Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th, Part 80

Author: Lytle, James Robert, 1841- [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 926

USA > Ohio > Delaware County > Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th > Part 80

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llon. John D. Van Deman was born in Delaware, Ohio, February 12, 1832. When a child. Mr. Van Deman received his primary lessons from Mrs. Murray, in the basement of the building located on the Court House lot, on the second floor of which he completed his legal studies preparatory to his admission to the Bar. President Hayes was also an alum- nus of the same school. Young Van Deman took the full classical course in the Ohio Wes- leyan University, from which he was grad- uated in 1851. Immediately thereafter he en-

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tered the law office of Powell & Buck, where his legal studies were pursued for two years. He was admitted to the Bar in 1853, before the District Court presided over by Hon. Allen G. Thurman, then chief justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio, and began prac- tice in Delaware, soon achieving a success that was very gratifying. His first partner- ship was with Judge T. W. Powell, which continued until 1862. He then formed a part- nership with the late H. M. Carper, which was maintained without interruption until 1889. when Mr. Van Deman retired from general practice. Theirs was the oldest law firm in the State at the time of its dissolution. It is a pleasing commentary on the carefulness and the mutual confidence reposed the one in the other, that when their final settlement was made, covering the whole period of thirty-six years of a partnership business, the final bal- ance showed that one had received only one cent more than the other. There had been no comparison or settling up of personal accounts of either with the firm from the beginning of the partnership until its close. During all this period, their relations were not only friendly and cordial. but of the closest intimacy.

Mr. Van Deman's first case, was one which became famous afterwards, from the principal established in it when it reached the Supreme Court. It was a question affecting the grade of streets, and it became a leading authority everywhere on that subject. Judge Powell was associated with Mr. Van Deman in the case. Colonel Crawford, an old lawyer, had brought suit for damages against the city of Delaware, for cutting down the street in front of his residence. On a hearing in the District Court, Judge Powell was trying to call to mind a Latin maxim, which he thought was appli- cable to the case, but which eluded his grasp. Finally Judge Finch, a fine Latin scholar, said : "Mr. Powell, you refer to the maxim, 'Dam- num absque injuria." " "Yes, yes." said Judge Powell, "that is it." The Colonel, who was not a Latin scholar. at once spoke up: "l'll show you whether it is a damn tight squeeze before I get through with you." There were very few important cases tried in the courts

of Delaware County during the time of Mr. Van Deman's active relations with the Bar in which he was not engaged. One of the most celebrated cases he managed was that of Lou Houk, a manipulator of Three Card Monte, who killed a man on a Hocking Valley train. Of his argument in that trial, the Ohio State Journal said: "His address was admired by all who were present ; it was clear and sound in argument, and his rhetoric was unusually fine. The speech was pronounced one of the best ever delivered at the Bar of Delaware County. Another celebrated case was one growing out of the failure of a bank at Lo- gansport, Indiana, which was tried in the Federal courts at Toledo. An attempt was made on the part of the Indiana bank man- agement to hold Mr. Thompson, a non-resi- dent, as a stockholder in the bank. There was a verdict against Mr. Thompson on the first trial. The case was taken to the Supreme Court of the United States, and the judgment reversed. After a delay of eight years, the case was again tried, and a verdict was had in favor of Mr. Thompson's estate, Mr. Thomp- son having gone long before to his final ac- count.

Mr. Van Deman always prepared his pleadings with exceptional care and tried his cases in court with great skill. Ile sometimes perplexed a witness by his sharp cross-exami- nation. An amusing incident illustrative of this occurred during the trial of one of his causes. The question related to the genuine- ness of a signature. The defendant had veri- fied his answer, and on the witness stand, as an expert, had given his opinion against the genuineness of the signature to the note. On cross-examination. Mr. Van Deman required the witness to state with positiveness his con- clusions ; then wrote something at the trial table on a paper, which he folded up in view of the witness ; then folded the paper on which the defendant's answer was written, in such a way as to expose the signature only. Ile handed this paper to the defendant, asking him to ex- amine the name and see if it was his signature. The witness promptly denied it, at the same time pointing out with particularity the let-

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY

ters which showed it was not genuine. The witness was then requested to unfold the pa- per and tell the jury what it was. With com- plete astonishment and some embarrassment. he exclaimed : "Why. my God. it is my an- swer in the case, and my signature to the verification." His suspicion of a trap had led him into error. The incident also shows the weakness of that kind of expert testimony.

