USA > Ohio > The Biographical encyclopedia of Ohio of the nineteenth century. Pt. 2 > Part 41
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A volume of his speeches in Congress was published in Boston in 1853; and an interesting narrative of the oppres- sion exercised by the slaveholders of Florida over the negroes, Indians, and mixed races of the peninsula, under the title of " The Exiles of Flonda," was published in 1858, at Columbus, Ohio. "A History of the Rebellion, its Authors and Causes," which is mainly a history of the anti- slavery struggle of the last twenty-five years-antecedent to the civil war-in Congress, was published just after his death, which occurred at Montreal, Canada East, May 27th, 1864.
of the people had their primary foundation in the truths of Christianity. In 1849 he made an elaborate speech, in which he maintained that man could not be property, and that to treat him as such is a crime. In the same year, the Senate having amended an appropriation bill, by inserting a provision extending the laws of the coasting trade to Cali- forma, with the intention, as was believed, to legalize the trade in slaves between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, he called attention to the matter on the last night of the session, and succeeded in getting the provision removed. In the Oregon controversy, he maintained the right of the United States to the whole Territory, declaring that that right would be sacrificed by the administration for fear that a war . with Great Britain would lead to the abolition of slavery. ELACOURT, LOUIS B., Editor and Proprietor of the National Zeitung, and son of Charles A. W. and Seraphine ( Haacke) Delacourt, was born at Colmar, France, January 25th, 1830. llc is, as the names of his parents would plainly indi- eate, of mixed German and French descent. The family of Delacourt, or, to follow the original orthography, de la Cour, is one of ancient French pedigree, and being royalists in politics, its members fled across the Rhine on the breaking out of the French revolution, and found safety in one of the German states till the carnage of that terrible epoch was concluded by the triumphs of Napoleon the First. The parents of Mr. Delacourt removed to Magdeburg, Saxony, the year following his birth, and he received his education at the renowned polytechnic school of that city, graduating from the Department of Engineering in 1846. At the age of eighteen Mr. Delacourt came to New York and devoted one year to acquiring a perfect knowledge of the English language, after which he engaged in the tobacco trade, dealing principally in imported cigars. In 1850 he removed to Charleston, South Carolina, where he remained five years in the same line of trade a> in New York, and during the last year of his residence occupied the editorial chair of the Charleston Zeitung, the first German paper established in the State. Leaving Charleston in 1855, he engaged in the dry-goods trade at New Orleans till the breaking out of the rebellion in 1861, when he went to Hlavana and remained a year, coming, in the fall of 1862, to Hamilton, where he soon afterwards established the National Zeitung. A man of nervous temperament and quick perceptions, with varied experience and an education that gave him perfect command of three languages, Mr. Delacourt was not long in making his paper a power in the community. Being also a good public speaker, he came frequently before the people in the political campaigns, and soon had acquired an acquaintance and an influence second to no country cditor in the State. llis paper reaching a large class of native Germans in Butler county and the val- ley of the Miami who cannot read English, has the advan- tage of appealing to them in their native tongue, and as the organ of the Democratic party, has an influence that is very In the celebrated case of the "Armistad," he maintained the right of the negroes to take their freedom, and zealously opposed the effort to induce Congress to indemnify the Spanish claimants. In 1847 he refused to vote for Robert C. Winthrop, the Whig candidate for Speaker, deeming him unsound on the slavery question. He acted generally with the Whig party till 1848, giving his hearty support to Gen- eral Harrison and Henry Clay, but refused, on anti-slavery grounds, to support General Taylor. In the election of 1848 he acted with the Free Soil party. In 1849 he united with eight other members of the House in refusing to vote for any candidate who would not pledge himself to such a construction of the standing committee, as would secure a respectful consideration of petitions relating to slavery, in consequence of which, the Whig candidate for Speaker, Robert