USA > Ohio > Madison County > History of Madison County, Ohio : its people, industries and institution with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 58
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J. F. Chapman was born in Madison county in 1843. He was a self-educated man. never attending school but three months. He enlisted in 1862 in the One Hundred and Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He then read law with J. C. McCloud, was admitted to the bar in 1869, and practiced law until his death, in 1879. Mr. Chapman's early education being so limited. he was not an educated or well-equipped lawyer. He naturally possessed a strong and active inind. He was a fluent speaker and a good jury lawyer. He had a large and successful practice before justices of the peace.
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Palmer Smith was born in London in 1557 and was the son of Il. W. Smith, of whom we have written. He graduated from the Cincinnati Law School in 1877. Ile was mayor one term and prosecuting attorney one tem. He was a genial fellow and a good lawyer. Death claimed him early, he dying in 1898.
George B. Canon was born in Pickaway county in 1851. He received a common- school education and taught school for eight years, during which time he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1878. He practiced law hore until his death. in 1903. Mr. Cannon was a student and was well informed in history and literature. He was also informed on enrrent political events.
Emery Smith was born in Delaware county in 1838; received a common-school education, attended Oberlin College and Cleveland Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1860. He enlisted in the Seventeenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served three months. Ile died in 1904 at London. Mr. Smith had a bright mind, was an excep- tionally good trial lawyer and for a long time had a good law practice. He was a good public speaker, and was impetuous and ardent.
George W. Wilson was born in Clark county, Ohio, iu 1840. Receiving a common- school education. he attended Antioch College, of which the distinguished Horace Mann was president. Ile enlisted in the Ninety-fourth Regiment in 1862, and was afterwards commissioned, respectively. second and first lientenant in the regiment. He was mus- tered ont of the service in 1865. After the war he resumed his studies with Mr. Harrison and was admitted to the bar in 1866. He held the office of prosecuting attorney for two terms. 1867 to 1871. Ile was in 1871 elected representative in the Ohio Legislature for one term. He was elected to the state Senate in 1877 and served one term. He was elected a member of Congress in 1892 from the seventh district, and re-elected in 1894. Hle died on November 22, 1909. He was a very able lawyer and honorable man.
O. P. Converse was born in Champaign county. Ohio, in 1842. He received a good common-school education, taught school for several years and was a student for awhile in the Ohio Wesleyan University. When the Civil War commenced he enlisted in the Eighty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served about a year, when he was discharged on account of physical disability. He studied law with Hon. George L. Converse and was admitted to the bar in 1874. He practiced law in Columbus, Ohio, until 1884, when he entered into partnership with J. C. MeCloud, at London, where he continued in the active practice of the law. Mr. Converse was industrious, alert and honest. While he made no pretention to great learning, yet he was a very safe counsellor and a most correct business lawyer. He died in April. 1913.
John J. Bell was admitted to the bar in 1873 in Greene county. He came to London in 1874, and in the fall of that year was elected prosecuting attorney of this county. He was an easy, fluent speaker and was a fair official. He left London in 1879 and located in New Mexico, where he practiced law and became a member of the Senate of that then territory. He died there in the early nineties.
Martin O'Donnell was born in Greene county, Ohio, in 1853. His education was received in the high school at Xenia. In 1871 he came to London and clerked for Mr. Riley. a leading merchant. During that time he studied law under the instructions of Mr. McCloud. He was admitted to the bar in 1875, and at once formed a partnership with Mr. MeCloud, which continued until 1889, when, on account of ill health, he went to Colorado, where he soon afterwards died. Mr. O'Donnell was aggressive, forcible and keen. He had a bright mind and retentive memory. He was not scholastic nor pro- found, but was intensely practical.
George W. Burnham was born in Champaign county. Ohio. His parents removed to Iowa when he was a small child, and there he grew to maturity and graduated from
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the Agricultural College of that state. He came to Ohio about 1870 and began reading law in the office of John C. McCloud. He was admitted to the bar in 1873, and formed a partnership with Mr. MeCloud. He returned to Iowa in 1875 and located in Vinton, where he engaged in the practice of law. He was elected judge of a superior court of that state for one term. He now is engaged in the practice of law there.
