Fifty years and over of Akron and Summit County : embellished by nearly six hundred engravings--portraits of pioneer settlers, prominent citizens, business, official and professional--ancient and modern views, etc.; nine-tenth's of a century of solid local history--pioneer incidents, interesting events--industrial, commercial, financial and educational progress, biographies, etc., Part 131

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Ohio > Summit County > Akron > Fifty years and over of Akron and Summit County : embellished by nearly six hundred engravings--portraits of pioneer settlers, prominent citizens, business, official and professional--ancient and modern views, etc.; nine-tenth's of a century of solid local history--pioneer incidents, interesting events--industrial, commercial, financial and educational progress, biographies, etc. > Part 131

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

It is estimated that there are yet about fifty acres of coal in the township unworked, Mr. Horace B. Camp having recently sunk a shaft upon the Richardson farm, near the southeast corner of Cuyahoga Falls township. By careful computation, it is thought that for fifty years the average output of the Tallmadge mines was at least 12,000 tons a year, making a grand total of 600,000 tons, a very material factor in the unrivaled prosperity of the township during that period.

G EORGE ALLISON,-born in West- inoreland, North of England, in 1822; came with parents to America when about three years old ; after a short sojourn at Middlebury, family started for Galena, Illinois, via the Ohio river, but on reaching Beaver, Pennsylvania, both parents died, leaving their five children among strangers destitute. George found a home with a farmer named Potter, at fourteen being apprenticed to a brick mnason named Dellzell. On com- pleting his trade he moved to Tall- madge, near Middlebury, where he has ever since resided. In 1851, '52, Mr. Allison was superintendent of masonry on the C., Z. & C., now the C., A. & C. R. R., and later built the Summit County Infirmary and the Cuyahoga Falls and Kent High Schools, besides numerous brick stores and residences in Akron, at the same time carrying on extensive farming operations in Tallmadge. Mr. Allison's father, George Allison, Sr., was a soldier in the British army, participating in the celebrated battle of Waterloo, where Wellington defeated the great Napoleon. "Mr. Allison was married, September 14, 1843, to Miss Mary L. Bettes, daughter

GEORGE ALLISON.

of Captain Nathaniel Bettes, a Revo- lutionary soldier, their only son, Byron M. Allison, being now the successful manager and secretary of the Akron Fire Brick Company in the Sixth Ward.

BLAST FURNACE IN TALLMADGE .- In addition to the abundant supply of coal, above written of, there were also considerable veins of iron ore in the neighborhood, one on Mr. Asaph Whittlesey's land, and another just over the line in Springfield, on the Brittain farm, and perhaps others. About 1844 or 1845 some Welsh gentle- men from Pittsburg, having some knowledge of iron making, erected a blast furnace near the coal chutes of the Tallmadge Coal Company at an expense of several thousand dollars, giving to it the name of Cambria Furnace, the name of the firm being Vinton, Lewis, Reese & Co.

On the completion of their stack the furnace was duly started, the blast being run by 'steam power. Through some defect, or

1051

AGRICULTURAL, MECHANICAL, ETC.

mismanagement, the charge became chilled before fully ready to draw-it is said by persons living in the vicinity, because of the condensation of vapors arising from the foundation of the stack,. which had been laid in a very damp location. Be this as it may, the chilled charge being removed after considerable labor and expense, and the stack refilled, the blast was again turned on with precisely the same result. After several similar failures to pro- duce marketable pig-iron-the. company, by this time having exhausted whatever means it may have originally had, besides owing the Messrs. Upson some $3,000 for coal and other supplies- the enterprise was abandoned, Cambria Furnace now being a reminiscence, only.

T UCIUS W. HITCHCOCK, - born in Cheshire, Connecticut, Octo- ber 10, 1801 ; common school .educa- tion ; raised a farmer; in 1822, came 011 foot to Tallmadge, where he bought a farm, on which he lived over half a century, moving to Akron in 1873. April 20, 1826, Mr. Hitchcock was married to Miss Eleanor Wolcott, of Tallmadge, who bore him seven children-Wolcott Warner, born Sep- tember 14, 1827, deceased ; Frederick, born July 29, 1829, deceased ; Ellen Arabella, born February 11, 1831, died in infancy ; Elizur, born August 15, 1832, now a physician in Akron; George Ellsworth, born July 1, 1835, deceased ; Oella Pamphila, born March 31, 1839, now Mrs. Charles Harris, residing in the State of Wash- ington ; and Herbert Paschal, born July 18, 1841, now a successful busi- ness man in Akron, as elsewhere noted. Mrs. Hitchcock dying Jan- uary 11, 1873, Mr. Hitchcock was again married, January 3, 1877, to Mrs. Matilda L. (Randall) Harvey, a native of Newburg, Orange county, New York, and for over twenty years one of Akron's most successful teachers, who still survives, Mr. Hitchcock dying April 2, 1881, at the age of 79

.....

