USA > Ohio > Knox County > History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present > Part 45
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David Wesley Wood, read law with Judge A. K. Dunn, of Mount Gilead, and was admitted to the bar in 1868, and to practice in Knox county in 1869.
Alfred R. McIntire commenced studying law, April 1, 1867, with the late Judge Hurd; was ad- mitted to the bar in 1869, and has followed his profession ever since. D. B. Kirk, the law partner of Mr. McIntire, is a son of the Hon. R. C. Kirk, and a native of Mount Vernon.
John Byron Waight, read law with Lewis Lewton, esq., of Cadiz, Ohio, and was admitted to the bar at Carrolton, Ohio, June, 1873. In January, 1874, he opened an office at Mount Vernon, where he has since been practicing. January, 1880, the council appointed him city solicitor, to which posi- tion he was elected by the people in April, 1880.
Frank R. Moore was educated in the city schools, and read law with Messrs. Cooper, Porter & Mitch- ell, and was admitted to the bar in 1875. Mr. Moore was elected prosecuting attorney in 1878, and re-elected in 1880.
Clark Irvine, jr., studied law with his father. He was elected prosecuting attorney in 1874, and re- elected in 1876. At the State Democratic conven- tion held at Cleveland, in 1880, he was elected a member of the Democratic State Central commit- tee, and secretary of that body, and also of the ex- ecutive committee.
William McKee Koons read law under Willianı McClelland, and was admitted to the bar July I, 1874. In his youthful days he learned the trade of machinist and drafting. In 1871, September, he was elected by the city council as city fire en- gineer, and continued as such until January, 1876. He was elected city solicitor April, 1876, and again in April, 1878, but resigned January, 1880. In the fall of 1879 he was elected a member of the Ohio house of representatives, which position he now. holds.
Charles Austin Merriman read law at the Ann Arbor law school; was admitted to the bar in Michigan, in 1876, and the same year in Ohio.
Frank C. Lewis was educated in the city schools, commenced reading law December 6, 1876, with H. H. Greer, and was admitted to the bar at Columbus February 6, 1878.
Sidney Wood began reading law in 1873 with his brother, D. W. Wood, and July 22, 1879, was admitted to the bar at Mount Gilead; also on the 29th of September, same year, to the bar of Indi- ana. In May, 1880, he formed a partnership with his brother, in Mount Vernon.
Frank Harper graduated from the city high school, June 22, 1877. He read law with Colonel W. C. Cooper; was admitted to the bar July 7, 1879, and has since practiced his profession.
Charles W. Doty came to Mt. Vernon with his parents in 1863. He read law in the office of Gen- eral Morgan, and was admitted to the bar July 7, 1879.
A. B. Norton studied law with Colonel W. C. Cooper. He was admitted to practice in the supreme court at Columbus, January 6th, 1880.
A few members of the bar of Knox county went away from time to time to seek their fortunes in other fields, and some of these have became promi- nent in State and national affairs. Among them were Daniel S. Norton, jr., and William Windom, who left Mount Vernon about the same time, and cast their fortunes with the good people of the new State of Minnesota. Mr. Norton was born in this city, and Mr. Windom was a native of Middlebury township. Both settled in Winona. After a short residence in Minnesota, Mr. Windom was elected to the lower house of Congress. Mr. Norton, a few years later, was elected by the legislature a member of the United States senate. After a few years' service in that body with credit to himself and State, he died. Mr. Windom was elected his suc- cessor, and is now Secretary of the Treasury. He was, within the past year, frequently suggested as an available candidate for the Presidency.
Lafayette Emmett, a native born citizen of Mount Vernon, took up his residence in the same State while it was still a territory. After a short resi- dence lie was elevated to the bench of the supreme court.
6
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
James Smith, jr., a son of the late Rev. James Smith, was admitted to practice in 1839. From that time up to 1856 he was an eminent member of the Knox county bar, and for many years practiced in company with the late Colonel Joseph W. Vance, who was killed at the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, April 8, 1864. In 1856 Mr. Smith took up his residence in St. Paul, and entered into partnership with Judge Lafayette Emmett. He was a member of the Minnesota senate in 1861, 1862, 1863, and 1865. He is now attorney for the St. Paul and Duluth land department.
