History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 12

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 626

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

in several railroad and other corporations, and is at present a director and chairman of the finance com- mittee of the C., C., C. & I. R'y Co., and general counsel of the company, and occupies the same posi- tion with reference to the Cleveland and Mahoning Valley R. R. Co., and holds prominent positions in a number of other railroad, mining and manufacturing corporations.

JOHN M. VINCENT was born at Mount Washing- ton, Berkshire county, Mass., October 14, 1820, He came to Ohio in 1834. His collegiate course was begun at Oberlin, but concluded at Union College, Schenectady, New York, where he graduated in 1846. Returning to Elyria, he entered the office of H. D. Clark as a law student, and was admitted to the bar at the supreme court in Elyria August It, 1848. En- tering at onee upon the practice of his profession, he was elected in the fall of the following year to the office of prosecuting attorney of Lorain county, which he held two consecutive terms, being re-elected in 185t. lle was elected to the same office again in 1855 and served one more term. Mr. Vincent was a man of quick and accurate perceptions, a thorough lawyer, a ready and effective debater, and withal a genial, kind-hearted gentleman. With such qualifi- cations he could not but occupy, as he did, a promi- nent position at the bar as long as his health per- mitted him to continue in the practice. lle was elected to the lower house of the State legislature in the autumn of 1859, and served in that body during the session of 1860 and 1861. This legislative work was substantially the last of his life. Failing health forbade his continning in the practice of his profes- sion, and, in the summer of 1863, he went to Minne- sota in hope of improving his health by change of climate; but, finding himself growing rapidly worse, he started to return home, but was compelled to leave the cars at Milwaukee, where he died September 23, 1863, mourned by a large circle of friends and acquain- tances. His wife and son still reside at Elyria.

LIONEL A. SHELDON was born August 30, 1831, at Worcester, Otsego county, New York, and removed with his parents to LaGrange, Lorain county, m 1834. He studied law in the office of Clark & Burke, in. Elyria, and also attended law school at Poughkeepsie, New York, and was admitted to the bar at the supreme court at Elyria, in July. 1851.

In September, 1853, he commenced practice in connection with Mr. Vincent, which partnership lasted some two years. Ile was subsequently asso- ciated, at different times, with George B. Lake, L. B. Smith, and W. W. Boynton. He remained in Elyria, in the practice of his profession, until the breaking out of the war of the rebellion, in 1861. He held the oflice of probate judge, from November 25, 1856, to February 8, 1858, filling out the unexpired term of William F. Lockwood.

In August, 1861, he entered the army as captain in the 2d Ohio cavalry, and was subsequently a major in the same regiment. At the organization of the

42d Ohio volunteer infantry, he was commissioned its lieutenant-colonel, and on the promotion of its col- onel, James A. Garfield, he became colonel of the regiment, and served with distinction throughout the war, receiving toward the close of the war, the rank of brevet brigadier general.

After the close of the conflict, he settled in New Orleans, and resumed the practice of his profession, and also became interested in politics. lle was elected to congress in 1868, 1870, and 1842, and served with credit in those three congresses. In 1876, he was one of the presidential clectors of the state of Louisiana, He still resides in New Orleans; spending his summers, however, on his large farm in LaGrange, Lorain county, the home of his boy- hood.

GEORGE B. LAKE was admitted to the bar at Elyria, July, 1851, and practiced in Elyria, with credit, until about 1857, when he removed to Omaha, where he stilt resides. He has attained there a marked eminence in his profession, and now occupies a seat upon the bench of the supreme court of Nebraska.

HOUSTON H. POPPLETON was born at Bellville, Richland county, Ohio, March 19, 1836. He removed with his father to Delaware, Ohio, in March, 1853, and entered the Ohio Wesleyan university, at that place, the same year, from which institution he grad- nated June 28, 1858.

He commenced studying law with Mr. Burke, in Elyria, September 9, 1858, and continued with him till he entered the Cincinnati law college, October 15, 1859, and was admitted to the bar at Cincinnati April 16, 1860. Hle commenced the practice of law at Elyria, May 2. 1860, having formed a partnership with Judge Burke; and continued in the general practice until December 1, 1873, when he was ap- pointed general attorney of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railway Company, with headquarters at Cleveland, and at once took charge of the entire legal department of that company, which position he still holds, and fills with marked ability.

WASHINGTON W. BOYNTON was born in Russia, Lorain county, January 27, 1833. He was educated in the common schools, studied law, and was ad- mitted to the bar by the district court of Lorain county, at its September term, 1856, and immediately commenced practice. In March, 1859, upon the resignation, by Mr, George Olmsted, of the office of prosecuting attorney, he was appointed by the court to titl the vacancy for the unexpired term, which ended the first Monday of the following January.

