USA > Ohio > Belmont County > Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 13
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was recalled from McClellan's army to estab- lish military headquarters in the War Depart- ment buildings. In 1865 Lincoln sent him to meet the leaders of the Confederacy at City Point. Hle cleared the B. & O. road when Sheridan was ordered to Winchester, and he was present when Sheridan reached his desti- nation and made his first mount for that fa- mous engagement. In 1864 he was brevet lieutenant-colonel and soon after brevet brig- adier-general. In 1865 he was Assistant Sec- retary of War. A year later he resigned to be- come general superintendent of the Eastern Division of the Western Union lines. He was 'Jay Gould's man' and as such became president of the Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph Company. In 1879 he organized the American Union Telegraph Company, which was the only great competitor that the Western Union ever knew."
GEN. DAVID A. HOLLINGSWORTHI.
One of the distinguished sons of Belmont County, who has won merited renown beyond the borders of his native county, is ex-Attorney General of Ohio David A. Hollingsworth.
General Hollingsworth was born in the vil- lage of Belmont, November 21, 1844, of Quaker parentage. His father, the late Elihu Hollingsworth, of Flushing, was also born in the same county. ITis grandfather, Levi Hol- lingsworth, moved from Pennsylvania to near where Flushing now stands, as early as 1804, and made for himself and family a pioneer home in the wilderness. He was a lineal de- scendant of Valentine Hollingsworth, who, in 1682, came to America in the ship "Welcome," with William Penn, the Quaker, founder of the colony of Pennsylvania. The family have been prominently identified with the business and political interests of Belmont County ever since the county was organized.
David A. Hollingsworth received a liberal education in the public schools and at Mount Union College. At the age of 16 he enlisted as a private soldier in Company B., 25th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., commanded by Capt. James Washburn, of Monroe County. He was in
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a number of important battles, and saw some of the hardest campaigning of the Civil War. He studied law and was admitted to the bar at St. Clairsville, September 17, 1867. In September, 1869, he removed from Flushing to Cadiz, where he has ever since been en- gaged in the active practice of law.
Previous to his removal to Cadiz, he was mayor of the village of Flushing, and had already began to take an active part in public affairs. He was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court at Washington, in 1880, and has since been counsel in a number of im- portant cases in that court.
In 1873 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Harrison County, Ohio, and re-elected in 1875. In 1879 he was nominated and elected State Senator from the district composed of Belmont and Harrison counties, receiving a majority of over 600. He was re-elected in 1881 by a majority of over 1,200.
In the Senate Mr. Hollingsworth took a leading part, serving as chairman of the com- mittees on Judiciary, on Federal Relations, on Privileges and Elections and on Railroads, Turnpikes and Telegraphs. ' In the last named position he was especially vigilant in guarding the interests of the people as against the pow- erful railroad and other corporation influences then just beginning to be felt in the State. He was an anti-trust legislator before the present anti-trust agitation began.
By special request of Gov. Charles Foster, April 21, 1883, lie resigned as State Senator, and accepted the position of attorney general, to succeed Attorney General George K. Nash, who was appointed to the Supreme Court Com- mission. He was unanimously tendered a nomination for the regular term, but he de- clined, and voluntarily resumed the practice of law at Cadiz.
Mr. Hollingsworth, ever since his location at Cadiz, has been favorably known in con- nection with the public and business enterprises of the county. He acted as president of the First National Bank of Cadiz for a number of years, but finding that its duties interfered too much with his increasing legal business, he
resigned, and has ever since devoted his time entirely to the law. He is a tireless worker.
Although quiet and reserved as a citizen, he always takes a deep interest in political ques- tions. In 1882 he acted as temporary chair- man of the Republican State Convention, and has at times been prominently mentioned by the press of the State in connection with the Republican nomination for Governor, and also for Supreme Court judge, but he has never personally encouraged the use of his name for either. In the famous presidential campaign of 1896, he headed a delegation of 1,000 wool growers to President Mckinley, at Canton and his presentation speech was subsequently print- ed and widely circulated.
REV. DR. JAMES MOFFAT,
The well known president of Washington- Jefferson College is one of the foremost men in the educational and religious circles of the Presbyterian Church in the United States.
