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 17
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Charles A. Harrington was born in Greene in 1824. At- tended Grand River Institute and Oberlin College. Tanght dis- triet school and established a select school in Greene township which was very successful. This was in 1846. At this time he began the study of law, and was admitted in 1849. In 1860 he was elected clerk of the court of common pleas. He was internal revenne assessor from 1867 to 1873. He was a partner of Will- iam T. Spear, later supreme judge, from 1873 to '79. In 1877 he retired from active practice. Although 85 years old, he is a great reader and a student, and a delightful conversationalist.
Asa W. Jones was born in Johnsonville in 1838. was educated in the schools of his neighborhood and attended the seminary at West Farmington. He studied law with Curtis & Smith af Warren, Ohio, and when twenty-one years old, 1859, was admitted. He was appointed to fill an unexpired term as prosecuting attorney of Mahoning county, and later was elected to that office. In 1896 he was elected lieutenant governor and served until 1900. He spent most of his professional life in Youngstown, Ohio, where he had a large and lerative practice.
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He has lately retired, and lives on a farm in Hartford, near Burghill.
Julius N. Cowdrey was born in Mecca, spent early life on a farm, attended school in Cortland, Western Reserve Seminary, and graduated from Western Reserve College in 1865. Studied law with Tuttle & Stull and later at the University of Michigan. He was admitted in 1868, located in Hubbard in '69, removed to Niles in 1871, where he still continues to practice.
Judge S. B. Craig was born in Braceville in 1844. He at- tended school in Warren and in Farmington, and earned money which enabled him to take a course in Allegheny College at Meadville. He graduated in 1871, immediately began the study of law with Hutchins, Glidden & Stull, was admitted in 1873, and began the practice soon. He served two terms as probate judge. He continues to practice, and devotes a part of his time to the People's Ice & Cold Storage Company, of which he is president.
George M. Tuttle, who died in 1907 at the age of ninety- two years, was one of the most interesting characters at the Trumbull Connty bar. He was born in 1815 in Connecticut, and was a self-educated man. When young he worked on his father's farm. All his life he was much interested in mechanics. He made clocks and studied as he worked, whether at field work or shop work. He began the study of law in 1837 in Connecticut. During this time he clerked in the postoffice as well, but this double duty told on his health, and he had to cease all kinds of labor. When his father's family moved to New York state he taught school. They did not remain long in New York, but came to Colebrook, Ashtabula. Here he continued his old habits of working and studying. He studied law with Wade & Ranney, of Jefferson. He was admitted to the bar in 1841, the next winter taught school and practiced law. In 1844 he removed to Warren, where he spent the rest of his life. After he began active practice, he never ceased until 1902. Ile was long asso- ciated in business with Ilon. Milton Sntliff. The latter made him his executor, and bequeathed to him a portion of his estate. His other partners were Judge Humphrey, Alexander MeCon- nel, Wm. Whittlesey, John M. Stull, F. E. Hutchins and his son-in-law, Charles Fillius. He was elected common pleas judge in 1866, and served until 1872. Ile was a member of the consti- tutional convention of 1871. He was a great reader from his early childhood. He was one of four men possessed of the
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largest libraries in town, Mr. Perkins, Judge Taylor and C. A. Harrington being the others.
L. C. Jones came to the bar later than most of his cotempo- raries, but was successful after he began practice. He was born in Hartford township in 1822, on Christmas day, and his parents were of Puritan blood, having come from Connecticut. Middle- aged people remember his mother, who lived to extreme age. She belonged to a family of longevity. Of her brothers and sisters, one died when over ninety, and one at one hundred and two, the others between these two ages. Mr. Jones attended the Western Reserve College at Hudson. Part of the time he sup- ported himself when he was getting his education, and learned the trade of painting chairs. Determining to be a doctor, he attended medical lectures at Columbia College in Washington. D. C., and returned to Hartford, where he practiced medicine for nearly two years. Although he had liked the study of medi- eine, he did not like the practice. He therefore engaged in mer- cantile business, but this, too, for various reasons, was as un- satisfactory to him as was medicine. Judge John Crowell urged him to study law, and this he did, being admitted in 1854. Ile practiced in his home town until 1862, when he formed a part- nership with Ezra B. Taylor, which partnership continued for fourteen years. This was one of the most successful firms in the valley, and the records show Taylor & Jones to be the attorneys of most of the important cases of that time. He was a state senator for two terms, was registrar in bankruptcy for many years, was the first city solicitor of Warren, and accumulated a goodly property.