In October, of the same year. (1859), he was elected to the same office, and continued to discharge its duties with credit to himself, and satisfaction to the public, until January, 1864, having been re-elected in the fall of 1861. Mr. Boynton continued in the practice of the law, at Elyria, with the exception of a short residence in Minnesota, whither he went on account of his health, until February, 1869, when he

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

was appointed by the governor to the office of com- mon pleas judge. left vacant by the resignation of Hon. Stevenson Burke. In October, of the same year, he was elected to that office, for the remainder of Judge Bnrke's term, which expired February, 1872. In the fall of 1861, he was re-elected for a full term, which expired February, 1877, at which time he entered upon the discharge of the duties of a judge of the supreme court, having been elected to that otlice in October, 1876. Hle is still a member of the supreme court.

A considerable number of lawyers commenced prac- tice m Lorain county during this time, and remained for longer or shorter periods, including some who are still at the bar, who will be mentioned hereafter.

These were GEORGE T. SMITH, 1845 to 1854.

EDMUND A. WEST, 1846 to 1852. He was the son of Edmund West, one of the original settlers of Elyria. On leaving Elyria he went to Chicago where he is still practicing law, making a specialty of patent business.

ELBRIDGE G. BOYNTON. admitted to the bar Sep- tember, 1845, died in Elyria in 1857.

JOHN CURTIS, 1847 to 1851.

JOHN G. IRVING, admitted August 20, 1847.

BIRD B. CHAPMAN, admitted in Elyria in 1843, practiced there for a time, about 1849 to 1852.

GEORGE G. WASHBURN practiced law from 1849 10 1853. He then abandonod the law and devoted him- self to journalism, and still resides in Elyria, the editor and publisher of the Elyria Republican.

JOHN SHERMAN, 1851.

E. C. K. GARVEY, 1851-3.

SCHUYLER PUTNAM was admitted to the bar in 1852, at the first term of the district court under the consti- tution of 1851. He was a great-grandson of General Israel Putnam of revolutionary war fame. Says Mr. 11. D. Clark in a recent letter, speaking of Mr. Put- nam: " lle came to the bar at an advanced age, ripe in judgment and experience. He had a good legal mind, and in a long mumber of years as a justice of the peace, never gave an opinion that was reversed by a higher court. He was a moral, conscientious, up- right man."

C. G. FINNEY, Oberlin, 1854. He was a son of the · celebrated divine, Reverend C. G. Finney, for many years president of Oberlin college. He returned to Oberlin a few years ago and entered into partnership with 1. A. Webster, but his health permitted him to remain only a short time.

JOHN M. LANGSTON, Oberlin, was admitted to the bar in Elyria in 1855, and practiced at Oberlin until about 1867. Ile now resides in Washington, D. C., where he is a law leeturer in Howard University.

From 1858 to 1859 SAMUEL and RALPH PLUMB practiced taw in Oberlin under the name of Plumb and Plumb, and Ralph seems by the court record to have continued until 1861. Samuel Plumb organized a bank in Oberlin under the name of "S. Plumb's Bank," which, on the passage of the National bank- ing act was converted into the " First National Bank

of Oberlin," of which Mr. Plumb was president as long as he resided in Oberlin. Both gentlemen now reside at Streator, Illinois.

CYRUS B. BALDWIN resided at Oberlin and did a small law business between 1858 and 1865.

LAERTES B. SMITH was admitted to the bar in Elyria, in September, 1858, and practiced in Elyria, holding the office of justice of the peace for several terms, until June 1, 1871, when he was appointed probate judge, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of John W. Steele. He was elected to that office the same year for the unexpired term and still holds the office, having been re-elected in 1872, 1875 and 1878.

EDWARD D. HOLBROOK, son of Dexter Holbrook who still resides in Elyria, was born in Elyria October 10, 1835. studied law with Johnson and Rex in Woos- ter, and was admitted at that place in May. 1857. He commenced practice in Etyria in 1858, and remained until the spring of 1861 when he removed to Califor- nia, where he remained studying the mining laws until May 17. 1862, when he removed to Idaho territory, where he rapidly rose to prominence and acquired an extensive practice. Hle represented that territory as delegate in the thirty-uinth and fortieth congresses. He continued to reside in Idaho, attending to his increasing professional anties until his death. He was murdered by Charles H. Douglas, at Idaho City, June 19, 1820.

THEODORE IF. ROBERTSON was admitted to the bar in Elyria in August, 1848, and remained in Elyria in the practice some five or six years.

