USA > Ohio > Lorain County > History of Lorain County, Ohio > Part 10
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"Be it remembered, that, on the 21th day of May, A. D. 1824, at Elyria, in the county of Lorain, in porsuance of a statote law of the State of Ohio, passed on the 10th day of February in the year aforesaid, entitled an 'Act regulating the time of holding Judicial Court,' the first Court of Common Pleas, in and for said county of Lorain, was opened in due form by the Sheriff thereof, Josiah Harris: holding said Court, Georgo Todl, President of the Court of Common Pleas for the third circuit in said State, in which circuit is the said county of Lorain, and his asso- ciates, Moses Eldred, Henry Brown and Frederick Hamlin, before which Court the following proceedings were had, to wit: Woolsey Welles, an Attorney of Record in the Court, was appointed the attorney to prose- cute the pleas of the State for this county during the pleasure of the Court. "
The first official act of this court was the appoint- ment of administrators upon the estate of Almond Holcomb, deceased. Lucinda Holcomb, widow of the deceased, and Edward Durand, were appointed.
Before the court proceeded to the general business of the session Woolsey Welles was appointed clerk, during the pleasure of the court. The first suit was for the recovery of fourteen hundred and twenty- seven dollars and twenty-seven cents. Simon Nichols, plaintiff, and Thomas G. Bronson, defendant. Judg- ment was rendered for the plaintiff. The second day of the session Ebenezer Whiton was appointed clerk of the court of common pleas, and Woolsey Welles was discharged from further attendance as clerk.
The following gentlemen composed the first
GRAND JURY,
who were duly sworn, charged by the court, and sent out:
Benjamin Brown, Eliphalet Redington, Heman Ely, Phineas Johnson, Mahel Osburn, Edward Durand, Ilarry Redington, Gardner Howe, Erastus Hamlin, Simon Nichols, Silas Willmot, Thomas G. Bronson, James J. Sexton, Abraham Moon and Thomas T. Phelps; lleman Ely, foreman.
The grand jury returned into court, and having no business before it, was discharged from further attendance.
Edward Durand was appointed county surveyor.
At the September term, 1831, Lewis Ely, Jr., was appointed deputy clerk.
September term, 1826, Ebenezer Whiton was appointed clerk of the court of common pleas for the period of seven years, "if so long he shall behave well."
At the March term, 1830, Hon. Reuben Wood took his sent as presiding judge, with the same associates as before given. Heman Ely became associate judge the fall of 1830. April, 1831, Josiah Harris and E. W. Hubbard, associate judges. Fall of 1833, Hon. Matthew Burchard was presiding judge. Spring of 1831, Hon. Ezra Dean was presiding judge; Heman Ely, Josiah Harris and Franklin Wells associate judges. Spring of 1835, Ozias Long was associate judge. Daniel .I. Jolins was associate judge in 1837, and from this time until the spring of 1839 the record is missing. In 1840, Ilon. Joho W. Willey became presiding judge. Judge Willey died in office July 9, 1811, and the Ilon. Reuben Hitchcock was appointed to fill the vacancy until the next spring term, when we find, January 22, 1812, Hon. Benjamin Bissell presiding judge, with Frauklin Wells, Daniel J. Johns and Joseph L. Whiton associates. In the May term, 1815, Elijah De Witt and Daniel T. Baldwin became associate judges. In the April term, 1848, Benjamin C. Perkins was an associate judge. In the May term, 1819, llon. Philemon Bliss was presiding judge, and William Day, associate.
In 1852, upon the adoption of the new Constitution, the office of associate judge was abolished, and that of Judge made elective. The following is a complete list of the gentlemen who have presided as judge, from the above year until the present, with dates of their election :
1852, Ilon. Samuel Humphreyville; 1857, Hou. James B. Carpenter; 1858, Hon. Thomas Bolton; 1859, Hon. William H. Canfield; 1802, Hons. John S. Green and Stevenson Burke. The last named resigned in 1869, and Hon. Washington W. Boynton was appointed to fill vacancy, who served, it appears by the journal, until 1827, when John C. Hale, the present incumbent, was elected, and Mr. Boynton was elevated to the Ohio supreme bench.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
The following residents of Lorain have occupied seats in the lower house of Congress:
1813 to 1815-Edward S. Hamlin.
1851 to 1853 Norton S. Townshend.
1857 to 1859-Philemon Bliss.