LUCIUS W. HITCHCOCK.

years, 5 months and 25 days. Mr. Hitchcock was in all respects a christian gentleman and public- spirited citizen.

THE CARRIAGE-MAKING BUSINESS .- Tallmadge was for many years favored with one of the most extensive carriage manufac- tories in the Western country, which added greatly to the pros- perity of the village and township. About the year 1827, Mr. Amos Avery opened a small wagon and repair shop at the Center, Mr. William C. Oviatt, of Milford, Conn., having started a custom blacksmith shop in the same locality, about the same time.

These gentlemen, associating with themselves Mr. Isaac C. B. Robinson, about 1836, under the firm name of Avery, Oviatt & Robinson, built shops on the southwest diagonal road, and engaged quite extensively in the carriage-making business, Mr .: Oviatt claiming the honor of making the first elliptic buggy springs ever made in Ohio, in which he was assisted by Mr. Jamies M. Hale, now living in Akron, who was a workman in the estab- lishment for several years.

1052

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

Later, Mr. Avery sold out to William Smith and Marcus Brundige, the firm name changing to Oviatt, Robinson & Co. In 1841, Mr. Ira P. Sperry succeeded Messrs. Smith & Brundige, the firm name of Oviatt & Sperry continuing for nearly a quarter of a century, when Mr. Samuel J. Ritchie became a partner in the con- cern, Oviatt, Sperry & Ritchie running the works until the death of the senior partner, Mr. Oviatt, February 1, 1869, the surviving partners finally closing out the business in April, 1871.

In addition to supplying a considerable portion of Northern Ohio with fine carriages, the firm for many years maintained a large repository in Cincinnati, at which. from $20,000 to $25,000 worth of their carriages were yearly sold. Quite extensive car- riage-making operations were also carried on by Mr. James E. Baldwin, Mr. Lucius V. Bierce and others for several years.

FON. IRA P. SPERRY, -- born in Watertown, Connecticut, Novem- ber 24, 1818 ; at one year of age came with parents to Tallmadge, settling on farm ; common school education ; 14 to 17, blacksmith's apprentice; 17 to 20, apprentice to carriage ironer's trade; at 21, a year in school at Cuya- hoga Falls ; then worked for William C. Oviatt two years at carriage iron- ing, in 1841, purchasing an interest in the works, which, under different partnership relations, he success- fully carried on for nearly a third of a century, as elsewhere detailed. In 1870, with his brother, Dr. Willis Sperry, and Mr. Samuel J. Ritchie, he established extensive sewer pipe works in Tallmadge, which, in con- nection with his son, George P. Sperry, he is still successfully con- ducting. An early anti-slavery man, , Mr. Sperry, in 1858, was elected on the Republican ticket, as Summit county's representative to the State Legislature, ably serving two years. September 27, 1841, he was married to Miss Clarissa Carlton, of Portage county, who has borne him six chil- dren-Willis C., born December 12, 1847, now practicing medicine in Julesburg, Colorado; Charles O., died in infancy ; Mary A., born July 30, 1853, died in Oberlin, October 17, 1870, aged 17 years, 2 months and 17

HON. IRA P. SPERRY.

days; George P., born September 30, 1858, sewer pipe manufacturer, Tall- madge; Francis L., born October 22, 1861, chemist for Canada Copper Con1- pany, at Sudbury, Canada; and Henry B., born November 1, 1863, assistant secretary and treasurer of Pennsylvania Sewer Pipe Company, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.

SEWER-PIPE, STONEWARE, ETC .- About the year 1868, Messrs. Charles Tryon, Benjamin D. Wright and Alfred Sperry, under the firm name of Tryon, Wright & Co., established sewer-pipe works at the center of Tallmadge, the clay for which was found in abun- dant supply a short distance west of the center, Mr. Tryon's inter- est subsequently passing into the hands of Mr. Henry M. Camp.