Judge William T. Spear has served almost continuously for a quarter of a century as judge of the supreme court of the state of Ohio. He was born in Warren, his father being Edward Spear Sr. and his mother Ann (Adgate) Spear. We have seen in the general history the position which Edward Spear ocen- pied in the community, and the mother was a strong character. a cousin of JJohn Hart Adgate, one of the first settlers in War- ren. Mr. Edward Spear was a worker in wood, having been asso- ciated with Mr. White in a building north of the Presbyterian church. Here they had machinery which was run by horse power, and some of the old citizens of Warren remember how William used to conscientiously drive the horse that turned the capstan. This picture of his childhood was almost repeated by his son Lawrence, who used to drive the Jersey cow of the
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Misses Stevens, walking leisurely down the tree-covered Mahon- ing avenne with his hands on the cow's hip. These two generally walked along and turned in at the very spot where, more than a generation before, the judge had driven his father's horse. Judge Spear obtained his education in the common school of Warren and in Junius Dana's Latin School. His sister, Mrs. Hoyt, was one of the most beloved women of her day. She and William were alike in looks and character. Her two daughters, Annie and Abbie, still reside in Warren. Judge Spear learned the printer's business, beginning work in the office of the Trum- bull County Whig. This later became the Whig and Transcript. James Dumar was editor and publisher. Mr. Spear followed the printing business, working in Pittsburg and two years in New York City. He finally concluded that the law opened a wider field, and began studying with Jacob D. Cox, afterwards general and governor. He graduated from the Harvard Law School in 1859, and was admitted to the bar the same year. He was first associated with JJ. D. Cox and Robert Ratliff; later with John C. Hutchins and C. A. Harrington. He spent three years in Louisiana practicing his profession in connection with the management of a cotton plantation. In 1864 he married Frances E. York, of Lima, New York. Mrs. Spear is a woman of fine education, taught in the Warren high school, and was a great addition to the society in which Judge Spear moved. She has been truly a helpmeet and a companion. They have four sons. Judge Spear was elected to the common pleas bench in 1878, re-elected in 1883; elected supreme judge in 1885, and has served continnonsly since. JJudge and Mrs. Spear reside in Columbus.
The father and grandfather of Ezra B. Taylor, both bear- ing the name of Elisha. settled in Nelson in 1814. They had in- tended locating near the mouth of the Cuyahoga, but when they came to view their land the sand seemed so uninviting and the wind so fierce that they worked back onto the Nelson hills, and chose a lovely spot midway between the center of Nelson and the center of Hiram. Elisha married Amanda Conch, of Con- nectient, who died leaving one son, Samuel. He then married the younger sister, Thyrza. Mrs. Taylor was a woman of strong character, fine physique and a wonderful helpmeet for a pioneer. She had four boys and one girl. Ezra Booth, named for his uncle, the Methodist preacher, his family intending he should be a preacher, was born July 9, 1823. He worked on the farm,
EZRA B. TAYLOR
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attended the schools in winter, sometimes in summer, and his mother made many sacrifices in order that he might have the education he desired. He read by the log fire and walked many miles to borrow a book which he would hear was in the neighbor- hood. At an early age he taught school at the center of Nelson in the Academy. He studied law with Robt. F. Paine, of Gar- rettsville, afterwards judge. He passed the examination in 1845. and was admitted to the bar at Chardon. Ile was then twenty-two years old. He practiced one year in Garrettsville, and moved to the county seat, Ravenna, in 1847. Married Har- riet M. Frazer, daughter of Col. William A. Frazer, in 1849. She died in 1876. They had two children, Harriet and Hal K.
Mr. Taylor entered into partnership with Gen. Lucius V. Bierce after he had practiced a year alone, and as General Bierce was a strong man with a good practice, this was a great advantage to Mr. Taylor, and he improved it. He later had for his partners John L. Raney and Judge Luther Day, the father of Judge William Day of the Supreme Court of the United States. In 1849 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Portage county.