1871 to 1879-James Monroe.
Lorain has been represented at Columbus by the following
STATE SENATORS.
1825 to 1830-Reuben Wood.
1830 to 1833-Joseph W. Willey.
1833 to 1835-Frederick Whittlesey.
1535 to 1836-John W. Allen.
1836 to 1838-James Moore.
1838 to 1840-Hemau Birch.
1810 to 1842-James S. Carpeuter.
1812 to 1814-Josiah Harris.
1844 to 1846-John Codding.
1846 to 1848- Nathan P. Johnson.
1848 to 1850-Harrison G. Blake.
1850 to 1852-Aaron Pardee.
1852 to 1856-Nortou S. Townshead.
1856 to 1860-Ilerman Canfield.
1560 to 1861-James Monroe.
1864 to 1866-Samuel Humphrey ville.
1866 to 1870-L. D. Griswold.
1870 to 1871-James A. Bell.
1871 to 1878-Andrew M. Burns.
STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
1825 to 1827-Leonard Case.
1828 to 1829-Josiah Harris.
1829 to 1830-William Eyles.
1830 to 1831-Josiah Harris.
1831 to 1832-William Eyles.
1832 to 1833-Frederick Whittlesey.
1833 to 1834-Duthan Northrup.
1831 to 1835 -Daniel T. Baldwin.
1835 to 1839 -Eber W. Hubbardl.
1839 to 1840-William Andrews.
1840 to 1812-Albert A. Bliss. 1841- Lorenzo Warner.
1842 to 1843-Richard Warner.
1813 to 1841-Sylvanus l'armely.
1841 to 1846-Nathan P. Johnson.
1846 to 1818-Elalı Park.
14
HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
1%18 to ISID-Norton S. Townshend.
1549 to 1550 Joseph L. Whiton. 1850 to 151-Hiram Thompson. 1851 to 1552-Daniel B. Kinney. 1852 to 1834- Aaron Pardee. 11 to 15G-Walter F. Herrick.
1856 to 1860- James Monroe, INGO to 1862 Walter F. Herrick and John M Vincent. 1862 to 1866- Sidney S. Warner. 1866 to 1868-W. W. Boynton.
1970-J Strong.
1865 to 1572-Joseph HE. Dickson, 1872 to 1874 Heman Ely. 1871 to 1876 John H. Faxon. 1876 to 1StS-Lucius Herrick.
PROBATE JUDGES.
This office was created by the new constitution, and agreeably to its provisions an election was held in October, 1851, at which time Phile- mon Bliss was chosen to fill it for Lorain County. He was commis- sioned by Governor Reuben Wood January 17, 1852, and entered upon the duties of the office March 3, IS2. His first official aet bears date March 5, 1554, and was the granting of a license to the Reverend William O'Conner, a priest of the Catholic faith, authorizing him to sulemnize marriage contracts. Judge Bliss was succeeded by William F. Lockwood, whose commission was signed by Governor William Medill, and bears date November 11. 1854. Judge Lockwood resigned, and Lionel A, Sheldon was appointed, His eumission. which was signed by Governor Salmon P. Chase, bears date Novem- ber 20, 1556. Judge Sheldon was succeeded by Charles H. Publittle. wbo was commissioned October 26, 1857. His commission was also signed by Governor Chase, Judge Doolittle was followed by John W. Steele, who was commissioned December 19, 1867, his commission being signed by Jacob D. Cox, as governor. Judge Steele resigned, and the present incumbent, Laertes B. Smith, succeeded bim. Judge Smith was commissioned by Governor Rutherford B. Hayes, May 26, 1871, and assumed the duties of the office June first of that year.
COUNTY CLERKS.
As previously mentioned, Ebenezer L. Whiton was really the first gen- theman who filled the position of clerk of the court of common pleas for Lorain county. He served until 1536, when E. H. Leonard succeeded him, and continued to occupy the office nntil 1811, when George H. Benliam was elected to the position. Mr. Benham was succeeded in 1817 by Myron R. Keith, who, in 1852, was followed by Landon Rood. In 1858 Roswell G. Horr assmned the duties of the office, and continuing until 1864, when William 1. Briggs was elected and the fact of his having held the office continuously until the fall of Isas is conclusive evidence of his fitness for the place. To him and also to his worthy companion who has ably assisted in the duties of the office, we wish to express our thanks for material aid in the preparation of the official roster. Henry J. Lewis is the clerk eleet and will succeed Dr. Briggs.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.