In 1871, Messrs. Ira P. Sperry and Samuel J. Ritchie, having closed out their carriage business as stated, in connection with Dr. Willis Sperry, purchased the sewer-pipe works in question, materially increasing their facilities, and filling large contracts in the city of Washington and other municipal corporations, both

1053

LATER BUSINESS OPERATIONS.

east and west. Sperry, Ritchie & Co. continued to do a large busi- ness, until the works were dsetroyed by fire in 1878.

After an interregnum of about three years, the works were rebuilt by Mr. Ira P. Sperry, and his son, George P. Sperry, and are now (1891) manufacturing from 500 to 600 car-loads of the very best quality of sewer pipe per annum.

SAMUEL J. RITCHIE, - born in Boston township, November 24, 1838; educated in district schools, Twinsburg Institute and Grammar School of Western Reserve College; raised on farm, early engaging in lumbering and railroad business ; June 15, 1865, was married to Miss Sophronia Hale, daughter of the late Andrew Hale, of Bath, in 1867, asso- ciated himself with Messrs. Oviatt & Sperry, in the carriage making busi- ness, in Tallmadge, under the firm name of Oviatt, Sperry & Ritchie, closing out that business in 1871, and engaging in the manufacture of sewer pipe, under the firm name of · Sperry, Ritchie & Co., until the burn- ing of the works in 1878. In 1881, Mr. Ritchie became connected with Cana- dian enterprises-the Central Ontario Railway, of which company he was president-the Anglo-American Iron Company, and the Canadian Copper Company, composed of Akron and Cleveland capitalists, Mr. Ritchie being also the first president of the latter organization, with Mr. Thomas W. Cornell, of Akron, as his succes- sor. Though thoroughly Republican, Mr. Ritchie has never sought or held office, but is zealously exerting his influence in bringing about closer or reciprocal trade relations between the United States and Canada, and

SAMUEL J. RITCHIE.

by his intelligent advocacy of that cause, has secured the hearty co-ope- ration of Hon. Erastus Wiman, Hon. Benjamin Butterworth and other able statesmen therein. Mr. and Mrs. Ritchie have three children- Lewis Andrew, born October 20, 1867 ; Clara Bell, born April 24, 1869; and Charles Edward, born July 16, 1877.

Two or three establishments for the manufacture of stoneware have also existed in the township at different times; the flower-pot works of Charles L. Clark, and the drain-tile works of Messrs. F. B. McNeal and William Seiz being among the later establishments of the kind in operation there.

In the days of sorghum culture, some twenty years ago, Mr. John A. Caruthers established a steam sorghum mill upon his farm one mile east of the Center, which, on the decline of that . industry was converted into an apple butter factory, which did quite a large business for several years.

Mr. Albert A. Viall is the proprietor of a steam saw-mill on the farm adjoining Mr. Caruthers, which being the only mill in the township at the present time has quite a run of business.

TRADE AND TRAFFIC .- In the mercantile line, the names of Fenn & Howard, Christopher C. Sturtevant and Charles Clark, Wiswell & Groff, Eleazer C. Sackett, William A. Hanford, Homer S. Carter, Elbert V. Carter, Clement Wright and Benjamin D. Wright are remembered as local merchants, Mr. Clement Wright being the present (1891) genial and accommodating incumbent of

1054

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

the village store, on the corner of the square and the southwest diagonal road.

C. C. Conaghan and F. E. Hinman, for many years successful grocers and dealers in meats and other family supplies, having · sold their former place at the southeast corner, to the Messrs. Sperry, about 1887 located near the southwest corner of the public square.

GEORGE PECK SPERRY,-second son of Ira Peck and Clarissa (Carlton) Sperry, was born in Tall- madge, September 30, 1858 ; educated in Tallmadge public schools, and at Oberlin College; at 14 engaged as / clerk in store of Mr. Clement Wright, in Tallmadge, later entering the employ of Mr. William M. Dee, an extensive sewer pipe dealer in Chi- cago, remaining in charge of the yards there about two years, return- ing thence to Tallmadge and taking a position in the sewer pipe works of Sperry, Ritchie & Co., there; on the destruction of the works by fire, in 1878, he engaged as manager of the sewer pipe works of Mr. James H. Cooke, at Cuyahoga Falls, on the death of Mr. Cooke, in 1880, leasing and successfully running the works upon his own account, until the rebuilding of the Tallmadge factory, in 1882, of which he assumed control, and is now an acknowledged author- ity in all matters pertaining to the manufacture of sewer pipe in the United States. September 27, 1882, he was married to Miss Jessie R. Stevens, of Glendale, Hamilton county, Ohio.