In the last two general assemblies of the Presbyterian Church, Dr. Moffat has been the conspicuous figure and his earnest efforts for a revision of the creed have given him national prominence. Undaunted by defeat in the first report, Dr. Moffat entered upon the work of revision and pacification, in the succeeding general assembly, with renewed zeal and carn- estness.
He again made the report of the committee to the general assembly and supplemented it with such earnest and eloquent words that the great representative body, composed of the most able and learned men of the Presbyterian Church, was carried by storm, and the report was adopted by an overwhelming majority.
As Dr. Moffat once aptly expressed it, "I discovered America March 15, 1846." When but an infant he was brought to St. Clairsville, where his father, Rev. John Moffat, was the noble Scotch pastor of the old Presbyterian Church for 15 years.
Ilere "Jiminy" Moffat, as the old citizens familiarly called him, attended school and grew up to young manhood. In 1861 his father ac-
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cepted the position of pastor of the Presby- terian Church in Bellaire, where the family re- sided for several years.
He entered Washington-Jefferson College when about 19 years of age and graduated in 1869. Continuing his studies he entered Princeton Theological Seminary the following autumn. On April 14, 1871, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Washington and the succeeding months found him an able co-pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church in Wheeling, West Virginia, an appointment to which his father in the meantime had been called. His father's failing health, however, compelled him to give up his chosen work. On September 6, 1871, Dr. Moffat married Eliza- beth D. Crangle, daughter of Henry Crangle of Wheeling.
In 1882 he accepted the presidency of Wash- ington-Jefferson College and the reluctance with which his congregation parted with him shows its highì appreciation of his successful work. The degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him the same year by Hanover College and in 1883 by Princeton College. The degree of A. B. was conferred by Wash- ington-Jefferson in 1869 and LL. D. by the State University of Pennsylvania in 1901.
Dr. Moffat's career while a student at Wash- ington-Jefferson is recalled with much pleas- ure by many who were his classmates and fel- low students and who always found much en- joyment in his company. His life has always been marked by many distinguished traits of character that were so natural and estimable that his associates were desirous of a more in- timate acquaintance. His figure was prom- inent in all gatherings which were of general interest. He joined in the college sports to a certain extent, but never did he allow outside influences to distract his attention from his studies or the one main object of his life-the ministry. With all he was a popular student, but he never formed intimate asociations with any one who did not sympathize with him in his religious belief.
As a minister of the Gospel, Dr. Moffat is favorably known to the people wherever he has
spoken. His sermons are the result of deep thoughit expressed in such simple language that he never fails to hold the attention and inspire the minds of all who hear him. He wastes no words and always places himself behind his sermons in such a forcible way, at the same time so plainly, that his propositions are under- stood by everyone." He has the courage of his convictions,-a trait that he displayed while quite young,-and if he believes that he is right, no matter who opposes, lie goes ahead.
Under his guiding hand Washington-Jeffer- son College has made the greatest progress in its history.
His whole life of industry, perseverance and simplicity has been thrown into the work, and advancement in every department has resulted.
He has by his distinguished ability and man- agement given the college an enviable reputa- tion. Everywhere he goes, he makes friends for the institution.
His presidency has been marked by many achievements, among the most notable of which may be mentioned the system of grading and the raising of the college standard, both the results of his able thought. The discipline of the college has never been better than under his management and the respect and confidence in which he is held by the students is a help to all his plans. Since taking the presidency of the college, he has had calls to several prom- inent churches. Fortunately for the college, these calls have all been declined. His de- parture would be the greatest blow the institu- tion could receive.
Dr. Moffat once gave voice to a thought that seems to be his motto in life, "Know something of everything, and everything of something."
BISHIOP JAMES M. THOBURN.
Among the noted sons of Belmont County who have achieved a world-wide distinction is Bishop James M. Thoburn of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Bishop Thoburn was born upon a farm a few miles east of St. Clairsville, March 7, 1836.
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His parents were thrifty, devout Scotch-Irish, who came to this country in 1835 and settled upon the farm now occupied by Samuel Finney near St. Clairsville.