A. Banning Norton took up his residence in Texas about 1857. He has been a member of the Texas legislature, postmaster at Dallas, and has twice been judge of the United States circuit court. A. Baldwin Norton entered the army and served as an efficient officer during the war of the Rebellion. He died a few years since while acting as superintendent of a number of tribes of western Indians.
Walter L. Simons located in Kansas, and was soon after elected to the State senate. William F. Turner went west, and became chief justice of Arizona. Fletcher W. Sapp, after practicing in Knox county a number of years, located in Iowa. He soon rose to eminence in his adopted State. He was appointed United States district attorney by the President, and served as colonel of an Iowa regiment during the War of the Rebellion. He is now serving a second term in congress. Henry B. Banning is mentioned in the military history of the county. He was a member of the lower house of congress, serving three terms.
Robert B. Mitchell, in 1846, shortly after his ad- mission to the bar, volunteered for the Mexican war, and was elected first lieutenant of his com- pany. He served until the close of the war, and came home in 1848. After practicing here some years, he went west. He served through the war of 1861, and came out a major-general. While stationed in New Mexico, on the retirement of Governor Geary, he became acting governor of that territory. David A. Robertson left Mount Vernon and located in Lancaster. In 1850 he re- moved to St. Paul. A more extended notice of this gentleman will be found elsewhere.
James G. Chapman read law with Hon. H. B. Cur-
tis, and subsequenly formed a co-partnership with that gentleman. As an attorney in the great sheep- slaughtering case, about twenty-five years since, Chapman committed an unfortunate faux pas that worried him considerably, and some think it was the real cause of his going west. Be that as it may, the slaughter-pen became a nuisance, and the citizens made an effort to have it abated. The trial was a great one, and created considerable in- terest. Chapman was defending the sheep man, and thought the killing of so many sheep for their pelts and lard would result beneficially to the county, as it created a great demand for sheep. Chapman went west and became a member of the Nebraska legislature, and is doing well in his new home.
Julius B. Galusha was a student with Hon. Samuel Israel, and after his admission to the bar, became his partner. He removed to Monroe, Wisconsin, and became cashier of one of the banks there.
Caleb J. McNulty came to Mount Vernon from Zanesville about 1838. He is noticed elsewhere. William T. Curtis, a son, and William S. V. Pren- tiss, a step-son, of the late Hosmer Curtis, were in practice a short time about 1850. Young Curtis wandered off to Oregon, and Prentiss to Colum- bus, Ohio. Both are now dead.
Walter H. Smith is a citizen of Washington city, and was at one time solicitor of the United States treasury, and held an important position in the interior department. Mr. Smith is a well-read lawyer, and stood high in the profession here.
Louis H. Mitchell is one of the Knox county boys, who, while still a student in the city high school, left his books, took up a musket, and served through the War of the Rebellion. He was a first lieutenant in the regiment of Colonel Vance. After his return home he entered the law office of Colonel W. Cooper, studied the allotted time, was admitted to practice, and entered into partner- ship with Colonel Cooper and Henry T. Porter. A few years since he removed to Chicago, and is doing well. There was another young Mitchell, Louis Y., who entered the army, fought through the war, and came out captain, studied law, and was duly admitted to practice. Several years ago he received an appointment in one of
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
the departments at Washington, D. C. Frank Green's career can be stated in the same words as that of young Mitchell. Captain W. A. Coulter came to Mount Vernon from Delaware, Ohio. He had served in the war, and was a promising young lawyer, building up quite a practice in this county. About three years since he took up his residence at Detroit.
John J. Lennon is by birth a native of Canada. In 1861 he enlisted in a New York regiment, and served through the war with some distinction. About 1872 he came here from Wooster, Ohio, and commenced reading law. Shortly after, he was appointed superintendent of some Government work in the south, where he remained something over a year, when he returned to Mount Vernon, finished his law course and was admitted to prac- tice. In the early part of 1880 he removed to Columbus and formed a partnership with a lead- ing lawyer in that city.
Of those members of the bar who still hold their residence in Mount Vernon, space will not permit an extended notice.
John Adams enjoys a high reputation as a law- yer and jurist, and is now serving out his second term as judge of the district court.
Abel Hart, jr., at one time a partner of Judge Adams, is a lawyer of considerable ability. He has been twice elected prosecuting attorney. In 1876 and again in 1878 he represented the people of the county in the lower house of the State legislature.
