History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, Part 27

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 458

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George Bishop, died at Newark, N. J., February 10, 1862.

Charles 11 Wetherwax, discharged February 3, 1564, on account of wounds received In action at Gaines' Mills, Va.

George Stevenson, discharged on account of wounds received in action at Malvern Hill, Va., July 1, 1862.

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SEVENTH PENNSYL- VANIA INFANTRY.

COMPANY H.

Charles 11. Phelps, musician, aged fourteen years, taken prisoner in action at Auburn Ilill, Va .. October 14, 1803 ; discharged at Brad- dock's Field, I'M., May 31, 1865.

SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.

A. 11. Pettitt.

FOURTEENTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.

Sergeant Durance B. Garey, lischarged at the close of the war.

COMPANY I. Alonzo R. West, discharged Angust 5, 1565.

EIGHTEENTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.

Lieutenant-Colonel John W. P'hill ju, discharged July 21, 1865. Captain James W. Smith, discharged February 6, 1865.

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENTAL TROOPS. COMPANY A. Leander 11. Means, discharged at Pittsburgh, Pa., July 21, 1:64.

FIRST NEW YORK SHARPSHOOTERS. Sergeant Morton Twitchell, discharged June 26, 1865.

TENTH NEW YORK INFANTRY.

Michael Barrett, dled at St. Louis, Mo., December 21. 1×65.

TWENTY-SEVENTH NEW YORK INFANTRY. COMPANY F. Danlel W. WItheral, discharged May 31, 1863.

FIFTY-FIRST NEW YORK INFANTRY. COMPANY B. John 11. Polhatte, dled while a prisoner of war at Salisbury, N. C., April 12, 1:65.

SEVENTIETH NEW YORK INFANTRY. COMPANY F.

Captain Morris J. Fuote, severely wounded In front of Petersburg, Va., June 15, 1 ×64.

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEENTH NEW YORK INFANTRY.

Corporal Almont Cravtun, discharged Jour 12, 1565.

Delos Armstrong, discharged February 11, 1863.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIXTH NEW YORK INFANTRY.

Michael Cunningham, discharged at the cluse of the war.

FIFTEENTH NEW YORK CAVALRY. COMPANY F. John F. Miles, dla barged Jnne 3, 1565.

ELEVENTH NEW YORK INDEPENDENT BATTERY.

Capt. Robert C. Warmington's command conwelldated with this battery ; mustered as Ist lieut ; wounded In action at Manassas Junction, Va., August 26, 1862; die, at Falmouth, Va , December 9, 1662.

1st lieut. Galen A. Knapp, discharged at Washington, D. C., Jan. 2, 1-63. 2d lient. John Gifford, mustered out by consol dation,

2d lieut. Wadmore Relbend, discharged November 1, 1-64.

Sergeant Jobn Richard Warmington, killed in action at Chancellore- ville, Va., May 3, 1863.

Sergeant Roger F. Fowler, died at his home in Ashtabula, Aug. 27, 1-62. Sergeant samuel Boyles. di-charged at the close of the war.

Sergeant C. 11. Brooks, discharged for disability, April 17, 1663.

Sergt. Orlando H. Cheney, wounded : dis. at the close of the war.

Corporal Julin Fowler, died at his home in Ashtabula, March 4, 1863. Corporal John L. Castle, discharged June 13, 1-65.

Corporal William 11. Broughton, killed before l'etersburg, Va., Sept. 25, 1864.

Corporal Adrian Gillett, transferred to Battery K, 1st N. Y. Artillery. William st. Clair, died in Virginia in May, 1862.

Juhu Jobnston, died at Washington, D. C.

Alfred C. Elwell, killed before Petersburg. Va., In June, 1864. Jobn H. Metcalf, killed in action at Deep Bottom, Va., August 14, 1564. Cyrus W. Andrews, died at Washington, D. C., November _8, 1863.

Marcus L. Murray, died while a prisoner of war at Andersonville, Ga., August 20, 1804.

Henry D. Calloway, killed in action at Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863. James A. Manning, wounded ; discharged at the close of the war.

William A. Mines, di-charged at the close of the war.

Robert Johnson, discharged July 1, 1-65.

Charles S. Barues, discharged June 13. 1865.

Juel Horton, discharged in December, 1863. Samuel Cooper, discharged October 2, 1864.

Samuel l'. Juhuson, discharged for d.sability, in March, 1862.

llenry stark weather, discharged February 5, 1863.

