USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 15
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 15
USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 15
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dom, integrity, purity and nobility, rather than for noise and bombast.
Of such men was Hon. David Tod. He inherited purity, nobility, and the talent of excellent parentage. His father was Hon. George Tod, who is yet held in affectionate remembrance as a pioneer lawyer and early settler of the Western Reserve, as an able jurist and excellent citizen. In the early history of the bench and bar in Northeastern Ohio, but few if any jurists occupied a more conspicuous place than did Judge George Tod. For many years, with marked ability and universal satisfaction to the bar and pub- lic, Judge Tod presided over the court of common pleas. Profound respect is paid him as a judge, and as an evidence of this respect an excellent bust of him has long been retained in the office of the judge of common pleas court at Youngstown. He was born at Suffield, Connecticut, on the 11tli day of December, 1773. His parents were David and Rachel (Kent) Tod, of old New England stock. Judge Tod was a graduate of Yale College, graduating in 1795; after- ward he studied law at New Haven, Con- necticut. He was admitted to the bar in Connecticut, but soon afterward it became his plan to seek his fortune in the West. In 1797 he wedded Sally, a danghter of Ralph and Mary Isaacs, and after having visited Ohio in 1800, he returned to his native State, and in the following year returned to Youngs- town, Ohio, with his wife and two children. Governor St. Clair, in the same year, ap- pointed him Secretary for the Territory of Ohio, which became a State in the following year. The first election held at Youngstown after Ohio became a State, was in April, 1802. At that election George Tod was elected clerk for Youngstown township. To this office he was twice elected, first in 1803,
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and again in 1804. The next public capacity in which he served was that of State Senator, being elected from Trumbull county, for the Legislative session of 1804-'05. Again in 1810-'11 he represented this county in the State Senate. In the year 1806 he was elected a Judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio, and served in that capacity until 1810. With the coming on of the war of 1812 Judge Tod was commissioned a Major, after- ward Colonel, of the Nineteenth Regiment of Ohio Militia. He participated in the war with honors, gaining distinction at Fort Meigs and at Sackett's Harbor. In the year 1815 Colonel Tod was elected the Presiding Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. This office he held till 1829. A few years later he served one term as Prosecuting Attorney of Trumbull county. This was his last pub- lic office, and afterward he lived somewhat retired from the active practice of his pro- fession. Much of his time in his latter days was spent in looking after the interests of his large farm, known by the name of Brier Hill, so named because of the abundance of · wild blackberries that grew upon it. Judge Tod was not a money-maker. His farming was not practical, but theoretical and profit- less. He had but little business tact. His strong hold was at the law, and ont of his salary as a public officer came his support of himself and family. He became involved in debt in his latter days, and it is to the credit of his son, David, that his Brier Hill farm was kept from passing into other hands. His son lifted a debt that stood over the farm, and became its owner, but it remained the home of his father and mother, passing into his possession at the death of Judge Tod, which occurred in 1841. His wife survived him some six years. She died at the old home- stead in 1847. It is said that she was a noble
woman; that she was gentle, amiable, lovable; and her noble precepts constituted a rich in- heritance for her distinguished son, to whose career we now turn with pride and admira- tion.
David Tod was born at Youngstown, Ohio, on the 21st day of February, 1805. To him the privileges of a college education was not extended. He gained only a fair academical education. Predilection led him to the study of law, and in 1827 he was admitted to the bar. At once he took up the practice of his profession at Warren, Ohio. At that time lie was but twenty-two years of age, but not- withstanding his youthfulness he soon gained a respectable and remunerative clientage. His success in gaining a clientage was due to his diguitied bearing, his sincerity, his frankness and integrity. He was far from being im- petuous; on the contrary he was always calın, clear-headed and deliberative. He looked to the practical side of every question. His success at the bar was, in the main, due to his unsurpassed ability in the examination of witnesses and to his power in gaining and holding the confidence of the jury, which he did by a manifest frankness, fairness and earnestness, together with his clear state- ments of argument. He was of force in ar- gument, of quick wit, of a genial, happy spirit and temperament. The period of his active practice of his profession covered about fifteen years. Upon the death of his father, in 1841, he took possession of Brier Hill farm, which has since become celebrated for its rich deposit of mineral coal, which Mr. Tod developed by placing it upon the market. Later its rich deposit of coal invited indus- tries to its proximity, and it thus became the starting point of great and profitable indus- tries which have rendered the Mahoning one of the most wealthy of Ohio valleys, and
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placed Youngstown in a proud position among leading manufacturing cities. Much credit for all this is due to the energy and enterprise of Mr. Tod. As a business man he was far- seeing, an accurate calculator, and of great confidence, always sangnine of success. His friends shared his confidence; they trusted him and sought his advice. He was instru- mental in originating the company that built the Cleveland & Mahoning Railroad, and lie served as President of the company until liis death.