(H) 02

GEORGE PECK SPERRY.

They have three children-Ira Benja- min, born August 31, 1883; Blanche Virginia, born October 18, 1885; and George Hill, born July 13, 1888.

TRAVEL, TRANSPORTATION, ETC. - Though the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal was made available for the shipment of coal as before stated, and though the "Akron Branch " railroad (now the C., A. & C.) completed from Hudson to Akron in 1852, traversed the township upon the west side, Tallmadge had no special means of communication with the "outer world," until the completion of the Atlantic and Great Western Railway (now the N. Y., P. & O.) in 1863. By this road . not only is the large output of sewer pipe, and other wares manufactured, shipped to distant points, but it is . also a great convenience to persons desiring to get to or from the town by other means than private conveyance. Later, the Pittsburg & Western, now a part of the Baltimore and Ohio sytem, skirting the northern and western borders of the township, has materially added to transportation facilities.

CLEAN CRIMINAL RECORD .- During the three-quarters of a cen- tury, and over, of its existence, Tallmadge has been exceptionally exempt from startling crimes, not a single homicide having occurred within her borders, nor more than two or three peniten- tiary offenses, unless in those portions of the township embraced in the villages of Middlebury and Cuyahoga Falls. Some minor irregularities have from time to time prevailed, the most, if not all, of which were traceable to the influence of the village tavern, when

1055

A PROUD MILITARY RECORD.

under whisky management, and the outside roughs which such institutions naturally attract, coupled with the dime novel litera- ture, that so seriously poisoned the minds of some of the young men and boys of the township a few years ago.

MILITARY MATTERS.

The military record of Tallmadge, is second to none on the Reserve. Among the early residents of Tallmadge, who were in the Revolutionary Army, the names of Captain Nathaniel Bettes, who was at the storming of Quebec on the night of December 31, 1775, under the ill-fated Gen. Montgomery, and who, at his death at Bettes' Corners, January 15, 1840, at the age of ninety-four years, was buried with military honors by Akron's first Independent Military Company-the "Summit Guards,"-of which the late Gen. Philo Chamberlin was then captain; Hosea Wilcox, also a participant in the attack upon Quebec; David Preston, who was taken prisoner and for some time confined at the "Cedars," above Fort Ticonderoga; Conrad Boosinger, Capt. John Wright, Deacon Nathaniel Gillett, William Neal, Reuben Beach, Isaac Dudley, Thomas Granger, Ephraim Clark, Salmon Sackett and Alexander Griswold, the latter being captured by the British and for some time confined in the prison-ship in New York harbor.

Other early settlers were undoubtedly enrolled in the Conti- mental Army, whose names have not been handed down, but the list already given is sufficiently glorious for a single township.

THE WAR OF 1812 .- The writer is indebted to Andrew Fenn, Esq., for the following full rosters of the volunteer soldiery of Tallmadge in the War of 1812, and the War of the Rebellion, no soldiers having gone to the Mexican War from that township.

Previous to the War of 1812 the "Tallmadge Independent Rifle Company" had been organized with Rial McArthur as captain, and Charles Powers as lieutenant, and the following privates: Almon Norton, Alpha Wright, Justin Barnes, Justin E. Frink, Shubel H. Lowrey, Titus Chapman, Samuel and Lot Preston, Liberton Dixon, Joseph Tousley, Edmund Strong and Samuel Fogger. On the surrender of Hull's army, at Detroit, in August, 1812, these fourteen men volunteered in a body to go to the defense of the frontier, and afterwards there were drafted from the general militia, six more, as follows: Reuben Upson, John Caruthers, Norman Sackett, Moses Bradford, Asa Gillett and Jotham Blakeslee, who served in various places during the war- twenty in all.