William B. Hamilton was born in Marysville, Union county, Ohio, in 1855. His father was Hon. Cornelius S. Hamilton, a lawyer and a member of Congress at the time of his death, in 1876. William B. was a graduate of Adrian College. He taught school for some time and studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1877. and began the practice of law with Judge Lincoln in London. Ill health.caused him to retire from the practice in 1885, and he returned to his native county of Union, where he died in 1887.
Napoleon Bonaparte Porter was born in Union township, this county, in 1856. He attended the country schools and the London high school, from which he graduated in 1876. and then entered Dartmouth College. where he graduated in 1880. He studied law with Wilson & Durflinger in London one - year, and attended the Cincinnati Law School, where he graduated, and was admitted to the bar in 1883. He practiced law a short time and then, on account of failing health, removed to Colorado, where he died in 1884. Mr. Porter was a finely educated young lawyer, had the ambition to become an orator and was possessed of that gift. He once delivered in London, word for word, Wendell Phillips' lecture and masterpiece, "The Lost Arts."
John A. Lincoln was born in London in 1863. His mother died when he was quite young, and he went to Connecticut and made his home with his aunt. He attended the common schools there and also attended Muncon Academy in Massachusetts. He came to Ohio and attended Kenyon College a year of two. He read law under James Wright, a very able lawyer at Worthington, Ohio, was admitted to the bar in 1886, and began the practice of law in London with his father. In 1907 he entered into partnership with R. H. McCloud, which continued until his death. He served one term as solicitor of London, and was twice the choice of his party for the office of prosecuting attorney. He was a well-informed man and a good trial lawyer. He had the spirit of an orator and was forcible before court or jury. He died in June, 1915.
Robert J. Watson was born in Paint township. Madison county, Ohio, in 1872. After attending the common schools, he entered the preparatory department of the Ohio State University, and afterwards became a student of Kenyon College, at Gambier, Ohio, where he graduated in 1893. He then attended the law school of Harvard University for two years. He was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of Ohio in 1898. Dili- gent study and hard intellectual efforts weakened his delicate constitution, and, linger- ing, he died on April 13, 1899. He was brilliant and gave promise of a successful career.
Cilton Howard Stoll was born in Somerford township, Madison county, Ohio, August 1, 1875. He attended the common schools and taught school several years; was a student at the Ohio Northern University, at Ada, for some time, where he began the study of law. He then read law under the instruction of Bruce P. Jones, of London, was admitted to the bar in 1902, and at once began the practice of law in London. He was honest, careful and laborious. At the time of his death. March 20, 1914, he was acting solicitor for the village of London,
Samuel F. Marsh was born in Union county, Ohio. in 1843. He received a thorough early education. He studied law under Judge Lincoln at London, and was admitted to the bar in 1867. He soon afterward married a daughter of R. A. Harrison, and at once entered into partnership with him in the practice of law, which continued until a short time before the death of Mr. Marsh in 1896. He was a learned man and accurate
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lawyer. The distinguished author and diplomat, George P. Marsh, of Vermont, was his uncle.
Fred W. Webster was born in Lorain county, Ohio. He graduated at Oberlin College, and, after his admission to the bar. located in London, about 1882, where he practiced law for several years. and returned to Oberlin, where he died in 1912.
Samuel P. Wilson was born in Jefferson township, Madison county, Ohio, in 1868. He received a good common-school education, and taught school several years. He attended the law school at Ada, Ohio, where he graduated ; he was admitted to the bar iu 1893, and at once began the practice of law, which he continued until his death. in October, 1912.
Guy Underwood was born in London, Ohio, in 1867, and graduated from the high school there in 1884. He taught school several years. He spent ten years in Washing- ton, D. C., where he was private secretary to Congressmen G. W. Wilson and Walter Weaver. He studied law at Columbian University, in that city, where he graduated, and was admitted to the bar in Ohio in 1896. commencing the practice of law in Lon- don iu 1902. He died in September, 1915.
MADISONIANS BY BIRTH, BUT PRACTICED ELSEWHERE.
It is deemed appropriate to make mention in this chapter of the persons who were born, or reared from early childhood in Madison county, who became lawyers and prac- ticed law elsewhere.