WASHBURN SAFFORD practiced in Elyria for two or three years. beginning in 1855, in partnership with Judge Philemon Bliss. under the name of Bliss and Safford. During a portion of this time R. H. Allen, who practiced in Oberlin, was also a member of the firm, the title at the Oberlin office being Bliss, Allen and Safford. Mr. Allen remained in Oberlin a year or so after the dissolution of this firm.

II. C. SAFFORD also practiced law a few years in Oberlin. about the same time.

ANSON P. DAYTON opened a law office in Oberlin in the summer of 1856, and remained there about two years.

The period from 1860 to the present time can scarcely be called historical, and must be passed over rapidly. It has witnessed the advent of many more lawyers than any other period of equal length; but a majority of them are still young men, and the time has not yet arrived for them to have reached the eminence and distinction to which many of the older members of the Lorain bar have attained.

The most conspicuons figure among the men who have come to the Lorain bar within this period is Hon. JOHN C. HALE, one of the present judges of the court of common pleas. He was born March 3, 1831. at Or- ford, New Hampshire, and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1857. Ile was admitted to the bar in Cleveland in the spring of 1861, and immediately

IHISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

removed to Elyria in company with J. C. Hill, with whom he had formed a partnership, under the name of Hale & Hill, and they opened a law office in the room occupied by JJohn M. Vincent. This partner- ship continued one year, when Mr. Hale went into partnership with W. W. Boynton. He rose rapidly in his profession, and in 1863 was elected to the office of prosecuting attorney, which he held six years con- secutively, being re-elected in 1865 and 1864. le represented Lorain county in the constitutional con- vention of 1873-4, and in 1876 was elected common pleas judge, succeeding Judge Boynton. He is still on the common pleas bench.

We shall now pass rapidly over the gentlemen who have been members of the Lorain bar since 1860 and who are not now in the practice there, and close this sketch with a mention of the attorneys now resi- dent in the county.

CHARLES A. WRIGHT commenced practice in Elyria in 1860 and remained there a year or two.

LEWIS BRECKENRIDGE was admitted to the bar in 1859, commenced practice in Elyria in 186t and re- mained until 1872 when he removed to Cleveland where he now resides and practices.

J. C. IliLL came to Elyria as an attorney in 1861, as already mentioned, as a partner with J. C. Hale. Ile remained in the practice until 1864, when he abandoned it and engaged in other business. He is now a resident of Elyria and cashier of the Savings Deposit Bank.

ANDREW MOREHOUSE appears as an attorney on the records in 1862.

JAMES B. HUMPHREY was admitted to the bar in Elyria in 1862, and practiced there until 1867 or 1868, when he removed to Allegan Michigan, where he still resides. He is, or recently was, probate judge of Allegan county, and occupies a prominent position at the bar there.

OMAR BAILEY, JR., practiced law in Oberlin from 1863 to 1867, when he removed to Norwalk, Huron county, where he still resides.

ROSWELL G. HORR was admitted to the bar at the expiration of his term as clerk of the court in 1864, and entered into partnership with J. C. Hale. He continned in the practice about two years, when he removed to Missouri. He subsequently removed to East Saginaw, Michigan, where he still resides. lle was elected to Congress from that district at the election in November, 1878.

11. M. LILLIE had a law office in Elyria a few months in 1864, but did little or no business.

A. R. HILLYER opened a law office in Oberlin in 1865, and remained there a year or two, when he removed to Grinnell, Iowa.

HERBERT L. TERRELL was admitted to the bar in Elyria in September, 1864, and entered into partner- ship with W. W. Boynton, remaining about a year. He then removed to Tennessee, but subsequently returned to Ohio and settled in Cleveland, where he is now practicing.

D. L. BRECKINRIDGE was admitted to the bar in 1866, but continued to reside on his farm in Grafton till his death, in 1828, never devoting himself exelut- sively to the law.

A. C. Hocanrox went into partnership with JJ. II. Dickson, at Wellington, in 1868, and remained in the practice there until about 1822, when he removed to Toledo.

M. W. POND, JR., in partnership with C. H. Doo- little, practiced in Elyria in 1869. He removed to Pennsylvania, but subsequently returned to Cleveland, where he now resides. engaged in the practice of the law.

GUSTAVUS V. BAYLEY was admitted to the bar in 1842, and in the fall of 1843 settled at Black River (now Lorain), and engaged also in the lumber business. lle continued to reside there until 1872, when he removed to St. Louis. His law practice was very meager.

MERIC J. SLOAN was admitted to the bar at Elyria in September, 1872, and had an office for a short time in Oberlin.