We have seen that Woolsey Welles was appointed to this position in 1524. He served two years and resigned. Frederick Whittlesey succeeded him. In 1:32, J. W. Willey was appointed. In 1833, Frederick Whittlesey, came in; served two years; was followed in in 1835 by E. S. Hamlin; and he, in 1836, by Elijah Parker, for one year. He was succeeded by Joel Tiffany; and his successors are as follows: 1810, E. H. Leonard; 1811, Joel Tiffany; 1819, E. S. Hamlin: 1844, Horaer A. Tonny; 1865, Joel Tiffany; 1846, William F. Lockwood; 1850, John M. Vincent; 154, Joseph H. Diekson; 150, John M. Vincent: 1858, George Olmsted, who resigned; and W. W. Boynton was appointed to fill vaeaney. Mr. Boynton was elected the fall of 1859. He was succeeded by John C. Hale, in 1453. Charles W. Johnston was elected in 1869; and his successor, who was elected in 18;3, is George C. Metcalf, the present ineuni. bent, a man every way capable and worthy.
AUDITORS.
Contemporaneous with the birth of the county of Lorain, Sherman Minutt assumed the duties and responsibilities of auditor. He retained the position until Henry C. Minott was appointed, and afterward elreted. He was succeeded in 1835 by Edward Durand. 1n 1836, Luther D Griswold was elected: and in 1838, Edward Durand again became the incumbent, and served until 1812, when we find John Sherman occupying the office. The following were his sue eessors: In 151, Landon Rood; in 1851, George Clifton; in 1855, William H. Root; in 1861, Richard Day; in 1863, Mozart Gallup; in 10, E. G. Johnson; and in IS;, Orville Root, who still retains the office .;
TREASURERS.
Upon the permanent organization of the county, E. West was appointed its treasurer, and held the office one year. Following are the names of the gentlemen who have occupied this position, with date of elec- tion or appointment : 1825, Heman Ely : 1827, F. W. Whittlesey; 1850, Elihu Cooley ; 1835, Charles Chaney ; 1810, Elijah De Witt ; 1841, Henry M. Warner; 1815, Henry B. Kelsey; 1849, S. D Hinman; 1803. C. S. Goodwin (deceased in the spring of 150 and N. B. Gates was ap- pointed to till vaenney until the fall election, when JJohn II. Boynton was elected); 1560, William E. Kellogg; 1861, M F. Hamilin; 1868, John H. Boynton; 1829, Isaae M. Johnson, and, in IST, the present incumbent, William A. Braman.
RECORDERS.
Ebenezer Whiton was first recorder of Lorain county, and his first offi- vial act was to record a dred from Benjamin Pritchard to Anna Merrills, conveying a parcel of land containing thirty and three- fourths aeres, situated in township number six, range eighteen, in the county of Huron, and bring part of lot number thirty-one. This instrument was acknowledged on May 10, 1823, before Isaac Mills, J. P. ; was witnessed by 1. Mills and Mary Mills, and endorsed " Re- ceived April 13, 1521, and recorded May 11, 1521, on page one, book 'A,' Lorain county record of deeds." Mr. Whiton deerased in 1831, aod Eliphalet Il. Leonard was appointed to fill vacancy ; 1837, E. O. Foot; 1810. H B. Kelsey; 180, Elah Park; 1>13, Cyrus E. Bas- sett; 1849, John B. Northrop; 1852, Henry S. Rockwood; 1861, Henry D. West: 1864, William H. Tueker, and, in 1873, the present ineum- bent, John Blanchard, was elected. Mr. Blanchard was one of the noble army who went out to do battle for the flag, and lost his right forearm in its support on the bloody field of Stone river, December 26, 1863.
CORONERS.
The first record we are able to proc re is in the year 1822. James J. Sexton then filled the office. The following is a complete list: 1830, Edwin Byington; 1832, William N. Rare; 1834, Justin Williams; 1×3;, Orson J. Humphrey: 1838, Otis Briggs; 1843, Ransom Gibbs; 1814, Philip L. Goss; 1810, Hezekiah Brooks; 1819, John S. Stranahan ; 1852, William S. Hopkins; 1853, Herrick Parker; 1857, Clark Eldred; 1862. Nahum B. Gates; 1865, Otis Briggs; IST0, John HI. Faxon; 1872, Hiram Patterson, who is the present incumbent.