Mr. Van Deman has always been a Repub- lican. but has rarely aspired to political hon- ors. He was satisfied with the emoluments. as well as the fame which a lawyer who at- tends strictly to the profession, may secure. He was just entering his professional career when the Republican party was born. The condi- tion of affairs and the issues which caused the formation of that party were of deep interest to him. and in 1856 he took the stump in fa- vor of Fremont and the new political platform. which opposed the further extension of slav- ery. Frequent visits to the South had con- vinced him that slavery was not such an in- stitution that its wider spread over the virgin territories of the nation was desirable, or for the best prosperity of the country. He be- came acquainted with Abraham Lincoln in 1859, when the latter made his great speech in Columbus against Stephen A. Douglas, from the east side of the State House. Ile was so charmed with the great simplicity. can- dor. true nobility, and strong common sense of the Martyr President. that he became one of his most zealous adherents. He continued in campaign work until after the campaign of 1884. when he retired from the political field. leaving the more arduous service to younger men. But in 1896. when the national honor was at stake, and when the question of giving to the people a currency worth its face value. or one that could not be received in the mar- kets of the world, was the burning one in politics, he again entered the field. and made many speeches in Ohio; and under the ap- pointment of the National Committee, spent four weeks on the stump in Kansas, most of the time in "Sockless" Jerry Sipson's Populis the district. Prior to the organization of the

Republican party, Mr. Van Deman was 2 Henry Clay Whig, and served as a delegate to the last Whig convention in Ohio, when Nel- son Barrier was nominated for Governor. lle was for four years prosecuting attorney of Delaware County; four years mayor of the city of Delaware; once a candidate for judge of the Court of Common Pleas of his subdiv- ision. and later a candidate for Circuit Judge of the Sixth Circuit of Ohio; but in both cases the Democratic party had an overwhelming majority, and though unsuccessful. he made a satisfactory race, cutting down the majority of his Democratie opponents over one thou- sand votes. He was for several terms a member of the City Council and its presiding officer. The following resolution presented by the late Gen. J. S. Jones, upon his retirement, and passed unanimously, shows the opinion of his fellow-councilmen : "We desire to express our thanks and appreciation of our president. Under his administration the business of the Council has been transacted with accuracy and dispatch. The expenses of the city govern- ment have been largely curtailed, and, stimu- lated by his example, other city officers have been imbued with his commendable spirit of economy and reform. Our Council meetings have been exceptionally free from discord. No ruling of the Chair has been questioned, be- cause all have been fair and impartial. We regret exceedingly that with the close of this term, the city loses his experience and ability in the direction of its government."

Mr. Van Deman's disposition is to be con- servative. believing that permanent success for the country will be found in guarding carefully the public expenditures and discountenancing appropriation of the people's money for ques- tionable objects. rather than in hunting up new forms of taxation, whereby the people become oppressed and all kinds of modern official graft flourishes. He would reduce the taxes to a minimum. and exact of all officials a faith- ful performance of duty and an honest execu- tion of their several trusts.

Mr. Van Deman was a lieutenant of Com- pany E. One Hundred and Forty-fifth Regi-

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ment U. S. L., in the Civil War, and a charter member of George B. Torrence Post. G. A. R., of which he is past commander. He served as aide on the staff of General Alger, when the latter was grand commander of the G. ... R. for the United States.

Mr. Van Deman has a talent for business affairs which has been employed in various cor- porations and private companies. He assisted in organizing the Columbus & Toledo Rail- road Company, and served as a director until the sale of the road to the Cleveland syndicate. For thirty-five years he was its counsel, and he served the "Big Four" in the same capacity for a period of nearly equal length. For about thirty years he has been a director of the First National Bank of Delaware, and is now its president.

He has been a member of the Episcopal Church for forty-two years, and is now its senior warden. He has served for many years as president of the Board of Trustees for the Diocese of Southern Ohio, a board having the management of the church property of the diocese, and the investment of its benevolent and charitable funds. He organized and was president of the first building association es- tablished in Delaware, and has been connected as director with one or more such associations ever since.