The Bishop attended the district school known locally as Beech Hill until he was 15 years of age, when he entered Allegheny Col- lege, August 23, 1851. After attending col- lege for two years, he returned home and re- ceived an appointment to teach. This position he retained for two years and then re-entered college and completed his course in 1859. He immediately entered the ministry and began to preach in Stark County, near Canton, until 1859.
Having in the meantime received an appoint- ment as missionary to India, he left home in the latter part of March and sailed from Bos- ton April 11, 1859, for Calcutta, taking the long route ( which was common for sailing ves- sels at that day) around the Cape of Good Hope. After a long and weary voyage he reached India August 21st and proceeded im- mediately to the mission fields selected for him in Northern India.
Of his work at that time, Dr. Buckley says : "When Bishop Thoburn went to India in 1859, a young unmarried man consecrating himself to the isolation, climatic depression and the countless irritations and perplexities incident to dealing with a people of a difficult speech, di- vided into castes so persistent and tyrannical, that if he touched the hand of one he would be spurned with unutterable loathing by an- other, hie was without the sympathy and com- panionship of a wife. Subsequently he mar- ried a devoted missionary lady, the widow of the late Dr. Downey of Calcutta, but within a year she sickened and died. Nineteen years thereafter the Bishop again married, Dr. Anna Jones of Kingston, Ohio, a graduate of the Woman's Medical College of Philadelphia, be- coming his wife. Mrs. Thoburn was a woman of intensely religious spirit and during the pur- suit of her work she was stated physician to the missionary circle in India, and physician and surgeon to the large girl's school in Cal- citta, and furnished medicine and medical ser-
vice to the poor, helpless and degraded of Cal- cutta. Mrs. Thoburn broke down at this arduous labor and after long years of patient suffering died in the United States in Septem- ber, 1902.
"From the Bishop's arrival in India, he has continued in the foreign missionary service of his church, in the meantime filling appoint- ments at Naini Tal among the Himalaya Mountains in Rohlkhand, in Lucknow and from 1874 to 1888 in the city of Calcutta.
"In this missionary work, Bishop Thoburn was singularly successful.
"Hundreds of natives were converted through his personal exertions, and many native preach- ers and teachers established in the work of reform.
"In May, 1888, he was elected Missionary Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church for India and Malaysia, and from that date began a wide series of missionary tours, which had to be performed annually throughout the whole of India and as far into Malaysia as Singapore. Since that time, in performance of his official duties, Bishop Thoburn has several times placed half the globe between himself and his family, before the sad day arrived when he was obliged by her illness, to bring Mrs. Thoburn home to die.
"As the Philippine Islands were included in the region called Malaysia, he proceeded to these islands as soon as they had been opened up by Admiral Dewey's victory, and laid the foundation of Methodist missions in the Philip- pines.
"The wonderful success that has attended missions under his care, both in India and Malaysia, has made Bishop Thoburn famous throughout the world.
"He is a preacher of rare power. The sim- plicity of his language, the earnestness of his appeals, and his warm sympathetic nature are irresistible. He is also a discriminating critic, and gives reasons for his opinions when they are not in accordance with existing methods. Bishop Thoburn has likewise become noted in the field of Christian literature.
"For years he edited the Indian Witness in
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Calcutta, and is the author of 'My Missionary Apprenticeship,' 'India and Malaysia,' 'The Light in the East,' 'The Deaconess and her Work,' 'The Christian Nations,' and 'The Church of Pentecost,' all of which a distin-
guished author says are 'illuminating and in- spiring utterances, upon topics with which the author is thoroughly familiar, and which he believes with all the fervor of an exceptionally intense nature.' "
CHAPTER IX.
THE BENCH AND BAR OF BELMONT COUNTY.
CHARLES HAMMOND-GOV. WILSON SHANNON- SENATOR BENJAMIN RUGGLES-JUDGE WILLIAM KENNON, SR .- HON. BENJAMIN S. COWEN .- JUDGE D. D. T. COWEN -- HON. LORENZO DANFORD -- OTHER LAWYERS OF DISTINCTION-THE JUSTICES AND JUDGES OF THE COURTS OF BELMONT COUNTY-THE ATTORNEYS ADMITTED TO PRACTICE.
In the century just closed, the Belmont County bench and bar have achieved a fame and reputation as widespread as the nation.