Audrew Witheral, discharged November 22, 1864.

Albert Beckwith, discharged June 13, 1865.

Charles T. Bennett, discharged at expirat ou of term of service.

Charles A. Bierce, discharged for d.sability, in May, 1862.

Billings Coleman, discharged November 22, 1864.

George Carley, dischaged at the cluse of the war. Valentiue Dittler, discharged November 22, 1504. Elgar C. Fox, discharged in October, 1864.

Azariah A. Grant, discharged June 15, 1:65.

William J. Grant, discharged for disability, in March, 1864.

lleber R. Ilullis, discharged June 15, 1865.

Reuben W. Scoville, bugler.

Stephen J. Moody, discharged ; died at home in Ashtabula.

lIorace Wetmore, discharged to re-enlist as veteran in January, 1864.

David Ham, discharged at Albany, N. Y.

Merritt Woodruff, discharged in September, 1862.

Audrew Wetherell, discharge October 3, 1:64.

Charles A. Megnes, discharged at the close of the war.

Patrick Regan, discharged October 5, 1864.

Seth Patterson, wounded ; discharged September 21, 1864.

Lewis Shepherd, transferred to the navy. William 11. Sammes, transferred to the navy.

Chauncey $. Leonard, discharged at the close of the war.

Willard D. Turner, died at his home In Saylook.

William W. Armstrong, discharged June _ 1, 1865.

Edward M. Mann, wounded in action at Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863.

SIXTH WISCONSIN INFANTRY.

COMPANY C.

Luke E. Parsons, discharged at Madison, Wisconsin, July 15, 1864, at expiration of a term of three years' service.

COMPANY G. Raudolph O. Wright, missing in action at Antletam, Md, Sept. 17, 1862.

THIRD WISCONSIN CAVALRY. COMPANY A.

George C. Crosby, discharged at Madison, Wisconsin, January 30, 1865.

FIRST MICHIGAN LIGHT ARTILLERY. LOOMIS' BATTERY "A."

Sergeant Henry 11. Kellogg, wounded in action at Chickamauga, Gi., September 20, 1863; discharged May 31, 1864.

23. 7. Low

BIOGRAPHICAL DEPARTMENT.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WADE .*

In West Springfield, Massachusetts, there is a region abounding in beautiful but rugged hills, whose slopes in the early days were devoted to the pasturage of herds and flocks ; and from that circumstance it was called " Feeding Hills Parish." Here the subject of this sketch was born. He commenced with the century, Oc- tober 27, 1800. The present generation have but a faint conception of the con- dition of the country and the hardships endured by that people in those times. His father, Jawies Wade, had been a soldier of the Revolution, and the events of that period had deprived him of the means of supporting a large family and giving them more than the ordinary education afforded by the common schools.

Work was the rule ; schools were few and beyond the reach of many ; children were compelled to share the privations and toil of their seniors. Frank, for so he was then and through all his earlier years familiarly called, lost no opportunity of making himself acquainted with all the books that came with his reach. Hence, when he arrived at maturity he had acquired a fund of historical and general in- formation far superior to many who had enjoyed all the advantages of a higher elassical education. In the fall of 1821, James Wade and his family removed to Andover, in the county of Ashtabula, Ohio. Here Frank was for two years em- ployed in clearing land and with the ordinary work of a farm during the summer, and in the winter as a teacher of common schools.

In the fall of 1823 he assisted in driving a drove of cattle over the mountains to Philadelphia ; and from there he went to Massachusetts, performing the whole distance on foot. His brother James was then a practicing physician near Albany, in the State of New York. Here Frank commenced the study of medicine, but becoming dissatisfied with that profession he abandoned it, and in the fall of 1825 returned to Andover. It was during his stay in the State of New York at this time that, being without funds and finding no other employment for which money could be obtained, he labored for a time, with spade and wheelbarrow, upon the Erie canal, which was then in process of construction. Many years later, Mr. Seward, speaking in the United States senate and alluding to this incident, said, " From whence came the labor that performed that work ? I know but one Amer- ican citizen who worked with spade and wheelbarrow upon those works. Doubt- less there are many others, but I know but one, and he, I am glad to say, is a member on this floor,-Mr. Wade, of Ohio, and one of the most talented members." His younger brother, Edward, who has since for many years ably represented the Cuyahoga distriet in congress, was at that time a student in the law-office of the Hon. Elisha Whittlesey, at Canfield, Ohio.