In 1861 Mr. Van Deman married Lydia. daughter of Judge R. E. Runkle. of Logan County, Ohio, and they have three children- Ralph Il., a captain of the general staff of the United States Army. now detailed in the Mili- tary Information Bureau, at Washington, D. C. : and two daughters, Ennalla, and Mildred. living at home with their parents.

In 1903 Mr. Van Deman, having rounded out fifty years of work at the Bar, retired from the profession. Success came to him as the result of the determined application of his abilities and powers along the rigidly defined lines or labor, and the respect of the commun- ity was given him in a free acknowledgment of his sterling worth, for he is a man of strong individuality, great mental force. and utmost rectitude in thought, word and deed.

TEPHEN POTTER, one of Dela- ware's prominent citizens who is sery- ing in his second term as county com- missioner of Delaware County, was born in Ireland, in 1844. His par- ents brought him to America in 1845. settling at Whitesboro, New York, where Stephen was reared and attended school.

During early manhood, Mr. Potter worked on a farm and then learned the cooper's trade at which he was employed until 1871. when he came to Delaware. Here he became connected with the Big Four Railroad and for eighteen years served as division master. lle has al- ways been popular with his associates, and. without any self-seeking, he was appointed postmaster at Delaware, by President Cleve- land during his first administration. Mr. Pot- ter subsequently engaged in a grocery business which he continued until he was first elected to the office of county commissioner, on the Dem- ocratic ticket. although the county is normally Republican. The office came to Mr. Potter unsought but his administration of it was so satisfactory to all parties, that he was reelected in the fall of 1905. For ten years he served as a member of the City Council of Delaware, where his business discernment and public spirit made him a very valuable official.

In 1877. Mr. Potter was married to Ellen A. Hanlin, who was born in Canada, and they have one son, Mark S., who is chief clerk in the engineering department of the Iron Moun- tain Railroad, with quarters at Van Buren. Arkansas. Mr. Potter is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, of which he is trus- tee. He is identified with the order of Knights of Columbus.

m ILO D. GRAHAM, who for many vears was engaged in general farming in Delaware Township. was one of the best known men of his community, and in his death. which occurred in 1902, Delaware County lost one of its representative citizens. Mr. Gra-

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ham was born in 1836, one mile north of Dela- ware. in Delaware County, Ohio, and was a son of John and Margaret ( Gast ) Graham.

John Graham was born in New Hamp- shire, and was taken to Pennsylvania by his father, who there abandoned him, bringing the other children, with their mother, to Ohio. and settling north of Delaware. John Graham was reared by a farmer in Pennsylvania, and learned the tailor's trade. He also succeeded in securing what was considered as a good education in those days, being regarded as a good scholar. He married in Pennsylvania. and on subsequently coming to Delaware, Ohio, he had dealings with his father for several years before either knew that they were related. His death took place in the fall of 1878, when he had attained the advanced age of ninety years, three months, and several days.

Milo Graham located on his father's farm in 1876, the property subsequently coming to him by inheritance. He engaged in general farming, and kept several head of cattle, a number of Chester White hogs and about 100 chickens, and was very successful in his op- erations. Since his death his widow and sons have been cultivating this fine fifty-nine-acre property, devoting five or six acres to garden trucking. Mr. Graham was a Democrat in politics and a Presbyterian in religious belief. while his widow is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Stratford.

Milo Graham was married on August 30, 1877. to Alvesta Kroninger, who is the daugh- ter of John Kroninger, and they had eleven children, nine of whom grew to maturity, namely: Jennie, who married Guy Stickney of Delaware; Arthur, also of Delaware : Kath- erine, who married Abraham Baker, of Dela- ware: George, who operates the home farm; Martha, the wife of Charles Nugent. of Colum- bus : Ella, wife of Chas. Thomas, of Delaware, and James Calvin. Daniel and Lydia Maybell, all residing at home.

John Kroninger, father of Mrs. Graham, was born in Pennsylvania in 1812, and there learned the trade of blacksmith. On attain- ing his majority, he came to Delaware Town-

ship, and engaged in blacksmithing north of the city of Delaware. He subsequently re- moved to Stratford, where he continued that occupation. His latter years were spent in farming on the east side of the river. near Stratford, where his death occurred Septem- ber 24, 1894. By his first marriage Mr. Kron- inger had two sons, Peter and Hosea, and not long after his first wife's death he was married secondly to Elizabeth Swartz, by whom he had seven children, the following six of whom grew to maturity: James, a resident of Shelby, Ohio; George, who resides at Shepard ; Alvesta, born May 5. 1853: Jacob: Daniel. who lives in Shelby County, Illinois: and Katherine, the wife of Charles Grojane, of Delaware, Ohio. Mr. Kroninger contracted a third marriage with Mrs. Ilannah Stickney. widow of Hugh Stickney of Union County. The family were members of the Lutheran Church.