P. L. CHANDLER removed from Wisconsin to Oberlin in 1835, and opened a law office there. He remained there about a year.

JOSEPH C. COLLISTER studied Jaw with Hon. J. II. Dickson, at. Wellington, and was admitted to the bar in 1844. Ile entered into partnership with his pre- ceptor, and remained one year, when he left the county.

D. C. BRUCE, from Pennsylvania, opened a law office in Elyria in 18;5, and remained about a year.

C. A. BRINTNALL came to Elyria. from Medina, in the summer of 1876, with A. R. WEBBER, who still remains there. They remained in partnership a few months, when they dissolved partnership, and MIr. Brintnall left the county.

WARREN W. SAMPSEL, son of Dr. P. W. Sampsel, of Elyria, was admitted to the bar in Norwalk in the spring of 1878, and entered into partnership with N. L. Johnson, of Elyria, but after remaining a few months he removed to Toledo, where he still resides.

Judge BENJAMIN BISSELL and Mr. TINKER, both of Painesville, had an office in Elyria in 1872, in connection with Mr. J. V. Coon, under the name of Bissell, Coon and Tinker. Judge Bissell died recently in Iowa. Mr. Tinker still resides in Painesville.

The present bar of Lorain county consists of twenty- nine members, residing in all parts of the county, but. principally of course at the county seat.

JOHN V. Coox, the one of these who has been longest at the bar, was admitted at Elyria in Angust, 1846, and has continued to reside in Elyria or its immediate vicinity ever since, and has kept a more or less intimate connection with the practice during all that time. Ile has not. however, devoted himself exclusively to the law, having been engaged in farm- ing and manufacturing enterprises, and real-estate speculations in Ohio and other States, during a very considerable portion of that time. He is now engaged

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

in practice, and has a very considerable reputation as a real estate lawyer.

CHARLES HI. DOOLITTE came to the bar in Elyria in 1851. Ile was soon after elected justice of the peace, which office he bell about six years. In the fall of 1854, he was elected probate judge, and held that office for nine years from the following February, being re-elected in 1860 and 1863. After the expira- tion of his term of office as probate judge, he removed for a short time to Painesville, but soon returned to Etyria, where he still resides. For several years past he has held the office of justice of the peace.

HIon. JOSEPH IF. DICKSON was admitted to the bar in August, 1852, at Elyria, and at once entered upon the practice of his profession there, forming a partnership with John M. Vincent. In the fall of 1853 he was elected prosecuting attorney, for two years from the succeeding January. In December, 1855, he dissolved his connection with Mr. Vincent, and removed to Wellington, where he has continued to reside up to the present time. He was elected to the lower house of the state legislature in 1867 and 1869. He still occupies a leading position at the Lorain bar.

GEORGE OLMSTED came from New York, and entered into practice in Elyria in 1853, entering into partnership with S. Bagg, as Bagg and Ohusted. He was elected prosecuting attorney in October, 1852, and entered upon the duties of that office in the fol- lowing January. He resigned the office, however, in March, 1859, after having served a little over one year. Ile then removed to Indianapolis, where he staid about a year, when he returned, and continued to reside in Elyria, and practice law, until 1862, from which time he was absent from Elyria about four years. Hle returned to Elyria, however, in 1866. where he has since resided. He was elected justice of the peace in 1821, and held that office for three years, being succeeded by Joshua Myers.

CHARLES W. JOHNSTON came to Elyria from La- frange, where he had formerly practiced medicine, and entered upon the practice of the law in April, 1859. He formed a partnership with Hon. P. Bliss, the next September, under the name of Bliss and Johnston, which continued until Judge Bliss removed to Dakota, in 1861. Mr. Johnston continued to devote himself exclusively to the practice, and still resides in Elyria, where he has an extensive business. He was elected prosecuting attorney in 1869 and 1871.

ELIZUR G. JJOHNSON was admitted to the bar in 1861, but continued to reside in LaGrange, where he hell the office of justice of the peace until March, 1869, when he came to Elyria to assume the office of county auditor, to which he had been elected the previous October. lle continued to hold that office until November, 1872. In the autumn of 1876, how- ever. he opened a law office in Elyria, and is still engaged in the practice.

NORMAN L. JOHNSON came to Elyria from Massa-

chusetts in 1863 and entered upon the practice of the law, to which he has devoted himself ever since, and at which he is now doing a very considerable business.

IRAL A. WEBSTER was admitted to the bar at Elyria in September, 1867, and soon after opened an oflice in Oberlin, where he still resides. In 1827 he also opened an office in Elyria.