Henry T. Porter is a native of Knox county, and has been in practice many years. Saniuel Israel is a lawyer of long standing and high repute. His health for the past few years, requires him to devote himself to out-door labor.
J. D. Critchfield and J. B. Graham, doing busi- ness together, are establishing a large and paying legal business. Both are natives of the county, and both graduates of Kenyon college. John M. Critchfield, a son of Peres Critchfield, is a native of the county, and a graduate of Kenyon. Hc commenced his legal career in 1879. J. D. & D. F. Ewing, brothers, as well as partners, came to this county from the neighboring county of Holmes, about five years since. J. D. Ewing is now serving his second term as justice of the peace for Clinton
township. Clark Irvine, sr., whose death occurred a few years since, was one of Mount Vernon's early attorneys. In 1850 he was elected prose- cuting attorney, and made an efficient one. He was a man of rare mind and sound judgment. He was almost a self-educated man, and gathered dur- ing his legal career considerable business.
Emmet W. Cotton, although a member of the profession, has paid but little attention to it. He represented Knox county in the legislature during the sessions of 1846 and 1847, and also served the county as surveyor two or three terms. He was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1808, and came to this county in 1823.
John M. Andrews came to Mount Vernon in 1846. He has considerable practice.
B. A. F. Greer, a native of the county, entered the army at the commencement of his professional career, and served through the war of 1861. . He came home broken down in health, caused by ex- posure, and served one term as justice of the peace for Clinton township; also, one term as probate judge of the county. Charles F. Baldwin, although by profession a lawyer, of late years has been en- gaged in other business. For a number of years he was in the employ of the internal revenue de- partment of the General Government. At present he is engaged in the main office of the Pennsylva- nia railroad at Columbus. J. Clark Irvine, a son of the Hon. James C. Irvine, is practicing law in Missouri. A. A. Cassil, a son of Colonel Alexan- der Cassil, William B. Ewalt, R. M. Brown, E. I. Mendenhall, H. Clay Robinson, and Samuel Kun- kell, are all members of the bar. Mr. Cassil is city civil engineer of Mount Vernon. Mr. Mendenhall devotes his time and attention to the collecting and agency branch of the profession. Mr. Robinson follows the same line. Mr. Brown is mostly en- gaged in the collecting branch. Mr. Kunkell was admitted to the bar in 1879; his law preceptor be- ing General G. W. Morgan. Before his admission he was twice elected county recorder. Samuel W. Farquhar was a member of the bar, but his time, while a resident of the county was entirely spent in some county office. He is now a citizen of Iowa. Samuel F. Gilcrist, about 1850, was a prominent attorney. He represented the district of Holmes and Knox in the State legislature in that year, and
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
was elected probate judge in 1852. He moved west and died. Mr. R. S. Lockwood and a Mr. McIntyre opened a law office in the old market house about 1850. Mr. Lockwood was a preacher, also, and was at one time mayor of the city. Some years since he went west. About two years since he came back sick, and died. Mr. McIntyre, also went west. Josephus Ricketts was also a law- yer here about 1850.
The bar of Knox county has already furnished one governor, two United States senators, eight members of the lower house of Congress, six State senators, ten representatives to the lower house, five judges of circuit courts, four probate judges, one United States attorney, one commissioner of internal reve- nue, one Secretary of the Interior, one solicitor of the United States treasury, one clerk of the lower house of Congress, one foreign minister, two for- eign consuls, one Indian superintendent, two major generals in the United States army, one brigadier general in the United States army, one State mar- shal, three members of Constitutional conventions. As to candidates on State tickets, the bar has fur- nished for governor, one; for judges, of the supreme court, three, and for attorney general, two. There is hardly an office in Knox county below the grade of probate judge that has not been filled by mem- bers of the bar.
Knox county may well feel proud of the record made by her "Bench and Bar."
[NOTE .- More complete sketches of many mem- bers of the Mount Vernon bar may be found in the biographical department of this work.]
CHAPTER XXVII.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS OF THE COUNTY.
FOUR COURT HOUSES-THREE JAILS-TWO INFIRMARY BUILDINGS-MATTERS OF INTEREST CONNECTED WITH THESE BUILDINGS.
I THE court houses of Knox county have been four in number, and in expense of building, mate- rial, architectural beauty, etc., have kept pace with the prosperity and gradually increasing wealth of the people.