Some of its members have been called to the highest seats in our halls of legislation, both State and national, and others to the foremost rank in the courts of jurisprudence.
These distinguished statesmen and jurists were men of consummate ability who stamped their impress upon the age in which they lived.
Among the leading historical characters we mention first the name of
CHARLES HAMMOND.
Charles Hammond was born in Maryland, came to Belmont County in 1801, and was re- garded as one of the most profound lawyers in his day and generation, and is classed with such great constitutional lawyers as Marshall, Story and Webster. His review of the opinion of Chief Justice Marshall, in the Bank of the United States vs. Osborn, is one of the most masterly arguments upon record. In speaking of this argument to William Wort, Chief Jus- tice Marshall said that llammond had pro- (luced in that case the most remarkable paper placed on file in any court since the days of Lord Mansfield. That it had persuaded him that right was wrong.
lle was the first prosecuting attorney of Belmont County, appointed in 1801, by the
first Court of Quarter Sessions, and served three years.
Judge Cranmer says of him: "During his practice in the courts of Belmont County he was perhaps the instrument of settling more, cases amicably than all the other members of the bar together." So marked was this trait in his character that the sheriff of the county was accustomed to express himself by saying : "Unless Charles Hammond left the county, he and his deputies would starve for want of fees."
Mr. Hammond had the courage of his con- victions, and never hesitated to express them, however unpopular. During the War of 1812 he was a pronounced Federalist and published a paper in St. Clairsville known as The Ohio Federalist, that gave expression to his opposi- tion to the war, which called down upon his head the censure, the abuse and bitter demincia- tion of his .opponents, and notwithstanding lie was mobbed he fearlessly gave expression to his views.
From 1817-21 he served Belmont County in the State Legislature both as Senator and Rep- resentative and the acts he drafted were models of perspicuity and brevity.
During his residence in Belmont County, he lived on what is now the Arrick farm near the top of the "big hill." In 1823 he moved to Cincinnati, where his literary work and career as a journalist won him national fame.
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GOV. WILSON SHANNON.
Wilson Shannon was the first native-born citizen of the Buckeye State to serve Ohio as Governor. Furthermore, he was the first child born in Warren township and the little village of Mount Olivet claims the honor of his birth which occurred February 24, 1802.
His father, George Shannon, was an indus- trious and intelligent Irishman, who was frozen to death during a violent snow storm, before Wilson was a year old, and the child's support and education devolved upon his brothers, until Wilson attained physical strength and growth to do for himself ..
Then with a little aid from his brothers he worked his way through Athens College and the Transylvania University of Kentucky. He subsequently studied law under Charles Ham- mond and David Jennings and was admitted to practice at St. Clairsville, where he soon attained eminence in his profession.
Governor Shannon was a life-long student and a profound lawyer, but ever ready to assist the weak and oppressed.
He entered political life in 1833 and was elected prosecuting attorney.
In 1838 Mr. Shannon was elected Governor of Ohio upon the Democratic ticket, but was defeated for re-election by Thomas Corwin in 1840.
However, in 1842 he was again elected and before his term expired he was appointed min- ister to Mexico, but on the outbreak of the war in 1845 returned to St. Clairsville, and seven years later he was elected to Congress, where he was one of four Democrats who voted for the Kansas-Nebraska bill. .
President Pierce appointed him Territorial Governor of Kansas at the expiration of his Congressional term.
This was during the fierce conflict between the friends of freedom and slavery over the admission of Kansas to the Union and because of some friction with the administration he resigned his position and returned to his home in Lawrence, Kansas, where he died in 1877.
Howe says: "Governor Shannon possessed
a noble presence, and in his old age he was de- scribed as a courteous, hale, hearty gentleman of the olden times."
After his retirement from office, it was his desire to come back to the "sun kissed hills" that gave him birth, and there spend the rem- nant of his days, but this desire was denied him.
SENATOR BENJAMIN RUGGLES.
Of the many distinguished statesmen who have represented Ohio in the United States Senate, none have filled that exalted station with more credit to themselves and honor to the State than Benjamin Ruggles.