SURVEYORS.
1821, Edward Durand: 1835, J. E. Truman: 1838, John Sherman; 1849, John H. Faxon: 1943, C. G. Cole; 1816, Joseph Swift, Jr. ; 1814, Schuyler Putnam; 1955, John H. Faxon; 1456, Joseph Swift, Jr .; 1877, L. F. Ward, present ineninbent.
SHERIFES.
The name of Josiah Harris, who was first sheriff, occurs the last time Detober 10, 1433. William N. Race, coroner, acted as sheriff until November, 1834, when the name of E. Griffith appears as sheriff. Mr. Grithth was succeeded by Edwin Byington in 1SS6. Natum B. Gates was sheriff in 1838; E. Byington in 1822: John H. Faxon in 1844; William Patterson in 1848; John Il. Boynton in 1850; Ashbel Culver in 1851; S. W. Lincoln in 1856; 1I. E. Burr in 1859: Milo Harris in 1863: resigned, and W. W. Dyer, coroner, filled the vacancy until 1805, when Mark Hitchcock was elected. He was succeeded by X. l'eek, in 1869; and he by R. E. Braman, in 1570; and he again by Charles Stone, in 1877, who is the present inenmbeut. H. E. C'orning, sheriff elect, succeeds Mir. Stone January 1, 1879.
COMMISSIONERS.
The first meeting of the commissioners of Lorain county was held at Elyria, on the 21th day of May, 1524. Present: John S. Reid, Asha- bel Osborne, and Benjamin Bacon. Their first official aet was the appointment of Edmund West as county treasurer, who gave hond in the sum of three thousand dollars, for the faithful discharge of his duties. At the following June session, we find the record of the establishment of a road, as follows: "Beginning in the highway, a little easterly of the dwelling house of Walter Crocker, in Black River township, thence running in the most convenient route near the dwellings of Frederick and Daniel Onstine, thener across Beaver creek, near the house of Mr. Rice, thener to intersect the North Ridge road, so called, a little eastwardly of the dwelling house of Mr. Ormsby." 1822, Judson Wadsworth succeeded Osborne, as commissioner. The entire succession of incumbents to this office is given in the following list: 1830, Bacon, Wadsworth, and Milton Garfield; 1831, Wadsworth , Garfield, and Samnel Crocker; '1839, Wadsworth, Crocker, and George Bacon, Jr. ; 1834, Creeker, Bacon, and Jolm Laborie; 1835, Bacon, Laborie and Jonathan Rawson; 1836, Laborie, Rawson and Conrad Reid; 1837, Rawson, Reid and Leonard
45
HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
II. Loveland; 1838, Reid, Loveland, and Ashley S. Root; 1839, Love- land, George Sibley, and William Day; 1840, Sibley, Pay, and Rehisa Close: 1511, Day, Close, and Simon Nichols; 1813, Close, Nichols, and James M. Clark; 1814, Clark, C. Orisby, and Uriah Thompson; 1815, Clark, Thompson, and Eliphalet Redington; 1816, Thompson, Redington, and John Conant; 1847. Redington, Conant, and Harry Terrell; 1848, Conant, Terrell, and George Bacon; 1849, Terrell, Bacon, and Samuel Knapp; 1850, Bacon, Knapp and o J. Ilumphrey ; 1×51, Knapp, Humphrey, and John B. Robertson; 1852, Hmuphrey, M. B. Belden, and Asa Hamilton: 1833, Belden Hamilton and ot:s Briggs: 1551, Hamilton, Briggs, and I. H. Dudley; 1855, Briggs, Dudley and (. G. Cole; 1856, Briggs, Code, and J. HI Dudley; 1857, Briggs, Cole, and Darwin Dyer; 1858, Briggs, Dyer, and A. Lumm; 1559, Dyer, Lunun, Wi liam Patterson; 1860, Dyer, Patterson, and Charles S. Aiken; 1861, Dyer, Patterson, and Tabor Wood; 1863, Dyer, Wood, and Thomas Churchward; 1863, Wood. Churchward, and Parwin Dyer: 1861, Wood, Dyer, and George (lifton: 1865, Wood, ('lifton, and Reuben Eddy : 1866, same: 1867, Clifton, Eddy. and B. S. Corning; 1865, Eldy, Corning, and William A. Braman; 1869, Corn- ing, Laurel Beebe, and L. W. Bates; 1870, same; 1821, Corning, Bates, and Lneins Herrick: 1822, somr; 1823, Corning, Herrick, and James Lees; 1874, Corning, Herrick, and William II. Root; 1865, Corning. Herrick, and Charles S. MIIls; 1826, Herrick, Mills, and S. B. Dudley : 1826, Mills, Dudley and A. D. Perkins,
COUNTY INFIRMARY.