The first court house was built of logs about 1808 or 1809, and stood on the public square, near the intersection of Main and High streets, on the south side of High and west side of Main, and facing Main. It was but one story in height; fif- teen by eighteen feet in size; covered with clap- boards, held on by "lug" poles; was lighted by greased-paper windows; with the usual large fire- place and mud chimney at one end; no floor but mother earth, and in all other respects as primitive as it was possible for a court house to be. It was only in existence about three or four years when it was removed and a new one erected.
This second building was made of brick and stood on the north side of and facing High street, and on the public square, not far from and east of Main street. The ground upon which it stood was probably ten or more feet higher than at the pres- ent time, and while grading Main street about 1828, Mr. Norton, the supervisor, plowed so near the foundation as to weaken it; this being the primary cause of its downfall. It was a square building, two stories in height, with a roof sloping from four sides to the centre upon which stood the cupola, or little square box for the bell. It had double doors on the south and west sides, thus facing both Main and High streets.
Regarding this "new" court house the commis- sioner's journal of that time contains this entry:
Solomon Geller and George Downs did receive by subscrip- tion seven hundred and forty-five dollars.
On the tenth of April, 1812, the following entry is made:
The commissioners this day did examine the court house built by George Downs and Geller, and do receive the same.
No sooner is the new court house ready for use than the commissioners become involved in trouble about its occupancy, by different sects, as will be explained by the following entries on the journal :
Whereas, a number of the inhabitants of this county have made application for the use of the court house in Mt. Vernon, for the purpose of occupying the same for preaching and hold- ing public worship therein; it is therefore, ordered that the dif- ferent denominations of Christians are allowed to occupy the same for the aforesaid purpose provided that each denomination shall have the use of the same for one meeting once in four weeks; provided, also, that the different denominations afore- said shall meet and mutually agree upon the time or times they shall hold the same, which shall be in force for one year unless they do not agree on the times they shall hold their meetings aforesaid, and each denomination failing to clean up the house
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
and leave the same in as good repair as they found it within three days, shall forfeit their privilege aforesaid, and shall at all times be liable to make good all damages donc by such denomination at their meeting aforesaid ; and James Smith shall keep the key of the house aforesaid; it is further provided, that each denomination aforesaid shall furnish the said house with .at least fifty feet of good strong benches for the use of the house aforesaid, which shall be left there for the use of all pub- ick business which shall be necessary previous to such denomi- nation occupying the said house for the purpose aforesaid.
Eminently catholic and practical-especially the bench part.
The brethren could not dwell together in unity, and accordingly the commissioners on the eighth of June, 1813, passed this resolution :
. Resolved, That the court house, from this date, beclosed and kept lockt front all denominations except courts.
` This brought about a cessation of hostilities, and again petitions poured in for use of the court house, agreeing to agree as to the time of using it, etc. Thereupon Commissioners Herrod, Cooper, and McMillen, on the twenty-second of June met for the special purpose of ordering "That the court house be opened as formerly, by and under the same rules as formerly."
One difficulty was that the Methodists were un- willing to let the "New Lights," who formerly be- longed to the Methodist church, occupy the court house for the purpose of holding meetings.
On the commissioners' book for July, 1814, ap- pears another item regarding this court house, to the effect that the building is found to need re- pairing, and Solomon Geller purchases the privil- ege of making the repairs for seven hundred and ninety-nine dollars and seventy cents.
The wall of this court house began to crumble about 1828, owing, as before stated, to the dirt being taken away from the foundation in grading; and October 18, 1828, James McGibeny made a contract with the commissioners to build a stone wall to support the building, but it was too late, the building fell. December 2d the commissioners is- sued an order for forty dollars payable to P. S. Brown for loss and damage to his office, caused by the falling of the wall; his office being in the base- ment of the building.
Preparations were immediately made for erecting the third court house; meanwhile the court held its sessions in what was known as the "Golden Swan Inn," then kept by Thomas Irvine, which stood
on the southwest corner of Main and Gambier streets. This tavern was one of the institutions of the town, and a famous place for many years.
This third court house was also of brick, and stood on the public square, on the northwest cor- ner of Main and High streets. It was two stories and a basement in height, and fronted on Main street. The roof projected out over the front of the building and was supported by white, fluted columns. The entrance to the basement was from High street, and the entrance to the court room and first floor was from Main street, by a few steps. A high bank rose in the rear of the building, com- ing up to the second floor on that side, thus allow- ing daylight to enter the basement only on the east and south sides. The basement was rented out for shops and stores, the first floor was used for the court room and one or two offices, and the second floor was devoted to offices.