THE WAR OF THE REBELLION .- The following named volun- teer soldiers and marines represented Tallmadge in the Union army during the War of the Rebellion: George Ashmun, Williston Alling, Erastus Albert, James Buchanan, Silas W. Bettes, Lorin Barnhart, William Boyd, Jr., Edward Butler, George Blakeslee, H. M. Baldwin, Wellington Bettes, Albert B. Clark, Perez Clark, John Condon, A. S. Carr, T. J. Conley, J. F. Conway, Clinton Chambers, C. C. Caruthers, E. P. Caruthers, William Dimmock, John Davis, Alexander Douglass, Thomas Dixon, David Evans, Thomas Evans, Edward Ellis, George Ellis, E. P. Fenn, J. E. Fenn, John Freeze, Thomas Foley, F. C. Fulkerson, Chris Fisher, Ed. Gearhart, Henry Golden, James Gordon, Otis Graham, James Gaule, John Harris, George Hunter, John Honoddle, Michael

1056

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

Honoddle, James Hogarth, George Huber, Rufus M. Hinman, Ambrose Hine, Frank Huntley, Frank Harter, Henry Hart, E. G. Jones, Norman S. Keller, Richard Limber, Otto Limber, Allen Limber, George Lansinger, Adam Lansinger, William Lyons, S. Mathews, William Murray, John Moore, George C. Monks, James Morgan, Henry McClelland, John McMullin, David McIntire, H. McAlpine, Thomas Owens, John Owens, Henry Packard, Daniel Puff, Alfred Palmer, John Patterson, George Patterson, Henry Patterson, William Price, Thomas Price, Albert Reeves, Ashbel Root, John Randall, Jacob Randall, Frederick Rexford, Clinton Ruckel, William Rinehart, Alfred Sperry, Joseph Spellman, T. W. Screen, Fred Spafford, C. H. Sackett, Daniel Sullivan, James Sangster, H. Stiffler, Daniel Schaaf, John Stinhour, Junius Saunders, S. W. Schenkenberger, D. B. Treat, R. B. Treat, Jr., David Thomas, Adam Taggart, Solomon Upson, C. W. Wick, Amos Wills, Leonard Winkler, O. O. Wright, S. E. Wright, J. M. Walton, Wesley Wells, William R. Warren, O. E. Whitney, Willis Woodruff, Henry Woodruff and Charles Young-113 men in all.

"SQUIRREL HUNTERS."-Early in September, 1862, the Govern- ment became apprehensive of an attempt by the rebels, under General Kirby Smith, to make an attack upon Cincinnati and other river towns, and in the absence of sufficient regular troops in that vicinity to cope with them, temporary volunteers, to respond forthwith, were called for by Governor Tod, Akron and a number of the towns of Summit county turning out in considerable force. These "troops," dressed in every variety of costume known to civil life, armed with every variety of weapon known to domestic gun- nery and sport, and without any military training whatever, were called "Squirrel Hunters." The following is Tallmadge's con- tingent in that "organization:" Dr. Amos Wright, L. C. Walton, William B. Ashmun, G. T. Preston, L. H. Ashmun, D. B. Treat, Joseph Upson, Henry Tilden, J. E. Baldwin, Hon. Sidney Edgerton, (then member of Congress and being at his home in Tallmadge during vacation), C. Callahan, F. H. Wright and J. O. Curtiss- thirteen in all. The " Squirrel Hunters" were on duty about one week, when, the scare being over (General Smith undoubtedly being intimidated by their presence), they were dismissed by the Governor with thanks, being transported from and to their homes and subsisted during their absence at the expense of the State.

THE OHIO NATIONAL GUARD .- In the Spring of 1864, when all the trained forces of the Nation were needed by General Grant for the final struggle, Governor Brough, at a meeting called at his suggestion for that purpose, proposed to the governors of those states that Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin should join. Ohio in tendering to President Lincoln 85,000 of the State militia of the several states to serve in the fortifications, or where their services were needed, for the period of 100 days. This tender was accordingly made and accepted. Of this force Ohio furnished 30,000 men, consisting of forty-one regiments, averaging about 730 men each. Summit county's contingent to this force were assigned to the 164th regiment, under Colonel John C. Lee, and mustered in at Camp Taylor May 11, the regiment, 865 strong, starting for Washington May. 14.

Tallmadge furnished Company D, 164th Regiment O. N. G., 64 men, as follows: Norman S. Keller, captain; Francis H. Wright,

1057

TALLMADGE IN PUBLIC OFFICE.