On March 17, 1866, Tabor Wood, George Clifton and Reuben Eddy, county commissioners, purchased of Joseph Swift, Ir., one hundred and sixty-one avres of land in Carlisle township, for an infirmary farm, paying therefor ten thousand five hundred dollars. On January 8, 1867. the contract for the erection of a suitable building for the use of the poor of Lorain county, was awarded to John Childs, of Elyria, and Samuel C. Brooks, of Cleveland, for the sum of thirty- seven thousand five hundred dollars, and on Septem- ber 10, 1868, the building was completed and accepted by the commissioners. The contractors, however, having done extra work, were paid thirty eight thous- and five hundred dollars. The main building is one hundred and twenty-three by forty-six feet, three stories in height. In the center and rear of the main building is a wing thirty-two by seventy-tive feet and two stories high,-the whole containing one hundred and twenty rooms.
INFIRMARY DIRECTORS.
The commissioners appointed in 1868, Isane S. Metcalf, Samnel Phuninh, and Lucius Herrick, directors; 1869, Metcalf. Herrick, and Joseph Swift, Jr., were elected; 1500, Metcalf, Swift, aud J. II. Hurlbert 1971, same: 1879, same; 1873, Swift resigned and John Chamberlain was elected to fill the vacancy-the others were Metcalf and Joseph B Clark; 1874, sam -; 1875, Clark, S. D. Bacon and Isaac S. Straw. These gentlemen still occupy the position.
SUPERINTENDENT OF INFIRMARY.
September 11, 1868, Tabor Vincent was elected, and he confined as such until March, 1876, when he died, and was succeeded by the presen superinteudeut, Hiram Patterson,
CHAPTER XII. THE BAR OF LORAIN COUNTY.
At the organization of the county, in 1824, there was scarcely what could be called a bar.
The history of the bar of Lorain county begins properly with the organization of the county, in the year 1824. It is worthy of mention, however, that.
there had resided in the county, prior to that time. a lawyer who subsequently rose to great eminence in the profession in Ohio. We refer to EBENEZER LANE, who came to Elyria not long after the original settle- ment, in 1812, and while that part of the present Lorain county, which lies west of the East Branch of Black river constituted a part of Huron county. Hle was elected prosecuting attorney of Huron county in the spring of 1819, but continued to reside in Elyria until October 10, of the same year, when he removed lo Norwalk for the more convenient discharge of his official duties. He rose rapidly in his profession; and in 1831 occupied a seat upon the supreme bench, which he continued to hold until 1845. His decisions are reported in volumes tive to thirteen, inclusive, of the Ohio reports.
At the organization of the court of common pleas of Lorain county, May 24, 1824, Your gentlemen competed for the appointment of prosecuting attor- ney from the court. These were WOOLSEY WELLS, ELIJAH PARKER, EBENEZER ANDREWS and REUBEN MUSSEY. Mr. Welles was the successful candidate. " Not," says Mr. Welles, in a recent letter, " because I was the best lawyer, but because I had more inthu- ential friends to recommend me to the court."
Mr. ANDREWS must have left the county about that time, as there is nothing in the records of the court to show that he was practising here at any subsequent time. His name appears in only a single case, and that in 1829.
The other three gentlemen above named, with Frederick Whittlesey, who came shortly afterwards, seem to have constituted the resident bar of this county until about 1831.
Mr. PARKER, the oldest of these, was born June 22. 1119. Hle came to Ohio from Vermont at a very early day. The date of his arrival we have been unable to ascertain: but he was in Elyria as early as 1823. Hle remained in Elyria until his death, April 2, 1859. His health in later years was poor, and he would seem, from the records, not to have practiced any after about 1854. He held the office of justice of the peace several times, and that of prosecuting attorney of the county during the years 1836 and 1837.