The following regarding this is from Mr. Nor- ton's history.
The court house was no sooner down than the commissioners ordered proposals to be published in the Standard and Adver- tiser, for the purpose of making donations for the building of a new court house, and for a plan of building, etc. On the twen- tieth of January, 1829, they agreed with Thomas Irvine for his brick house for a court house, at twenty-five dollars per term, in orders on the county treasury. In April, James Smith is notified by Marvin Tracy that the commissioners have obtained Thomas Irvine's bar room for an office. The levy for taxes in Knox county, June, 1829, was one and a half mills on the dollar, on the whole valuation of property in said county, for State purposes, and one and a half for canal purposes, making three mills upon the dollar for State and canal purposes; and the commissioners, by and with the consent of the judges of the court of common pleas, levied a tax of three mills on the dollar for county purposes, one mill for road purposes, and three-fourths of a mill for school purposes, one of the threc mills shall be assessed and collected and appropriated for the building of the court house, and for no other purpose whatever.
At the June session, the following entry is made: " The ac- count of James Smith, presented to the board of commissioners, for one year, from June 1, 1828, to June 1. 1829, including the rent unpaid at last settlement, books and stationery for clerk's office, all of which was rejected by the board. The charges for one year's fire-wood, which was twelve dollars. From which decision the said Smith prays an appeal to the court of common pleas as to the fire-wood." That record is clear, is it not? The resolutions of the commissioners, published in the Standard and Avdertiser, in reference to the building of a court house, represent that "they will meet on the fifteenth of July, for the purpose of receiving donations etc .; giving the public square one thousand dollars; preference for location, etc .; otherwise at any point in the town plat where one thousand dollars is sub- scribed," etc. On the fifteenth of July, the commissioners met,
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
and adjourned till the twenty-fourth of August, to receive dona- tions, etc., for new court house.
On the eleventh of September public notice is given in the Western Aurora and in the Advertiser and Standard, of sale of contract to build a court house, to the lowest bidder, on the fifth of October next, &c. Peris Sprague is authorized to get F G. Carlin, or some other person, to make and draft a plat for the same. This plan, as agreed upon, appears on the jour- nal, specifving that the building is to be erected on the west side of Main street and north side of High street, and that one thousand dollars is to be paid to the contractor on the tenth of January, 1830, and one thousand dollars annually, thereafter, and all orders to be expressly understood to be paid when due and presented. Edward G. Carlin is paid county order for ten dollars, for making plat of new court house, and describing tim- bers, dimensions, &c. Richard House, for assisting Carlin in describing the plan, is paid one dollar and fifty cents.
October 5th. The building of the court house is sold to John Shaw for five thousand four hundred and eighty-five dollars, who enters into bond with Byram Leonard, Philo Norton, Charles Sager, Solomon Geller Thomas Irvine and H. B. Carter, in the sum of ten thousand nine hundred and seventy dollars. Such is the record of the third court house built in Mount Vernon, which stood on the public square until 1853. It was built of brick, two stories high, with a cupola, and a very imposing building in its time. It answered well its part for many years -- may we not say for that generation, as almost all then upon the tage of action have passed hence without day. The supreme court, district and associate judges, the commissioners, sheriff, auditor, assessor, treasurer, surveyor, and coroner, the contractor and his suretics- are all, all dead.
This court house seems also to have been poorly constructed and was partially destroyed by a storm of wind and rain that passed over Mount Vernon, Sunday night, April 9, 1854. The damage, in dol- lars and cents, was estimated at from one thousand five hundred dollars to two thousand dollars. The injury to the building was too severe to warrant re- pairs. The storm came from the southwest, and striking the west gable raised the roof and heavy timbers from their positions, and threw the rafters, shingles, etc., across Main street several hundred feet. The large brick chimneys of the west end were thrown down, and the bricks of the west gable wall blown into the main building itself, with such force that they were carried through both floors of the building, and landed, a mass of rubbish, in the clerk's office in the basement below. The two court rooms were completely demolished. The judges' bench, table, and files of the probate judge were carried below, and there piled together, and mixed in with those of the common pleas court. The clerk of the supreme court, Alexander C. Elliott, was sleeping in his room below at the time, and
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