Jr., first lieutenant, and the following named privates: L. H. Ashmun, Henry Ashmun, Byron Allison, William Bell, Bruce Baldwin, William H. Bronson, S. E. Barnes, C. E. Barnes, F. N. Barnes, H. M. Camp, L. N. Camp, Frank Clark, Chris. Callahan, J. Drake, Thomas Davis, William Denmead, Robert Ellis, David Evans, E. Evans, F. B. Fenn, S. P. Fenn, F. F. Fenn, G. E. Hitch- cock, S. W. Harris, Henry Harris, A. A. Hine, John Hier, Ed. Jones, G. F. Lyman, C. A. Lyman, Jef. Limber, Otto Limber, A. F. Means, John McNeal, Atkin Ogle, John Owen, William T. Owen, L. B. Pierce, S. B. Pettibone, L. B. Peck, John Roudebush, William Ripley, Jonathan Sprague, Parmenas Sprague, F. Schenkenberger, C. A. Sackett, B. W. Skinner, Lyman Stone, F. Sperry, Dennis Treat, J. C. Treat, O. S. Treat, L. Thomas, William L. Thomas, S. C. Taylor, D. A. Upson, H. C. Upson, J. E. Upson, J. S. Upton, Daniel Vogt, H. Westover and George Young.

Thus it will be seen that Puritanic old Tallmadge has never acted upon the unpatriotic motto "invincible in peace-invisible in war"-for while she has manifested a good degree of invinci- bility in the prosecution of the arts of peace, industry and morality, she has been conspicuously visible, when brave hearts and strong hands were needed to establish or defend those free institutions which have made her own, and the Nation's past and present prosperous condition possible.

HONORABLE CIVIL RECORD.

DR. DANIEL UPSON .- Besides serving several terms in the Leg- islature as the representative of Franklin county, before removing to Tallmadge, in 1832, Dr. Upson was elected State senator for Portage county in October, 1836, holding the position two years.

RUSSELL H. ASHMUN was Summit county's first county sur- veyor, elected in April, 1840, re-elected in October, 1840, holding the office three years and seven months.

CAPTAIN AMOS SEWARD was elected representative of Portage county to the Legislature in 1834; as representative of the new county of Summit in October, 1842, and again elected (as a "float") in 1847, giving to that important position three years of faithful service.

FREDERICK SEWARD was elected county surveyor in October, 1846, holding the position three years.

NELSON B. STONE, in 1841, entered upon the duties of deputy clerk, under the administration of Clerk Lucian Swift, serving in that capacity until 1851, when he succeeded to the clerkship for. the term of three years, making in all respects a first-class officer. Portrait and biography on page 260.

DUDLEY SEWARD, for several years a resident of Tallmadge, after serving five years as deputy, under sheriffs Janes and Clarke, was elected sheriff in 1852, and re-elected in 1854, thus giving to the duties of that office nine years of continuous service. After a brilliant career, in the War of the Rebellion, in both the volunteer and regular service, Colonel Seward was repeatedly elected justice of the peace for Portage township, holding the position to the time of his sudden death, May 24, 1882. Portrait and biography on page 379.

1058

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

IRA P. SPERRY, from infancy a resident of Tallmadge, and one of its most intelligent and enterprising mechanics and business men, was, in October, 1857, elected representative to the State Leg- islature, being, during the regular session of 1857, '58, and the adjourned session of 1858, '59, an extremely useful and influential member of that body.

SIDNEY EDGERTON, while a resident of Tallmadge (having pre- viously served two terms as prosecuting attorney, from 1852 to 1856), was elected to Congress from the Eighteenth District, com- posed of Summit, Stark and Portage counties, in October, 1858, and re-elected in 1860, giving to the position, during the most criti- cal period in the history of the government, the most faithful and valuable service, supporting and voting for all the important measures necessary for the suppression of the rebellion, and the preservation of the Union. In 1863, Mr. Edgerton was appointed . chief justice of the new territory of Idaho, by President Lincoln, a year later, on the division of the territory, being appointed gov- ernor of Montana. Resigning that office in 1865, he returned to Tallmadge, soon afterwards removing to Akron and resuming his law practice. Portrait and biography on page 180.

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Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905 Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department
Number of Pages: 1228