In his business efforts he was not only suc- cessful in amassing a large estate, but he also contributed materially to the growth and de- velopment of his county and city, in which he always took great pride and interest. Having reviewed his career as a lawyer and then as a business man, we now pass with much interest to his political life.
When not twenty-one years of age he fell in with the Democratic, then the popular political party, its leader being Andrew Jack- son, whose brilliant military career liad ren- dered him a hero and a popular leader. Young Tod was prompted by his admiration for a great leader, and actuated by his in- herent love of politics, and became an ardent, energetic partisan of the Democratic faith in the campaign of 1824. Four years later he was pronounced in his faith in the principles of the Democratic party, and thereafter he remained earnest, zealous, steadfast and faith- ful to the party until the secession movement of 1861.
He opposed the election of General Harri- son to the presidency in 1840, and made powerful speeches throughout the State. It is said that his father was very much grieved over the political course liis son took against General Harrison, whom he so greatly ad- mired and with whom he had served in the
war of 1812; but the son believed lie was right, and when convinced that he was right it was his disposition throughout his life to never yield, but to resolutely contend for what he conceived to be the right principle.
The first political office to which David Tod was elected was that of State Senator, to which office he was elected in 1838. IIe grew in popular favor, and, in 1844, he 'was unanimously chosen by his party as its can- didate for Governor. Ile was defeated for this office by Honorable Mordecai Bartley, the Whig candidate, whose majority was about 1,000, while a month later Clay, the Whig candidate for the presidency, carried the State by 6,000.
In 1847, Mr. Tod was appointed by Presi - dent Polk, Minister to Brazil, which position he held for five years, during which time he resided in Brazil. As minister to Brazil, he negotiated several very important commercial and other treaties, some of which involved Government claims of over . thirty years' standing. Upon his departure from Brazil, the Emperor, in a farewell address, spoke of him in terms of highest praise, both as an official and individual.
Returning home lie remained active in business. In politics he lost no interest. He never appeared in politics with any promi- nence for a period of nearly ten years. He was first Vice-President of the National Democratic Convention that met at Charles- ton in April, 1860; and in that convention he played a bold part. The convention was about to end in great confusion, the chairman had left the chair, and all was wild discord. Mr. Tod, grasping the situation, rushed to the abandoned chair and called the convention to order, but it is remembered that the conven- tion adjorued to meet in Baltimore. In the Baltimore convention that nominated Stephen
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
A. Douglas, Mr. Tod appeared as a stanch supporter of Douglas, whom he gave his warm and unqualified support in the heated campaign that followed.
He was recognized as one of that class of Northern Democrats who opposed the South in their determination to shape the policy of the Democratic party, and to secession Mr. Tod was resolutely opposed. He was of that class of Northern Democrats who, no doubt, preferred the election of Lincoln, rather than that of Breckenridge, the leader of the South- ern Democrats.
Secession was inaugurated in 1860, and at once Mr. Tod appeared in strong defense of the Union. He urged every measure possi- ble to restore peace, and, when he saw that a civil conflict only could settle the stupen- dous question at this critical point, he dis- cerned but one course that a loyal man could take. Scarcely had the firing on Fort Sum- ter ceased when Mr. Tod began to warn his neighbors of the nation's peril and to stir them to patriotic action.