REUBEN MUSSEY, the father of Henry E. Mussey, who is still a resident of Elyria, was born in Dover, N. Il., October 14, 1785. He was admitted to prac- tive as an attorney-at-law at Albany, N. Y., January 17, 1818, and as a counsellor January 12, 1821. Prior to his removal to Ohio he resided at Sandy Hill. Washington county, N. Y., where he was a partner with Judge Skinner in the practice of the law. Dur- ing this period Silas Wright was a student in their office. Mr. Massey settled at Elyria in the spring of 1825, having previously located temporarily in Elyria, Norwalk and Cleveland, and continued to reside there (Elyria) until the fall of 1837, devoting himself dur- ing the time exclusively to the practice of his profes- sion, and to the duties of the office of justice of the peace, which he held two or three terms within that
* By 1', Il. Boynton.
46
HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, O1110.
period. During his residence in Elyria, Mr. Mussey did a large business, comparatively, though, of course the whole business was small compared with that of later years. He was a well-educated, thorough lawyer, and a genial, kind-hearted man, On leaving Elyria, in the aution of 1837, he went to Logansport, In- diana, where he remained about a year and a half, when he removed to Kishwaukee, IL .. where he was joined by his family, which, up to that time, had con- tinned lo reside in Elyria. His death occurred at Kishwaukee, October 14, 1843.
WOOLSEY WELLES, the first prosecuting attorney of Lorain county, was born in Lanesboro, Berkshire county, Mass., May 26, 1802. He received an aca- demic education at Lewisville, Lewis county, N. Y., and Ulica, Oneida county, N. Y., and removed to Cleveland, Ohio, in September, 1819. He immedi- ately commenced reading law in the office of Kelly and Cowles, in that city, and was admitted to the bar in 1823. In the fall of the same year he removed to Elyria and entered upon the practice of his profession, He remained in Elyria about two years (receiving, as he says, sixty dollars per your for prosecuting the pleas of the State), when he removed to Akron, where he had been appointed collector of canal tolls. This office he held abont a year, and then resigned it be- cause he was required to attend to its duties on the Sabbath. He was also appointed postmaster at Akron by President John Q. Adams, and held that position until the second Term of President JJackson, in the latter part of which he resigned. He also held the office of justice of the peace in Akron about four and a half years and resigned it in 1834, at which time he commenced traveling over the State as agent of the Ohio State Temperance Society, of which Governor Lucas was president. He continued this about a year, when he returned to Elyria and re-entered the practice of the law in partnership with Heman Birch, Esq. In the fall of 183; he removed to Cleveland, where he spent three years in the practice, at the end of which he returned to Elyria and again opened a Jaw office. He remained at Elyria this time some eight or ten years. During this time he took part as an anti-slavery man in the agitations of the question of slavery; but his success at the practice of law was meager, partly, no doubt, on account of the prejudice excited against him by his anti-slavery sentiments. At the end of this time, through the agency of Dr. N. S. Townshend, whom the Freesoilers had suc- eveded in electing to the legislature, he received the appointment of agent of the State for the sale of Western Reserve school lands, and removed to Deli- ance, where he continued to reside about nine years, after which he was appointed to an lowa land agency and removed to Fort Dodge, in that State, where he still resides at the ripe age of seventy-seven years.
FREDERICK WHITTLESEY was born at Southington, Com., December 22, 1801. From the court records, he would seem to have come to Elyria about 1827, and continued to reside there, holding a prominent
position at the bar until 1835. He held the office of prosecuting attorney several years doing that time, and twice represented Lorain county in the Legisla- tare. He continued to reside in Cleveland until his death, which occurred November 13, 1854. During his residence there, he held the office of clerk of the courts of Cuyahoga county. and afterward of associate judge of the court of common pleas. He also repre- sented Cuyahoga county in the State senate. Mr. Whittlesey was a well-educated, thorough lawyer, and always acquitted himself creditably both at the bar and on the bench. He gave great satisfaction to the bar of Cuyahoga county while acting as associate judge, an office not generally filled by lawyers; and his opinions were received with quite as much respect as those of the presiding judge. While in Elyria, Mr. Whittlesey, for a short time, added to his professional labors those of an editor, having charge of the Lorain Gurette, The first newspaper published in Lorain county, which was established in 1829. Mr. Whitle- ser's example in this respect was followed by quite a large number of his successors in the practice of the law at Elyria. Of their career as journalists, however, very little or nothing will be said in this connection, but the reader is referred to the chapter upon the press of the county, where it will be set out in full.
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