He came to Warren in 1861 and formed a partnership with L. C. Jones, which continued until 1876. He was one of the "squirrel hunters," and was a private in the 171st Ohio Na- tional Guard. When he returned home he was elected colonel of the regiment. He was appointed judge in 1877 to fill the un- expired term of Judge Frank Servis. In 1880 he was elected to Congress to succeed James A. Garfield, who had been elected to the senate. General Garfield never took his seat in the senate, because he was nominated and elected to the presidency that same year. . Indge Taylor, therefore, filled General Garfield's unexpired term, going to Washington in December, 1880. Major MeKinley had been a member of the judiciary committee of the house, and took Garfield's place on the ways and means commit- tee when Garfield left that body. Judge Taylor was appointed a member of the judiciary committee in MeKinley's place, and he served on this committee as chairman when the Republican party was in power, always at other times as a member. He was a member of other committees of the house-commerce, claims, etc. He was a member of the conference committee, and was equally responsible with Senator Sherman for the passage of the law known as the Sherman Anti-Trust Bill. He was the author of the bankruptcy bill; assisted Speaker Reed in making
Vol. 1-12
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the rules which have been so severely criticised during this present year. He gave, as chairman of this committee, the only majority report on the question of woman suffrage which has ever been given by any committee in the national honse of repre- sentatives. Speaker Reed onee made a minority report which Judge Taylor signed. The congressional speech which attracted the most attention was that on the Chinese question. After thirteen years' service he retired, for personal reasons. He entered into a partnership in 1884 with his son-in-law, George W. Upton, which existed until 1905, when a stroke of apoplexy caused the former to retire from active practice.
In early life Mr. Taylor belonged to debating societies, and was much interested in public affairs, such as libraries, agricul- tural societies, ete. Once, when dining with General Hazen in Washington, the latter showed him a premium card which he received when living on his farm near Garrettsville for raising broom corn. This was signed by Ezra B. Taylor as secretary. Both at that time were young men. These two men had many stories to tell that evening of their boyhood life on the farm (they lived within a few miles of each other), to the amusement of the other guests.
Judge Taylor once told the writer that when he took up his duties as common pleas judge he was greatly troubled lest, in some doubtful or evenly balanced case, his personal opinion of. or feeling towards one of the parties or attorneys might uncon- sciously tend to bias his judgment. But he was both glad and surprised to find that from the time he entered upon the trial of a cause it became to him a mere impersonal abstraction, in which he was hardly conscious that he knew the parties or their council ; this fact quieted his fears. This is a rare trait, but on intimate acquaintance, and years of practice with him at the bar, and before him on the bench, the writer was confirmed in the belief that this was true.
As a lawyer and judge, he for many years before his retire- ment stood with the foremost of those in northeastern Ohio. Of fine physique, pleasant appearance and address, keen perception and quick of thought, with a retentive memory and good com- mand of language, he was not an orator by any standard of the schools, save that of nature, but was always an interesting and persuasive advocate, commanding attention whenever he spoke; and much because he never spoke unless he had something to say, and his earnestness of look, tone and manner left with his
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hearers little doubt of his conviction that his canse was a good one. As a judge he stood among the best. His knowledge of the law and how to apply it, with his logieal, reasoning mind and sound judgment and a conscientious desire to be right, fitted him for this. But perhaps his most sterling quality on the bench was his keen sense of justice, fairness and right, without which few canses ever safely passed through his hands.
Judge Taylor is by nature optimistic. Although cut off from his business associates by his illness, he declares that these last four years of his life have been his happiest ones. " Every- body is so good to me, " he says. His vigor of mind continnes, and his life-long philosophy is his strength. His only daughter, Mrs. Upton, has been his life-long companion and comrade. The relation existing between these two persons is as beautiful as it is rare.
The late Judge Elias E. Roberts, whose sudden death or- enrred November 24, 1908, in Sharon, Pennsylvania. was the only cirenit judge that Trumbull County ever had. He had recently been elected to this office under the new law, and his loss will be deeply felt by this court. For the past five years he had been judge of the court of common pleas for the Warren district. and was one of the youngest men ever honored with that distinction. He was a native of Wellsville, Columbiana county, and his higher literary studies were pur- sned at Mount Union College. Alliance, Ohio, from which he graduated in the philosophical course in 1858. He taught school for a number of years, being superintendent of the Newton Falls schools for four years, and during his labors as a teacher he prepared himself for the law.