CHARLES DOWNING was admitted to the bar in 1867 in Elyria, where he still resides. He has de- voted his attention mainly, however, to the business of insurance.

P. 11. BOYNTON was admitted to the bar in 1869 and is still practicing in Elyria.

GEORGE P. METCALF was admitted in 1869. lfe was elected prosecuting attorney in 1873, 1825 and 1827, and still holds that oflice.

J. M. HORD removed to Elyria from Wood county in 1872, and is still in practice.

WINSLOW L. FAY, admitted 1820, still in practice. E. H. HINMAN opened an office in 1843 in North Amherst, where he is still practicing.

AMOS COE, who formerly practised law in Cleve- land, settled on a farm near Elyria about 1870. Ile appears in court occasionally.

DAVID J. NYE was admitted to the bar in 1872 and removed to Kansas. He returned in 1823, and, in April, 1814, opened an office in Elyria, where he still resides.

WALTER F. HERRICK commenced practicing law in Wetlington in 1874, and is still there. He served in the Ohio legislature in 1860 and 1861, and was a colonel in the army during the war of the rebellion.

J. H. LANG has been practicing law in Oberlin since 1874. Ife engages also in other business.

LESTER MCLEAN was admitted to the bar at War- ren in the spring of 1825, and immediately removed to Elyria, where he is still engaged in the practice, - now in partnership with E. G. Johnson.

A. R. WEBBER came to Elyria from Medina in 1876, and is still engaged in practice as partner with C. W. Johnston.

CHAS. A. METCALF was admitted in 1877, and en- tered into partnership with his brother, Geo. P. Met- calf, and is still in practice.

J. W. STEELE was admitted to the bar just before the breaking out of the war. He entered the army and served through the war. He was elected probate judge of Lorain county in 1867, and held that office till June 1, 1871, when he resigned. He commenced practice in Oberlin in 1877, and is still there,

WM. IL. TUCKER was admitted to the bar in Cleve- land in the fall of 1877. He engages also in other Imsiness.

JOHN II. FAXON, of Elyria, was admitted to the bar at Columbus in 1876. Mr. Faxon is an old resi- dent of Lorain county. Ile was elected sheriff in 1844 and 1846, and to the legislature in 1873 and 1875. He has also held the office of justice of the peace for a considerable number of years.

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

In 1877, C. G. JEFFRIES, an attorney of several years standing, moved to Elyria from Akron and opened a law office, and is still in the practice.

ED. C. MANTER was admitted to the bar in April 1878, and at once commeneed practice in Elyria.

FRED. A. BECKWITH came to Elyria in the summer of 1878, and entered into practice in the office of I. A. Webster.

FRED. WEBSTER was admitted to the bar at Nor- walk in the spring of 1878, and now has an office at Oberlin.

ALEX. II. PERRY, of Brownhelm, was admitted to the bar in 1863, but still resides in that township, not engaging in active practice.

This completes the list of the members of the bar of Lorain county. This bar, throughout its history, has been characterized by a high degree of morality and integrity, as well as ability and learning on the part of the members, and has been singularly free from that which has been the bane of so many of the greatest and most brilliant lawyers of the country, the addiction to the use of intoxicating liquors.

T'en of its members have been elevated to the bench (aside from probate judges) and held fifteen different judicial positions, viz: Frederick Whittlesey, common pleas judge in Ohio; Philemon Bliss, common pleas judge in Ohio, territorial chief justice of Dakota, and supreme judge of Missouri; William F. Lock- wood, territorial judge of Nebraska, and common pleas judge in Ohio; Eleazer Wakeley, territorial judge of Nebraska; Cyrus Olney, judge in Iowa; S. Bagg, circuit and district judge in Iowa; S. Burke, common pleas judge in Ohio; George B. Lake, su- preme judge of Nebraska; W. W. Boynton, common pleas and suprome judge in Ohio; and John C. Hale, common pleas judge in Ohio.

Four Lorain lawyers have been members of congress, holding in all eight terms: E. S. Hamlin, one term; Philemon Bliss, two terms; Lionel A. Sheldon Three terms and E. D. Holbrook, (delegate) two terms.

The bar furnished one of the delegates, Mr. Clark, to the constitutional convention of 1850, and the single one, Mr. Hale, to that of 1843. Two former Lorain lawyers are lecturers in law schools: Judge Bliss and Mr. Langston; and two, Judge Bliss and Mr. Tiffany, are the authors of legal treatises.

So far as the writer has been able to learn Philemon Bliss seems to have held the largest number of im- portant official positions: two terms in congress, and (including probate judgeships) five different judicial positions.

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History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 12

Author: Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia, Williams brothers Number of Pages: 626

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 626