Frank was induced to join his brother in that office, and at the end of two years was admitted to the bar, at Jefferson, Ashtabula County, Ohio. Herc he com- menced the practice of his profession, and soon acquired the reputation of an acute special pleader and a successful advocate. Joshua R. Giddings was then a lead- ing lawyer, having the largest practice of any attorney in the county. In 1831, Mr. Wade entered into partnership with that gentleman, and they continued to- gether in a large and successful practice in Ashtabula and the adjoining counties until 1838, when Mr. Giddings was elected to congress. In the fall of 1835, Mr. Wade was elected prosecuting attorney for the county of Ashtabula. This was his first publie position, and from that time forward his talents, fidelity, and energy assured him the confidence of the public.

In the fall of the year 1837 the Whig convention nominated him, and he was elected a member of the Ohio State senate. This nomination was made in his absence and without his knowledge or desire. Up to this time the subject of southern slavery, as an element of political and party contention, had scarcely been agitated. Legislation both State and national had all favored the institution, and there existed in Ohio a miserable set of black laws which was the product of the prevailing sentiment of the country. But at the same time the better feelings of human nature could not be wholly suppressed. There were some in the south who saw and felt the injustice of the institution and favored emancipation ; and arrangements had been made by which a settlement of blacks was formed at a place called Red Oak, on the free side of the Ohio river, where those who desired could bring their slaves and emancipate them. This settlement created a feeling of jealousy on both sides of the line. The conservative spirits of the north feared

they might be overrun by the blacks, and the slave-holders were alarmed by any movement which had a tendency to weaken or relax the rigor of the slave systeni or to ameliorate the condition of the slaves. Fugitives from slavery were frequently escaping across the line, and were cither harbored in Ohio, or were aided in their flight to Canada. Thus it happened that, not content with the state of things then existing, in 1838 the legislature of Kentucky sent two commissioners, Messrs. Morehcad and Price,-the one a Whig and the other a Democrat,-to per- suade the legislature of Ohio to pass still more rigorous and effective laws for the return of fugitive slaves. This measure was proposed in the Ohio senate, aud Mr. Wade and only four others arrayed themselves in opposition to its passage. These five senators, of course, could do nothing but obstruct and delay the pas- sage of the measure. But this was so boldly and adroitly done that the commis- sioners sought an interview with Mr. Wadc, in hopes to mitigate his opposition to their scheme.

That meeting was amusing and characteristic. They came with an injured and deprecating air, as though appealing to the better feelings of his nature. They told him of the patriarchal character of the institution, and how slaves were treated by their masters as their own children, and showed the cruelty of sundering such ties of tenderness, and consequently the necessity of muore stringent laws to prevent the evil. Mr. Wade did not see the character of the institution in that light, and in response to Mr. Morehead, the Whig commissioner, he said, " You want us to pass a law to prevent your children from running away. In other words, you want to make us all negro-catchers. Gentlemen, do you engage in this business of negro-catching, yourselves ? I sec you do not. If I were master in Ohio, and found you in this negro-hunting business, I would put you in irons." Price, the Democratic commissioner, cried out, " By heavens ! More- head, he has got us; it is certainly not the most honorable business." So ended the memorable interview. The resistance to the passage of the bill was protracted two days and oue entire night, and a part of another. The following extract from a speech made by Mr. Wade on that occasion may be interesting to those who remember the excitement that followed upon the passage of those fugitive slave laws :

" Though I stand here at two o'clock at night, and after a protracted session since yesterday at nine o'clock in the morning, and though I speak to cars that are deaf and to hearts impervious to a sense of right and justice and liberty, still I will be heard ; and although, from the timid and servile policy that has been manifested by the majority on this floor, I have no hope of arresting the progress of this measure, which shall erc long stamp its supporters with deeper infamy and degradation than did the famous 'alien and sedition laws.' The champions of this measure, like the heroes of old, before taking up the gauntlet in its defense, have thought proper to preface their remarks with a history of their own birth, habits, and education ; and, as I suspected, it appears that they were them- selves born or descended from parents who were born in the murky atmosphere of slavery. Were I to follow their example and speak of so unimportant a sub- ject as myself, I would say that I was born in a land where the accursed system of slavery was unknown ; where the councils of the State were swayed by the great principles of equality ; where right and justice were dccmed the greatest expediency. My infancy was rocked in the cradle of universal liberty, and my parents were of the Revolution. The carliest lesson I was taught was to respect the rights of others and to defend my own; to resist oppression to the death ; neither do nor suffer wrong; to do unto others as I would they should do unto me; and, though my venerated instructors have long since passed away, the God- like principles they taught can never dic ; and when they shall cease to influence my conduct, may my right hand forget its cunning and my tongue clcave to the roof of my mouth !"