Judge Roberts was admitted to the bar in 1891, and in Oc- tober of the following year entered the office of T. Il. Gillmer of Warren, where he remained for four years, or until his election as proseenting attorney in 1896. His energetie yet conservative administration of this office stamped him as a lawyer of such breadth and sound judgment that he received the appointment of the common pleas judgeship as successor to Judge T. I. Gill- mer, and at the fall election of 1903 he was elected for the regu- Jar term.
The following is a concise and truthful estimate: "Judge Roberts was a conservative but fearless man when it came to deciding cases, and had the ability to keep the courts going so that docket cases did not congest. As an orator he had few
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peers." He was a member of the Masonie order and several other fraternal organizations. He was just as popular in other courts of the subdivision as he was at home, and a case never came before him of whose merits he did not have some knowl- edge.
Judge T. I. Gillmer has lived his entire life in Trumbull County. He was born in 1844. His father died early, and he had the management of the estate and the care of his mother. He attended common and academie schools, and graduated from the Tron City Commercial College in Pittsburg in 1858. Atter reading law with Hon. John F. Beaver he was admitted in 1870. He practiced in Newton Falls until the death of Mr. Beaver. He moved to Warren in 1874, was elected prosecuting attorney in 1875. became a partner of Hon L. C. Jones in 1880, was elected common pleas judge in 1886, discharging the duties of this office with great conscientiousness and ability. He retired from the judgeship in 1903 and formed a partnership with his son, R. I. Gillmer, which exists at this writing. In 1870 he married Helen Earl, and their married life was exceedingly happy. Mrs. Gill- mer, who died in 1908, was a devoted mother and a faithful wife. She and her husband were interested in edneational and public affairs. She was a member and a worker in the Disciple church; he was an officer and is now acting president of the Library As- sociation. Their oldest child, Elizabeth, is the wife of J. W. Packard. R. I. Giller and his danghter Katharine reside with the judge. Mr. Gillmer owns a farm in Newton township that was purchased by his grandfather from the Connectiont Land Company in 1807.
Thomas Il. Gillmer was born in Newton township in 1849. He had a common school education, and attended the Normal School at Lebanon. He began his professional life as a teacher. and studied law later with Ratliff & Gillmer. He was admitted in 1878, and began to practice in Newton Falls. Later he moved to Warren and had an office with his consin, T. I. Gillmer. He was elected proseenting attorney, and for ten years or more has been a member of the school board, most of the time as presi- dent. He has been exceedingly prosperous in business, being connected with many of the prominent mannfactories of the city. He has been active in the organization of the Republican party in the county. Ile was a candidate for Congress after Stephen A. Northway's death, but was defeated by Charles Dick. He was connected with the First
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National Bank as an officer, and upon the merging of the War- ren Savings Bank with the First National, under the title of the Union National Bank, he became its president.
George W. Upton was born in Sacramento, California, in 1857. Ilis father was at that time prosecuting attorney, and had been a member of the Michigan legislature, in which state he had stopped on his way west from his New York home. He was a member of the California legislature, and when George was eight years old the family moved to Oregon. Here the father became eireuit judge, and later chief justice of the supreme court.
George W. was educated in the Portland schools, both public and private. He was a teacher for a little time, and was of the party which surveyed the disputed islands lying between the United States and British Columbia. He was appointed cadet to West Point in 1876, where he spent four years.
His father having been appointed comptroller of the treasury in 1877, the family moved to Washington. Here he attended Columbian Law School, graduated, and came to Warren in 1884. He entered into partnership with Judge Ezra B. Tay- lor, whose daughter, Harriet, he married, and this partnership continued until he went to South America, where he was engaged in business five years. Ile was appointed prosecuting attorney by Judge T. I. Giller in 1895, and served during the construe- tion of the present court house. Because of his mechanical turn of mind he now devotes himself to the practice of patent law.