At his instance and largely at liis expense the first troops to volunteer from Youngs- town were organized into a part of the Nine- teenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Upon the departure of these troops for the seat of war he gave to each soldier an army overcoat. These coats were known as " Tod coats," and some of them were brought back home by the soldiers on the close of war. Through- out the State Mr. Tod was known as a war Democrat, and as being in favor of a vigor- ous prosecution of the war. There were cer- tain Democrats who, with the Republicans throughout the State, sought to elect a gov- ernor who would carry out just such a policy, and in order to harmonize the two parties and to bring in line all good and loyal citi- zens who loved their country more than party,
it was thought best to bring forward a war Democrat for governor. The Republicans suggested Mr. Tod for a candidate. The suggestion was received with great favor and enthusiasm throughout the State. He re- ceived a unanimous nomination and was elected by a majority of over 55,000. He was elected to succeed Governor William Dennison, upon whom was placed the duty of inaugurating war measures and setting them in operation in 1861. To Governor Dennison is credit due for placing Ohio in the front rank of loyal States that patriot- ically responded to President Lincoln's call for troops in 1861. But, it must be remem- bered, that a more difficult and important work fell upon Governor Tod. In 1861 the trials and hardships of the soldiers were not so well foreseen and the situation in the be- ginning was not so discouraging to volun- teers, who at first went to the seat of war with buoyant cheer. Later a time came when enlistments were procured with more diffi- culty, on account of the reaction of several signal defeats of the Union forces, which made it difficult to recruit the depleted ranks of regiments in the field, especially after the State had contributed its bravest and most loyal and ardent citizens. Then there was another obstacle to overcome, namely, sedi- tious political influences. It is easy to see the difficult and important work that lay be- fore Governor Tod upon going into office. It was a time that tried men's souls. The State was in danger of invasion, and at all times a wakeful eye must rest upon the situation. Frequent emergencies presented themselves, requiring prompt and vigorous action. Gov- ernor Tod, being a man of a calm and clear head, a cool temperament, of wisdom and sagacity, and having had a training that well qualified him to properly judge men, was
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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
well fitted for the responsible position to which he was called. His administration as governor places luis name among the most illustrious of executive rulers of State, and among the most distinguished in military affairs. He was always equal to the emer- gency; he was prompt, firm and courteous, though independent at all times. Brave and courageous, he never feared to do his duty. He loved the brave boys on the battle-field, and was always watchful over their welfare. He was true to the soldiers of his State, and sought to maintain their honor, as well as to secure food and clothing for them while in the field of action.
It was he who proposed permitting the soldiers, while in the field, to vote, holding that there was .no reason why a man should be disfranchised because he was brave enough to fight the battles of his country. He punished, justly and severely, those of the anti-war party for their seditious utterances, and was known to countenance the arrest of Vallandingham in 1863. This and the vig- orous war measures he was forced to inau- gurate and carry out no doubt entailed to him many enemies, especially among the Democrats of the State. Notwithstanding this it was thought best to renominate him in 1863 for a second term. The State Re- publican Central Committee waited upon him, asking him to make the race. He re- fused, saying that another term as governor would land him in his grave, because of the many and arduous duties to be placed upon him. His attention was called to the fact that thousands were sacrificing daily their lives upon the battle-field for the country, whereupon he said: "Then, looking at it in that light, I am also willing to sacrifice my life," and thus gave his consent to enter the race for a renomination. The delegates from
eighty counties to the nominating convention had been instructed to vote for his nomina- tion. A few days before the convention Honorable John Brough made a strong war speechi at Marietta, and those who opposed the renomination of Governor Tod came into the convention with a storm, presenting the name of Brough for nomination, and to the great surprise of all secured the nomination of Brough, to whom Governor Tod gave his cordial and enthusiastic support.
In January, 1864, Governor Tod retired from office, and in fact from public life. How- ever he was tendered the portfolio of Secre- tary of the Treasury, by President Lincoln, being called into the cabinet to fill the va- cancy occasioned by the President appointing Secretary of the Treasury Chase to the posi- tion of Chief Justice. Governor Tod de- clined the appointment on account of his fail- ing health. The duties placed upon him as Governor had broken his physical constitu- tion and his healthi was failing fast. He re- tired to his Brier Hill farm and there death came rather suddenly to lini, on November 13, 1868. The news of his death was received with great sorrow throughout the State, and at his home his neighbors mourned as one common household.