From boyhood to manhood his life was a struggle. Born at Woodstock, Connecticut, February 21, 1782, his father died when Ben- jamin was but eight years of age. Thence- forth he had many trials and much hard labor with which to contend, but with true Yankee grit he surmounted them all, and obtaining a good common school education he qualified himself for teaching, and for years taught school in the winter and attended academy and summer schools in the summer.
Inspired with an ambition to reach a higher intellectual plane, he studied law with Judge Peters of Hartford, Connecticut, and when admitted to practice he entered the less crowded fields in Ohio and located at Marietta in 1807.
Three years later, and when he was but 28 years of age, he was elected president of the Court of Common Pleas, with a circuit extend- ing from St. Clairsville in the south, to Cleve- land on the north.
After his election Judge Ruggles moved to St. Clairsville, where he resided for nearly half a century.
In 1815 he was chosen to represent Ohio in the United States Senate, a position he filled with honor and dignity for 18 successive years. In the contest of 182.1, he was chosen chairman of the caucus that nominated Crawford of Georgia for the presidency and in 18440 he was strongly urged as a candidate for Vice Presi- dent.
Senator Ruggles made no pretentions to
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oratory, but when he addressed the Senate his plain, forcible language always commanded the attention of that august body.
At the conclusion of his senatorial career, he retired to his farm now within the corporate limits of St. Clairsville, where he devoted much of his time to the propagation of new and choice varieties of fruit.
He was a philanthropist deeply interested in the cultivation of fruit. He furnished scions from his young orchard freely to all that asked for them. In 1815-20 while serving his State in the Senate of the United States, he brought scions obtained from the original Seckel pear tree near Philadelphia and introduced the cul- tivation of that celebrated pear in Eastern Ohio. At that date the Seckel pear was planted large- ly upon the farm now occupied by A. T. Mc- Kelvey, and the orchard is still living and pro- ducing biennial crops of excellent fruit.
Senator Ruggles was tall in stature and rather delicate in appearance. He was a firm believer in the doctrines of Christianity and in the community in which he lived enjoyed the respect and confidence of all. As an evidence of the esteem in which he was held, old citizens relate the fact that upon receipt of the news of his third election to the United States Senate, his friends were so elated that they rang the old Court House bell for an entire day with- out ceasing.
JUDGE WILLIAM KENNON, SR.,
Was a gentleman of distinguished ability. both as a statesman and attorney. Born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in 1799, he re- moved, when 23 years of age, to St. Clairsville, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Judge Kennon received a classical education at Athens College and studied law with Will- iam B. Hubbard, a prominent attorney of that day.
In 1827 he was admitted to the bar in Hills- borough, Ohio. However, previous to this event he married Mary Ellis, a sister of Mrs. Governor Shannon, and the fruits of this union were three children. Judge Kennon's great
ability as a lawyer won for him a large and lucrative practice.
He entered public life when but 29 years of age, having been elected in 1828 to Congress, where he served his constituents with great ability for four years. In 1832 James M. Bell of Guernsey County defeated him, but two years later he was again elected, serving until 1837.
His prominence and ability as a constitu- tional lawyer secured his nomination and elec- tion to the position of judge of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, a position he filled with dis- tinction and honor for 10 years.
111 1850 hie was chosen Supreme Court judge and president of the State Constitutional Con- vention, which made the present code of civil procedure.
Judge Kennon's force and ability as an attor- ney gave him a lucrative and laborious prac- tice that extended far beyond the limits of his own State.
It was while engaged in the celebrated Campbell will case in Brooke County, West Virginia, that he was stricken with partial paralysis and was compelled thereafter to retire from practice.
While Judge Kennon was a profound states- man and scholar, he was a genial and courtly gentleman and an earnest and devout Chris- tian. Every Sabbath morning, when the weather would permit, he was seen in his ac- customed place of worship, his chin resting upon his cane by reason of liis infirmities while he looked up steadfastly and encouragingly into the preacher's face.
HON. BENJAMIN S. COWEN.
Among the distinguished members of the Belmont County bar, none have conferred more honor on the county than the subject of this sketch. Hon. Benjamin S. Cowen was born September 27, 1792, in Washington County, New York.
Ilis early education was such as was attain- able at the private schools of the time, which being necessarily fragmentary, he was ever a
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