Ebenezer Erskine Hutcheson was born in Summerford, Madison county, about the year 1830. He attended the common school in the village, and also the London academy. He was a student in the Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, for two or three years. He studied law with R. A. Harrison, at the same time his neighbor, Lawrence Weldon, did ; was admitted to the bar in 1857, and began the practice of law in Cincinnati in 1858. He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from Madison county in 1856-58. Ile was prosecuting attorney of Hamilton county in 1861-63. He was a delegate from Ohio to the Democratic national convention at Chicago in 1864, which nominated General McClellan for President. The train on which Mr. Hutcheson aud the delegates from Cincinnati were traveling had a collision near Chicago and Mr. Hutchesou was among the injured. He was brought back to Cincinnati, where he died soon afterward from the injury. He was a brilliant man, ar keen lawyer and successful politician. His early death cut short a promising career.
Lawrence Weldon was born in Zanesville. Ohio. August 9, 1829. He came to Madi- son county with his family when a child and resided at Summerford until he became a resident of Illinois. He attended the country schools of Madison county and the academy at London, and spent one year at Wittenberg College at Springfield. He read law with Hon. Richard A. Harrison in London. In 1854 he moved to Clinton, Illinois, where a number of Madison county people were living, and commenced the practice of law. He had always been a Democrat and soon was introduced to Senator Stephen A. Douglas, being one of the latter's followers in the then exciting Kansas-Nebraska-bill agitation. He was introduced to Mr. Lincoln by Senator Douglas. That introduction ripened into an intimate political and personal friendship that continued until Mr. Lin- coln's death. He "rode the circuit" of the old eighth judicial district, of which Judge David Davis was the circuit judge, with Mr. Lincoln, and other lawyers, many of whom became distinguished in their profession.
In 1860. he was elected a member of the House of Representatives of the state of Illinois and served iu that body during the session of 1861. His name occupied an unique position on the Republican ticket at the election in 1868, appearing in two places. once as a candidate for presidential elector for his congressional district. and again as
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a candidate for the state legislature, and was elected in both instances. President Lin- coln, at the close of the session of the Legislature. appointed him United States district attorney for the southern district of Illinois. the district comprising the whole southern half of the state. He continued to hold that position until 1866, when President John- son removed him for what is now known as "offensive partisanship." In 1867 he moved from Clinton to Bloomington, Illinois, and practiced law there until 1883, when he was appointed by President Arthur a justice of the United States court of claims, and went to Washington to assume the duties of that office. He continued to make his home in Bloomington, returning during the vacations of the court. He served for a period of more than twenty years and died in the city of Washington, April 10, 1905, in the seventy- sixth year of his age. Mr. Weldon was one of the most able and distinguished intellec- tual products of Madison county. a superb orator, splendid lawyer and upright judge.
Robert IIutcheson was born in Somerford township. Madison county, Ohio, about 1835. He attended the village school and the London Academy. He studied law under the instruction of R. A. Harrison and was admitted to the bar in 1857. He practiced law in London for about five years. He represented this county in the General Assembly of Ohio in 1860-62. On the expiration of his term he located in New Orleans and prac- ticed law there, and was some time afterward appointed attorney-general of Louisiana. Afterward he located in Washington, D. C., where he practiced law until his death there, in 1903. He was a brother of Ebenezer Hutcheson, above mentioned. Robert was a very bright man and a fine speaker.
Joseph R. Lewis was born in London. Ohio. September 17, 1829. He received his early education in the common schools and the London Academy. He taught school several terms and read law under R. A. Harrison, being admitted to the bar in 1854. He then located in Iowa and practiced law there until 1869, when he was appointed by President Grant territorial judge of Idaho. He served in that position until 1873, when he was appointed by President Grant associate justice of the territory of Washington. He resigned that position in 1880, and resumed the practice of law in Seattle. He at. once became an active and influential citizen of that growing city. He was president of the first Board of Trade; founded a bank and became connected with large and success- ful business enterprises. He retired from business life and lived for several years in Los Angeles, California, where he died on March 19. 1911. Judge Lewis was a self-made man. He acquired knowledge rapidly and applied it correctly. He always had a keen appreciation of the place of his nativity. His father, Col. Phillip Lewis, was one of the early and distinguished pioneers of the county, having served as sheriff. county commissioner, representative and state senator several terms.