Governor Tod was married at Warren, Ohio, July 24, 1832, to Miss Maria Smith, of that place. Her parents were early settlers of Trumbull county. She survives him. She bore her husband seven children, three daughters and four sons, namely: Charlotte, who was wedded by General A. V. Couch of the United States Army. She died in Mis- sissippi in the spring of 1868; John Tod, now a prominent citizen of Cleveland, Ohio; Henry Tod, President of the Second National Bank of Youngstown; George Tod, Vice- President of the Mahoning National Bank of
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Youngstown; William Tod, a prominent manufacturer of Youngstown; Grace, the wife of Hon. George F. Arrel, attorney at law at Youngstown; Sally, the youngest daughter and child, is unmarried and lives with her mother in Youngstown.
E ZRA R. METCALF .-- Few men in Ash- tabula county, Ohio, have contributed as much to her material and moral advancement as the subject of this sketch, who has greatly aided, by his energy and ability, in pushing her car of progress along the road leading to the point of high eminence now attained.
He inherits his sturdy qualities from hardy New England ancestors, who have been in this county since early Colonial times. His grandfather, Ezra Metcalf, was born in New Hampshire about the middle of the eighteenth century, and spent his life in the Granite State. John Metcalf, his son, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in that com- inonwealth in the latter part of the same century, and was reared and educated there. When he had attained the age of manhood, he went to Canandaigua, New York, where he secured the contract for carrying mail from that point to Niagara, the same State, his route being afterward extended as the road was opened up to Buffalo, to which lat- ter city he was the first man to carry a mail bag. From that city he pushed his way westward on foot, with a mail bag on his back, blazing a path through the untraveled wilderness, his course afterward becoming a beaten track, over which many hundreds passed to the promised land of the West. Later on, he settled in Ashtabula, Ohio, where he established a sniall mercantile,
business in East Village, resigning to the Government his commission as mail-carrier. The desire for his old occupation, however, grew upon him, until he shortly afterward secured another mail contract from the Gov- ernment, this time for the route west of Ashtabula to Cleveland, his familiar face be- ing again seen in Uncle Sam's service as far toward the setting sun as Fort Meigs, Defi- ance and other distant points. He visited Washington on horseback as many as four- teen times to renew his contrret with the Government, when, becoming by this time aged, and being a cripple from youth, he surrendered his commission, after a service in the mail department of the Government for more than thirty years. His remaining years were spent in retirement, and he died in Ashta- bula, Angust 20, 1853, aged seventy years. He thus passed from the midst of his family and many admiring friends, to whom his many sterling qualities of mind and heart had great- ly endeared him. His wife. mother of the sub- ject of this sketch, was a daughter of Peleg Sweet, Sr., a prominent character of Ashta- bula county, of which he was a pioneer. He was a native of Connecticut and a shoemaker by trade, an occupation he followed in earlier life, but which he abandoned after coming to this county. He traded his old home in New England for 800 acres in Ashtabula county, to which he removed, and on which he made his home until death, cultivating and improving his land until it became a valuable piece of property. He donated several pieces of land to Ashtabula,-a ceme- tery plat, a tract for a park in East Village and an eighty-foot street, -- which are lasting monuments to his liberality, as well as his devotion to the interests of his adopted city. He is deserving of the regard of all patriots, having sealed his devotion to his
.
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OF NORTHEASTERN OIIIO.
country by an efficient service in the war of 1812. His wife, Mary Wilkinson, was the daughter of an Englishman, and was one of thirteen children, of whom eleven at- tained maturity, those besides herself being: Clarissa, Lauren, Isaac, Lewis, Asa and Aria (twins), Fretus, Peleg, Susan and Orphia, the others dying in infancy. John Metcalf and wife had six children: Birdsey S., who was married three times, first to Samantha Cheney, next to Eliza Hall, and lastly to Emily Hall; he died in 1890; E. R., the subject of this sketch; John Q .; Clarissa, who married Rob- ert Johnson; Lauren D .; Mary M., who mar- ried Dennis Dean, who died in New York city while on a visit; her remains were brought to Ashtabula for interment.