D C. FAY, M. D., who has been engaged in the practice of medicine and sur- gery at Ostrander, since 1867, is the oldest continuous practitioner in Delaware County. He was born in Darby Township. Union County, Ohio, August 10, 1843, and is a son of Benjamin A. and Hester Ann ( Robinson ) Fay.

The paternal grandparents of Dr. Fay were David and Electa ( Smith) Fay, who came to Ohio from Rutland, Vermont, prior to 1813. David Fay raised stock and quar- ried stone on his farm in Vermont, but after settling in Union County, Ohio, he followed farming. His son, Benjamin A. Fay, father of the Doctor, was born in Darby Township. in 1813. and died at Marysville, Union County, in 1885. Mainly self-taught, as in his youth educational apportunities in his sec- tion were limited, he became a man of more than ordinary importance in the communities in which he lived. While carrying on a farm of 150 acres, he learned civil engineering with- out instruction, and so thoroughly that the ac- tive practice of this profession occupied a large

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part of his time for many years. In 1860, after being elected county surveyor of Union County, he moved to Marysville, and contin- ued in that office for six years. Prior to this he had served as justice of the peace in Darby Township, and filled other offices. He was much interested in improving the stock of sheep and horses and devoted time and money to this object. His last years were passed in honorable retirement. He married Hester Ann Robinson, who died in 1888, leaving but one child.

During his early years, Dr. D. C. Fay was instructed entirely by his father, who was by no means a lax disciplinarian, having regular hours for hearing his son's lessons and requir- ing that they be properly prepared; hence, when opportunity was afforded for academic instruction at Marysville and at Haysville, the son was advanced far beyond others of his age. For a part of the time while attending Marysville Academy, he taught school, and then entered upon the study of medicine un- der Dr. J. M. Southard, of that place. After attending one course of lectures at the Star- ling Medical College, he entered the Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati, where he was graduated in 1867. In the same year he set- tled at Ostrander, which village has since been his home, although for many years his practice included much adjacent territory, which he covered on horseback. Dr. Fay may almost be called the father of the medical guild in Delaware County. He was a charter member of the Delaware Medical Society and belongs also to the Ohio State and the American Medi- cal Associations.

Dr. Fay married Mary A. Liggett, who is a daughter of Joab Liggett. a resident of Scioto Township. They have one daughter, Mona, who married Eugene C. Gee. Mr. Gee is chief electrical engineer for the Bell Telephone Company, at Tucson, Arizona. Mrs. Fay is a member of the Baptist Church at Ostrander. Dr. Fay has never taken any very active interest in politics. He has been · closely identified. however, with several of the leading fraternal organizations. Since 1868, he has been a member of Palestine Lodge. No.

158, F. & A. M., at Marysville : is past chan- cellor of Ostrander Lodge, Knights of Pyth- ias, and belongs to Edinburg Lodge, No. 407, Odd Fellows. He is the only living charter member of this lodge and was the first to hold the office of noble grand in this body.

® EV. HERBERT WELCH, A. M., D. D., LL. D., president of Ohio Wes- leyan University. Some college presidents are great executives, some excel as educators, while others show marked business ability. Seldom. in- deed, are these qualifications combined in one man, but Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity is unusually fortunate in hav- ing such a man for its president. To those who know Dr. Welch, the perfect balance, the all-roundness of the man. is a constant surprise. While an undergraduate he was a man of no specialty. The fourteen prizes which he won during his course-practically all that were open to him-show how he ex- celled in each department of scholarship. This characteristic has been notable throughout his career. As a preacher of the gospel, he is forceiul and effective : in dealing with business problems, he shows a business ability uncom- mon in professional men; as an executive. he conceives big plans, and has a grasp of detail that is truly astonishing when one considers the many and varied lines of his work. Presi- dent Welch is one of the most accessible of men. He is never too busy to talk with any student who seeks his counsel, whether it be in regard to college matters or purely personal affairs.