Darius B. Warner was born in London, Ohio. in March, 1831. He was educated in the village schools and the London Academy. He read law under the tutorship of his brother-in-law. Hon. R. A. Harrison, and, being admitted to the bar about 1855, prac- ticed law with Mr. Harrison a few years. Early in the spring of 1862, he recruited and formed a company of volunteers for service in the Civil War, and was elected captain by the company. In August, 1862, this company was mustered into the United States service as Company A, One Hundred and Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and Toland Jones was commissioned captain. On September S, 1862, Captain Warner was appointed major of the regiment, and was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in April, 1863. At the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864, he lost his right arm. He was promoted to Colonel of the Regiment February 23, 1865, and resigned Juue 6, 1865, on account of the wound received at Kenesaw.
He was appointed by President Grant, United States consul at St. Johus, New Brunswick, and held the position under two or three presidents. After his retirement from that service, he engaged in business in St. Johns and has since resided in that city.
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William Vincent Allen was born in Midway, Madison county, Ohio, January 28, 1847. For a while he attended the village schools there. In 1857 the family moved to lowa. He was educated in the common schools and attended the University at Lafay- ette for a time. He was a private soldier In Company K, Thirty-Second Iowa Vohim- teer Infantry during the Civil War, during the last five months of which he was on the staff of General Gilbert.
After the war he read law nuder R. A. Harrison, was admitted to the bar in 1869, and practiced law in lowa until 1884. when he moved to Nebraska, and practiced law there until 1891, when he was elected judge of the ninth district of Nebraska. He was elected. in 1893. United States senator from Nebraska to succeed Senator Poddock and served the full term of six years. In 1869 he was appointed Nuited States senator from Nebraska to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Haywood. He has the distinction of having made the longest speech ever delivered in either house of Con- gress. It was on the free-silver question and occupied four days-October 7-11, 1893. In legislative parlance. it was a speech "against time." He is the only Madison county boy who ever became a United States senator. He resides in Nebraska and is one of the best lawyers in that state.
David Kemper Watson was born in Range township, Madison county. Ohio, June 18, 1849. He attended the country schools and was prepared to enter college by the Rov. C. W. Finley, of London, Ohio. He entered the freshman class of the Ohio Wes- leyan University in 1866. where he was a student one year, and then entered Diekin- son College. Carlisle. Pennsylvania, graduating from there in the class of 1871. He read law with Wilson & Dnrflinger one year at London. a short time with Mitchell & Watson at Columbus, and then entered the law school of Boston University, graduating in the class of 1873. In the fall of 1873 he married Louie HI. Harrison, a daughter. of Ilon.' R. A. Harrison. Ile practiced law in London a short time. as a member of the firm of Harrison, Marsh & Watson. He located in Columbus in 1876 and has resided and practiced law there ever since. In 1883 he was appointed by President Arthur, assistant United States district attorney for the southern district of Ohio. In 1887 he was elected attorney-general of Ohio, and was re-elected in 1894, serving two terms. In 1894 he was elected a member of Congress from the twelfth district of Ohio, and served one term. Mr. Watson is the anthor of "History of American Coinage." a text- book in Harvard University. In 1910 he published his work on "The Constitution of the I'nited States" in two large volumes, a standard anthority on the history and con- struction of that instrument. He has frequently delivered his address on "Lincoln as a Lawyer."
DeWitt Clinton Jones was born in Paint township. Madison county. Ohio, Septem- ber 5, 1848, his mother's twenty-eighth birthday. He attended the district school at Newport until he was seventeen and then taught school one term. He entered the freshman class of the Ohio Wesleyan University in the fall of 1866, and is a graduate of that institution of the class of 1870. He then began the study of law in the office of Chauncey N. Olds, a leader of the Columbus bar. He was admitted to the bar in 1872 and at once began the practice of his profession in Columbus. In 1876 he was elected a member of the city council and served one termin. . In 1886 Mr. Jones was appointed by President Cleveland. postmaster of the city of Columbus and served four years. Soon after his 'term as postmaster expired. he became editor-in-chief of The Press Post, a daily newspaper published in Columbus, which position he held for seven years. He then renewed and continues the practice of law.