The five senators made a gallant but ineffectual resistance. The measure was carried, and slavery triumphed for the time. But the event stamped Mr. Wade as a man of mark, and one of the most fearless and formidable opponents of the slave-power. It brought him into immediate and signal notice, and men came to him from the Red Oak settlement bearing a petition, numerously signed, for a charter establishing an academy to educate the freedmen at that place. On the presentation of the petition a storm broke forth. "Do you know that these are niggers ?" And resolutions were offered to expel him from the senate, so violent

# By C. S. Simonds.

HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.

Were the fechter agunst him for presenting a petition signed by colored men. But while a member of the senate of Ohio he performed noble work in other respects. He was a member of the judiciary committee, and exerted a controlling influence in abolishing imprisonment for debt in Ohio, and also for the passage of a law exetopting certain property from execution.

The legislature was then beset by applications for aid to various public and private enterprises to promote internal improvements in the State, which resulted in what were afterwards known as the " Plunder laws." These he opposed, and thereby incurred violent opposition from members of his own party. In the fall of 1539 he was renominated by the Whig party in the district, in their regular convention. There was a Whig majority in the district of four thousand, but so strong was the pro-slavery feeling in the district, and especially in his own county of Ashtabula, that he was beaten, and a Democrat elected in his place. But during the ensuing two years there was a marvelous change wrought in the feel- ings of the people. During the presidential canvass of 1840 he was prominent in the advocacy of General Harrison for President, and his voice was heard from almost every platform in northern Ohio ; and when the Whig district convention met in 1>41 he was again nominated as a candidate for the Ohio senate hy aecla- mation. The subject of slavery had been discussed, the views of Mr. Wade had become popular in the district, and his election was then triumphant. In the winter of 1-41 and 1842 he resigned the office, but was again elected in the fall of 1542. And during his service in the senate he had the satisfaction of secing the Kentucky black laws crased from the statute-book of the State. He then declined further service, and devoted himself to the practice of his pro- fusion.

In the spring of 1837 he entered into partnership in the practice of law with Rufus P. Ranney, who had previously been a student in his office. The business of that firm was very large, requiring their attendance upon all the courts in several counties in the northeast corner of the State. This partnership continued until Mr. Wade was elected to a judicial position.

In 1841 he was married to Miss Caroline Rosekrans, of Middletown, in the State of Connecticut. By her he has two sons, both of whom performed service for the country in the war of the Rebellion. James F., the oldest son, still re- mains in the cavalry service, where he now holds the commission of major, and has had several brevets for meritorious serviees.

In February, 1847, Mr. Wade was elected by the legislature of the State pre- siding judge of the third judicial eireuit, embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumhull, Mahoning, Portage, and Summit. He entered immediately upon the duties of the office, which he continued to hold until March, 1851, when he was elected to the senate of the United States. The circuit was large, and the dockets of the several courts were very much eneumbered with business when he went upon the heneh, but his high legal attainments and application to business enabled hitu to dispatch the business of the courts with great facility, and he soon became as popular on the beneh as he had previously been at the bar. The intelligence of his election to the United States senate was brought to him in the court-room, while presiding in court at Akron, in Summit county. The papers in the northeastern portion of the State had urged his election to that position ; but still the news of his election came to him wholly unexpected, and like every other official position which he had held it was unsolicited on his part. He did not feel at liberty or disposed to decline the high honor, and assumed its duties and responsibilities. and continued to hold the position for eighteen years, during the most interesting period of the history of the country.

He entered the senate just after the notable compromise measures of 1851. The terrible storm in which those measures had been adopted had been allayed, but not spent. The compaet imposed eternal silence upon the north on the sub- ject of slavery in the councils of the nation. It also laid upon the north the ungracious burden of returning fugitive slaves.

Parties were preparing for the presidential contest. The Whigs had become demoralized by the death of President Taylor, and the trouble and perplexity arising from the administration of President Fillmore. Both of the great national parties gave in their adhesion to the measures of the compromise, and adopted the same plank of eternal silence on the subject of slavery. But there was no silence!