Dr. Welch was born in New York City, November 7, 1862, son of Peter A. and Mary L. ( Loveland) Welch. His father was a mer- chant, as was also his maternal grandfather. Oliver Loveland. His elementary education was acquired in the New York Grammar School No. 35, which he attended from 1870 to 1877, being graduated with the Girard medal. He then entered Brooklyn College and Polytechnic Institute, and was graduated

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therefrom in 1880, with a diploma for pro- ficiency in the scientific course. From 1880 to 1882 he was engaged in private and school study in the classics, becoming in the year last named a student in the Wesleyan University at Middletown, Connecticut, and so continued until 1887. being out of college, however. in 1884-'85. He was graduated from the Uni- versity with the degree of B. A. He is a mem- ber of the Phi Beta Kappa and Psi Upsilon fraternities.

In 1887 Mr. Welch began his theological studies in the Drew Theological Seminary. from which he was gradnated in 1890, with the degree of B. D. He obtained his M. A. (legree from Wesleyan University in 1890. also that of D. D. in 1902, and that of LL. D. in 1906. He was a student in Oxford Uni- versity ( England ) in 1902- 03.

On his graduation from Drew Seminary. being equipped for the ministry, he joined the New York Conference of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and was appointed to Bedford Station, where he served from 1800 to 1892. His next field of labor was in New York City, in 1892-93. He was then transferred to New York East Conference and appointed to Sum- merfield Church, Brooklyn, which he served in 1893-98. Ilis next pastorate was that of the First Church at Middletown, Connecticut. 1898-1902, and was followed by a two years pastorate at Chester Hill Church, Mt. Vernon, New York. 1903-05. Dr. Welch is intensely interested in the purely evangelistic side of religious work, at the same time being a close student of the relation of the church and of Christianity to public affairs and good citizen- ship. In 1905 he accepted and entered upon the duties of his present position as president of the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, in which capacity he has since continued to serve, with manifest benefit to the University and to the unmixed satisfaction of its friends.

Dr. Welch has made some scholarly con- tributions to religions literature, which have been published in college and church periodi- cal -. Among them may be mentioned. "Selec- tions from the Writings of John Wesley." New York. 1901: and ( published in pamphlet

form) the articles, "Albert S. Hunt." "The College Student and the Christian Confes- sion." and "The Resurrection the Crowning Fact of Christianity." He also performed use- ful services as a member of the Board of Man- agers of the Sunday School Union, 1892-'96; member of the Board of Managers of the Mis- sionary Society, 1896-1905; member of the Board of Managers of the Board of Education, Freeman's Aid and Sunday Schools, 1907 to the present time ; and trustee of Wesleyan Uni- versity, 1901-'06.

Dr. Welch, in his vacation intervals, both during and since his student days, has spent some time in travel, visiting Canada in 1874 and 1882: the far west in 1879. 1884-'85 and 1889: and Europe in 1897. 1899. and 1902- `03. He was married June 3. 1890, to Ade- laide F. McGee, of Plainfield, New Jersey, whose father, James McGee, was a merchant of New York City. Mrs. Welch's mother was in maidenhood, Elizabeth A. Merklee. Two children have come to bless the household of Dr. and Mrs. Welch-Dorothy, born June 7. 1801 ; and Eleanor, born September 3, 1900.

Dr. Welch is one of the most modest and unassuming of men. Generous to a fault. he has often sacrificed personal interests to aid his friends, and his is the charity that "knoweth no evil." The Doctor has a keen sense of honor, and a fund of stories that is apparently inexhaustible, in the telling of which he is inimitable. Both the Doctor and Mrs. Welch are strong in their social instinct, and are capital entertainers, as those who have enjoyed the free and open hospitality of their home will testify.

J AMIES OUSEY, proprietor of the lead- ing livery, feed and sale stable of Delaware, Ohio, located at the corner of Winter and North Union Streets. and the owner of a fine grain and fruit farm of 100 acres on the Radnor pike, is one of Delaware County's representative citizens, and a survivor of the Civil War. Mr. Ousey was born April 30. 1847. near Newton. Sussex '

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Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th, Part 80

Author: Lytle, James Robert, 1841- [from old catalog] ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing company Number of Pages: 926

Author: Lytle, James Robert, 1841- [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 926