George D. Jones was born in Paint township, Madison county, Ohio, in 1857. After receiving a common-school education. he was instructed in Greek and Latin, higher mathematics and science by able private tutors. He read law with R. A. Harrison and
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also with Judge J. R. Swan, in Columbus; was admitted to the bar in 1879, and at once began to practice law in Columbus. He has been a member of the board of education president of the city council, city solicitor, director of law in the board of public service, and in 1914 was elected representative from Franklin county to the present General Assembly of Ohio. He is a brother of D. W. C. Jones, above mentioned.
Scott Bonham was born at Midway, Madison county, Ohio, January 25, 1853. His early education was gained in the school of his native town, and in 1882 he graduated at the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware. For a year after finishing his college. course Mr. Bonham taught in the school at West Unity, Ohio. His ambition was along iegal lines, and he attended the school of law in the University of Virginia, taking his degree, however, in 1885, at the Cincinnati Law School. While in college, Mr. Bouham developed into a skilled debater, an accomplishment which he used to advantage in later years. In 1893 he was admitted to practice in the United States court. For nine years Mr. Bonham was a member of the board of legislation in Cincinnati. IIe was elected to that body, which afterward became the city council, in 1891, and served until 1900. He was an energetic and faithful member of the board, and he often developed symptoms of insurgency, which the leaders were not able to control. He served two terms as president of the board. He was a leading member of the once famous Lincoln Club. He was the most prominent spirit in the Stamina Republican League, and was twice president of' the Ohio Republican Club. Mr. Bonham was a member of the Sec- ond Cincinnati Cavalry Troop and president of the Cincinnati Cavalry Club. He attained distinction as a Mason. becoming a member of the order in 1879. He died at Cincinnati, November 1, 1915, and was buried at London, Ohio.
Perry Arthur Roach was born in Galia county, Ohio, November 27, 1863. but came to Sedalia, Madison county, with his parents in December of that year. He attended the Sedalia schools, afterward read law with Mayo & Freeman, of Chillicothe, and attended the Cincinnati. Law School, from which he graduated, and was admitted to the bar in 1889. He then began the practice of law in Columbus, and is still . so engaged. He was justice in the four courts of that city. for six years.
John Morrissey was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1857. He came to Range township, Madison county, Ohio, with his parents when he was about one year old. He attended the common schools until he was nineteen, and attended the London high school for some time and the normal school at Worthington, Ohio. He taught school several years, was a student at the Northwestern University at Ada, Ohio, for two years; read law with Wilson & Durflinger at London; was admitted to the bar in 1886, and began the practice of law in London. In 1893 he removed, to Columbus, Ohio, and has been in the practice of law there since. He was assistant city solicitor of that city, 1912-14.
Harford Aquilla Toland was born in London, Ohio, August 12. 1875. He attended the schools in London, and graduated from the high school. . He attended Dennison University at Granville, Ohio, two years .. He enlisted in Company E, Third Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, in the Spanish-American War and served as corporal until the company was discharged, October. 26. 1898. He then entered the law school of the Ohio State University, graduated from that. institution in 1901, and was admitted to the bar at the same time. He at once began to practice law in Columbus and is now so engaged.
Marshall J. Sanford was born in Monroe township. Madison county, Ohio, in Decem- ber, 1856. He received his early education in the district schools and taught school several years in Ohio, and Tennessee. He attended the celebrated normal school at Lebanon, Ohio, and graduated there in 1883. He also read law, there and after his graduation, and: was admitted to the bar in .1885. He then located in Lima, Ohio, and has been engaged in the practice of law there until the present time.
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Homer E. Johnson was born in Jefferson township, Madison county in 1879, and was educated in the public schools of that township. He taught school several years. He attended the Ohio Northern University, where he graduated in the classical course ; began the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in 1903. He then located in Marion, Ohio, to practice law. He was elected prosecuting attorney of that county in 1912, re-elected in 1914, and is the present incumbent.
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