The first day that Mr. Wade took his seat in the American senate, Mr. Foote, of Mississippi, introduced a series of resolutions to confirm what had already been done by congress on the subject of slavery, and upon these resolutions frequent speeches were made during that session. The canvass of 1852 resulted in the election of Franklin Picree to the presidency, and with him a Democratie congress.

Mr. Douglas, chairman of the committee on Territories, reported in favor of the organization of Kansas and Nebraska, leaving the report silent on the subject of slavery. Upon this a fiery debate sprung up; speeches were made by southern

men of the most inflammable character, claiming that the old Missouri Compromise of 1521 should be abrogated. The report was recommitted and amended, con- taining the proposed abrogation of that old national treaty.

After the nomination of General Taylor for the presidency in 1845, a large majority of the Whig party on the Western Reserve revolted and refused to vote for the nominee for the reason that he was a slave-holder, and uniting with the Democrats who were disaffected with the nomination of General Cass by their party, under the name of Free Democrats, supported Martin Van Buren for the presidency. Van Buren, when in the presidential chair, had shown himself mnost subservient to the slave power. MIr. Wade had confidence in General Taylor for uprightness. and believed he could be relied upon for integrity and impartiality: and he therefore zealously supported the slave-holder in preference to the northern man with southern principles, although he was thereby placed in a minority among his own friends and associates. The death of General Taylor elevated Mr. Fillmore to the presidency. Mr. Wade, though sadly disappointed in the course pursued by President Fillmore, still adhered to the Whig party.

He agreed with that party upon the subject of a protective tariff, river and harhor improvements, and other kindred measures, and many of the southern Whigs had proposed to hold generous and moderate sentiments on the subject of slavery, and he hoped that the old Whig party might be instrumental in bringing back the government to the purposes of its founders. He therefore, in 1-52, supported the nomination of General Scott, and vigorously urged his election be- fore the people. In March, 1854, during the agitation of the proposed repeal of the Missouri Compromise, he made a speech in the senate clearly defining his opposition to the measure, and fully demonstrating that the repeal of that act would be fraught with more evil to the country and more danger to its peace than had ever occurred to disturb the harmony of the different sections. He learned from the discussions upon the question that it was to be carried by a combination of the southern Whigs and those who, for the occasion, assumed the name of " National Democrats." At this union for such a purpose his heart siekened. and he gave utterance to his feelings in a speech delivered in the senate on the night of the final passage of the measure. The New York Tribune of that date appropriately called it the " new declaration of independence." In the course of that speech he severed his connection with the Whig party, and bade farewell to his former Whig friends of the south. A short extract from that speech may not be inappropriate. He said, " Mr. President, I do not intend to debate this subject. The humiliation of the north is complete and overwhelming. No southern enemy of the north can wish her deeper degradation. God knows, I feel it keenly enough, and I do not wish to prolong the melancholy speetaele. I have all my life helonged to the great national Whig party, and never yet have I failed, with all the ability I possessed, to support its regular nominations, come from what portion of the Union they might ; and much oftener has it been my lot to battle for a southern than for a northern nominee for the presideney, and when such candidate was assailed by those who were jealous of slave-liolders, and our people did not like to yield the government to such hands, how often have I encountered the violent prejudices with no little hazard to myself. How tri- umphantly would I appeal on such occasions to southern honor, to the magna- nimity of soul which I believed actuated southern gentlemen. Alas! If God will pardon me for what I have done, I will promise to sin no more in that direc- tion. We certainly eannot have any further connection with Whigs of the south. They have rendered sueh connection impossible. An impassable gulf separates us. The southern wing of the old Whig party have joined their fortunes with what is called the 'National Democraey,' and I wish you joy in your new con- nection. To-morrow, I believe, there is to be an eclipse of the sun, and I think it is meet and proper that the sun in the heavens and the glory of this republic should go into obscurity and darkness together. Let the bill then pass; it is a proper occasion for so dark and damning a deed." No words could do justice to the feelings of the man, or the occasion which called them forth. From that time he knew no Whig party. He joined in the organization of the Repub- lican party, and devoted himself earnestly to the advoeaey and support of the principles and measures of that party in congress and before the people from Maine to the Mississippi.

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History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, Part 27

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.) Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : Williams brothers Number of Pages: 458

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 458