E. R. Metcalf, whose name heads this sketch, was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, March 17, 1818, and was reared on his father's large farm, attending the schools in his vicinity. At the age of sixteen years he secured employment as a cabin boy on a boat plying the lakes, in which capacity he worked three months, when he was advanced to a position before the mast. He worked in different positions after that, serving for five years on a sail boat and four years on a steamer, severing his connection with the lake trade while holding the position as second mate of a steamboat. On relinquish- ing that position, he invested his small earn- ings in a farm, his first purchase being a tract of twenty-three acres. By industry, careful economy and excellent management, he gradually increased his means, adding to his land from time to time until he now owns 400 acres, all well cultivated and im- proved. The place is contiguous to the city, and is one of the good farms of the county. He also owns a home in Ashtabula, in which he has passed the last few years of his life,
enjoying, in ease and comfort, the accumula- tions of former years of toil and economy, blest in the affection of a worthy family and the universal esteem of his fellow men.
When twenty-five years of age, Mr. Met- calf was married in Ashtabula, by Elder Low to Miss Virginia Sweet, a lady of social cul- ture and domestic accomplishments, daughter of Peleg and Hannalı (Stevens) Sweet. She was one of eleven children: Sidney, who married Adaline Easton; Virginia W., born January 25, 1822; Albert, who married Can- dis Sweet; Harmon married Rebecca Wood- bury; Pembroke married Betsy Castle, nee . Cheney; Rushbroke married Lncana Sweet; Jesse M .; Letitia married William D. La Zade; Emelia married Truman Shaw ; Einma died young; and Wilson married Alice Forbes. Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Metcalf have four children: Marion, who married James Forsyth; Friend married Lewella Hayward; Chauncey J. married Abbie Foot; Dennis D. married Martha Askew. In politics Mr. Metcalf is a Republican, having cast his first vote for William H. Harrison and his last for his grandson, Benjamin.
Mr. Metcalf is essentially domestic in his tastes, finding his greatest happiness in his home surroundings. Like his honored father before him, he is deeply imbued with the love for his native city and country, whose progress seems a part of himself.
A LVIN C. WHITE, Mayor of Jefferson, Ohio, a worthy citizen and leading lawyer, was born August 9, 1850, in Parkman township, Geauga county, Ohio, where he was mainly reared, although during his childhood his parents resided for fully nine years in Pennsylvania. His par-
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BIOGRAPHIICAL HISTORY
ents were Eben Clark and Emily (Pinney) White; the paternal grandmother having been a Miss Clark before marriage, the son was given her maiden name. The paternal grand- father, also Eben White, was a native of Con- necticut and a lineal descendant of William White, who came from England in the May- flower. He first settled in the Plymouth colony, whence the family afterward removed with others to Connecticut, where they took up their abode. There Grandfather Eben White was born and reared, and thence he moved with his family to Ohio in 1817, set- tling in Farmington, Trumbull county, where he lived four years, when he removed to Parkman, Geauga county, where he started an iron foundry, which he successfully oper- ated for several years. He then removed the foundry to Kirtland, where the establishment was destroyed by fire. He thereupon returned to Parkman. He had two sons and five daughters, of whom Warren, the oldest son, died, unmarried, in 1837; and Eben Clark White, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Connecticut November 2, 1816. Eben Clark grew to mauliood in Geauga county, Ohio, where he has passed the greater portion of his life, and where he still resides, being engaged in the wagon-making trade. He married Miss Emily Pinney, also de- scended from an old and respected family. The subject of this sketch and two daughters, Sophronia, now deceased, and Cynthia, now the widow of Ethan A. Alderman, were the issue of this marriage. Miss Pinney was a daughter of Captain Levi Pinney, a brave soldier of the war of 1812. The American ancestor of this family was Captain Aaron Pinney, a native of bonny Scotland, who came to the United States prior to 1755, set- tling in Windsor, Connecticut. They estab- lished the first Scotch Episcopal Church in
that State. Aaron Pinney's son, Abram, was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary war. His son, Levi, removed from Connecticut to Ohio about 1812 and settled in Trumbull county, where he continued to reside until 1827, when he removed to Lake county, the saine State, where he died in 1853. He had several sons and daughters.
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