latter entered the academy at Poland, before he went into the army. They were very warm personal friends. He examined McKin- ley on his admission to the bar at Warren, and was very highly esteemed by him, personally and as a lawyer.
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lle was mentioned for election as one of the judges of the supreme court of Ohio, but partial and increasing deafness, the result of typhoid fever in the army, not only prevented this, but greatly interfered with his practice; and so much so that Me- Kinley said after his nomination that, if elected, he was going to find some place for Mr. Hutchins.
A warm friendship and mutual admiration existed between him and Hon. Luther Day, the father of Associate Justice Will- iam R. Day, of the United States Supreme Court. JJudge Luther Day was on the bench in his district when Mr. Hutchins came to the bar; and he practiced before him several years in the supreme court and lower courts.
In February, 1898, Mr. Hutchins was in Washington and called on his old friend. President MeKinley. The great topie then was war with Spain for the benefit of Cuba. Congress and the people wanted it, but the president held back, first because we were not ready for war, and, second, no justification for our hostile interference in the government of her own colonies by a friendly nation which would be held sufficient by other nations had been formulated. On being asked by the president, Mr. Hutchins gave his views, which so impressed the president that he asked him to state them to Acting Secretary of State Day, and that was done.
Upon calling later to take leave of the secretary, he re- quested Mr. Untehins to formulate his views upon that subject in a letter to him. This was done in a letter of February 13, 1898.
Early in April the president requested each member of his cabinet to submit his individual views of the canses which would justify our hostile interference with Spain with reference to Cuba. This was done, Secretary Day presenting the letter of Mr. Hutchins, as expressing his views. In his war message to Congress of April 11th the president, in stating the causes which in his opinion justified our hostile interference with Spain, copied almost verbatim from this letter of Mr. Hutchins. This has since become a part of the international law, as expounded by writers; and is copied as Mr. Hutchins wrote it, in Taylor on International Law. pages 421 and 422.
On June 1, 1898. Mr. Hutchins was, at the special request of President MeKinley and Secretary of State William R. Day, appointed by Attorney-General Griggs as special assistant to the attorney-general, which office he still holds. As showing
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the estimation in which he has been held in that department, it may be added that he was directed by the attorney-general to examine the case and propose a bill in chancery to foreclose the government's lien of nearly sixty million dollars against the Central Pacific Railroad Company, for the subsidy bonds issued in aid of the construction of its road. When this had been pre- pared, the company made a settlement, by which it was agreed that the corporation should be reorganized and the whole debt assumed by bonds secured by mortgage upon its whole property. As the attorney-general was about starting with President Me- Kinley on his western tour, these bonds were tendered to the treasurer of the United States for his approval and acceptance, and the question of their sufficiency and acceptance had been referred to the attorney-general, who directed Mr. Hutchins to examine and report to the treasurer whether the corporation had been properly reorganized and incorporated in all the states and territories into which the road ran, and whether the bonds were in accordance with the agreement and such as should be accepted. This he did, and upon his advice the bonds for this large sum were accepted by the treasurer and the matter closed. Ilis business is much in the way of preparing the opinions of the attorney-general, when asked for by the president or the head of a department ; letters of instruction to the various dis- triet attorneys throughout the country, and in opinions upon the various legal questions arising in the administration of the gov- ernment.
Though now past eighty-two years of age. and partially blind and deaf, he is still vigorons and active, and retains his mental faculties unabated.
John M. Stull was one of the most generous lawyers of Warren, had many friends, and was devoted and loved by the people of his own church, the Methodist. He was of German and Scotch-Irish blood. His father died when he was twelve years old. At nineteen he went to Hampden, Ohio, to learn the black- smith trade, and later opened a shop in Farmington. As Mr. Stull was always a delicate man, and lived many years beyond the time his friends expected him to, it has always been a won- der why he chose for his occupation one so hard as blacksmith- ing. Ule had a limited education, and if he had not, received injuries which made it impossible for him to continue at his trade he would not have become a lawyer. Overcoming many obstacles, he finally acquired an academic edneation. He went
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south to teach, and studied law when he was twenty-seven years old, in Kentucky. He was not admitted to the bar until he was thirty. He married Florilla W. Wolcott, whose tender care and business sense helped him in the early years of his profession. His marriage was an exceedingly happy one, and the loss of his wife in 1878 was a terrible blow to him. He had for partners at law at different times Judge Tuttle, Milton Sutlitt, F. E. Hutchins and Judge Glidden. He served as prosecuting attor- ney of the county, as mayor, and as state senator. He died in 1907 in Florida, where he had gone to escape the rigors of the winter. He is survived by one daughter, Mrs. A. F. Harris, who resembles him in appearance and has much of his business ability.
Homer E. Stewart has lived his entire life in Trumbull County. He was born at Coitsville in 1845, before the formation of Mahoning county. He is a college man, graduating at Westminster, Pennsylvania, in 1867. He attended the Albany Law School, having prepared himself in the office of Hon. Milton Sutliff, and became a member of the bar in 1869. In 1870 he entered into partnership with Judge Sutliff, which continued until the latter's death in 1878. He married Kate L. Sufliff, daughter of Calvin Sutliff. in 1870, and has three children, Helen, now Mrs. Foster, and Homer and Milton.
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