Charles Fillius was born at Hudson, Summit county, Ohio. in 1852. Aside from a common education, he graduated at Hiram College. He read law by himself in the beginning, and finally in the office of Marviu and Grant, attorneys-at-law in Akron, and was admitted to the bar in 1878. Mr. Fillins began practice at Cuyahoga Falls in 1879, and continued till he came to Warren in 1882. He then married the daughter of Judge George Tuttle, and the two men formed a partnership which lasted twenty years, when Judge Tuttle retired. Mr. Fillins has been identified with the general interests of the town, serving as one of the trustees of the Children's Home. He is director of the Western Reserve Bank, and is one of the main supports of the Christian church.
He has been unfortunate in being a Democrat in a commun- ity where the Republican party is dominant, otherwise he would have filled several high positions of trust and honor. Mr. and
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Mrs. Fillins have one son, George, who, like his father and grandfather, is a lawyer, just admitted.
Lulie E. Mackey was born in Vienna in 1870. She is a self- made woman, although Jike most self-made men she owes a great deal to her mother, who sympathized with her in her ambitions and who made some of her work possible. Her father was Ira B. and her mother Mina Mackey. She attended school in Vienna. Niles, and began teaching when she was sixteen. She took care of herself by hard work at the time she was studying stenography. Although she never mentions this fact, it is gen- erally known that she obtained the education in this line which made her success possible by working early in the morning and very late at night. This sacrifice she had to make because her father died in 1889. Her mother, who is still living, lives with her at their country home between Niles and Girard. Here Miss Mackey owns a large farm. In 1894 Miss Mackey was appointed court stenographer by T. I. Gillmer, upon the recommendation of two associate judges and the leading attorneys of Trumbull and Mahoning counties. She was the first woman to hold so responsible a place in this judicial district, and made good to such an extent that she is still serving, at the end of fifteen years. The salary and fees of this office are very good, and Miss Mackey has made good investments, so that she is not only snecessful in her calling but in the way in which the world speaks of success. ller court association led her to study law under Judge T. I. Gillmer, and in the offices of T. H. Gillmer, Hon. E. E. Roberts and Prof. Kinkead of the Ohio University of Columbus. She was admitted to the bar in 1898, being sworn in by Judge William T. Spear. She is the only woman attorney in Trumbull County.
Charles M. Wilkins, who has just begun his first term as common pleas judge, was born in Warren in 1865. His early education was obtained at the public schools, and later he at- tended Lehigh University. His law preceptor was John J. Sullivan, and he was admitted in 1891. He was city solicitor in 1900-1902: proseenting attorney 1903-'06. He resigned as solic- itor to accept the office of prosecuting attorney. He resigned from the office of prosecuting attorney to accept the appointment of judge. He had been elected judge in 1908. and would have taken his place January 1, 1909. Judge E. E. Roberts, whose term would have expired January 1, 1909. died before the expiration of that term. and Judge Wilkins was appointed to this vacancy.
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Judge E. O. Dilley was born in 1861; educated in the Cort- land schools and Hiram College; studied law with E. B. Leonard; was admitted to the bar in 1895. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Maccabees, was elected probate judge in 1908 and assumed the duties of his office on February 9, 1909.
William B. Kilpatrick, now mayor of Warren, was born in Ohio in 1877. He studied law with George P. Hunter, and was admitted to practice in 1901. Ile attended no school except the Warren high school, but has been a student of economic ques- tions. He is the only Democrat since the war time who has been elected to the office of mayor. Ile is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Odd Fellows. He was a candidate for judge of common pleas conrt in 1908, and ran far ahead of his ticket in his own town.
Judge Frank S. Chryst was born in Lordstown, educated in the common schools and graduated from Allegheny College in 1880. lle studied law with Jones & Gillmer, and was admitted in 1882. Was in partnership with Frank W. Harrington from 1>88 to 1891; was later a partner of Judge D. R. Gilbert. Hle was elected probate judge in 1902, serving two terms, from 1903 to 1909. At this writing Judge Chryst has just moved into a new home on Monroe street, occupying a lot npou which stood one of the oldest houses in Warren. Here Mr. Porter, the grandfather of Joseph and Mary Porter, now residing in this city, lived, and it afterwards became the property of Miss Laura Harsh. whose father, John, and mother, Nancy, were among the very early settlers in Warren.
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