C. Winthrop, after a struggle of three weeks, failed of his election, Howell Cobb, the Democratic candidate, being chosen by a plurality of votes. In IS50 he took a prominent part in opposing the enactment of the "com- promise measures," so termed, especially the fugitive slave law. He was also conspicuous in the debates npon the re- peal of the Missouri Compromise, and in those upon the subsequent troubles in Kansas. In July, 1850, he was dis- tinctly charged with the abstraction of important papers from the general post-office. A committee composed chiefly of his political opponents, after a rigid examination, ex- operated him entirely, it being conclusively shown that the charge was the result of a conspiracy against him. On May Sth, 1856, while addressing the House, he suddenly fell to the floor in a state of unconsciousness, from which, however, he soon revived, though in a condition of great weakness, On January 17th, 1858, the same accident occurred, and for some moments he was supposed to be dead. Ile slowly returned to consciousness, but was compelled for a time to be absent from his post ; his disease was an affec- tion of the nervous system acting upon the heart. laving declined a renomination by his constituents, he was ap- pointed, by President Lincoln, Consul-General for Canada, the duties of which office he discharged at Montreal until his death. In 1843 he wrote a series of political essays, signed " Pacificus," which attracted considerable attention. I pronounced. Mr. Delacourt has been a member of the
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School Board for the city of Hamilton, for nearly ten con- seeutive years, and has been instrumental in elevating the tone of the public instruction and ingrafting some of the most useful features of the German system. These reforms may not make their proper impression at once, but they cannot fail of securing an ultimate recognition and the gratitude of an intelligent public. In 1852 Mr. Delacourt was married to Emily Ileimpz, then of Charleston, South Carolina, but a native of Zweibrucken, Bavaria, in which State her brother, Philip Heimpz, a criminal lawyer of great renown, was a member of the Landtag. Mr. Dela- court has had five children, only three of whom survive, two sons and a daughter.
KEY, HON. JOHN WATERMAN, Lawyer and Jurist, was born, January 3d, 1827, at Woodsfield, Monroe county, Ohio, and is a son of Cornelius Okey, for a long time representative from that county in the General Assembly of the State ; and his grandfather, llon. Leven Okey, was one of the Associate Judges of the same county for many years. Hle was educated at the Monroe Academy, and also received private instruction. Having selected the law for his future calling, after a due course of reading, he was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of Ohio, at Cambridge, on 22d October, 1849, and at once entered upon the practice of his profession. He was appointed Probate Judge of Monroe county in October, 1853, and was elected to the same office in October, 1854. Two years thereafter he was elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and having held that position for the term of five years, was re-elected in October, 1861. In March, 1865, he removed to Cincin- nati, where he now resides. He assisted in the preparation of Gholson and Okey's Digest of Reports, published in 1867, and in Okey and Miller's Municipal Law, issued in 1869. lle was appointed, March 27th, 1875, in connection with Hon. M. A. Dougherty and Judge Day, Commissioner to revise and codify the general laws of the State, on which work they are at present engaged (December, 1875). Ilis political creed is that taught by the Democratic party. Ile was married, March, 1849, to Miss Bloor, of Belmont county, Ohio.
ONG, JOIIN M., Inventor and Manufacturer, was born in Prussia, October 14th, 1824. His parents were William and Mary ( Morham) Long, and his father was by occupation a miller. They came to America when their son was ten years eldl, and settled in Cincinnati, where he received a limited education in the public schools, and at the age of sixteen was apprenticed to the trade of machinist. While learning his trade young Long took occasion to improve his
education by attending the evening schools and by private study. Ile followed his trade in the capacity of journey- man till the age of twenty-four, when he was induced to venture into mercantile pursuits. The enterprise proved delusive, and after two years he resmed his trade, and for a year or two did journeywork in Cincinnati. In 1855 he came to Ilamilton as Superintendent of the shops of Owens, Lane & Dyer, but in the following year resigned the posi- tion, intending to return to Cincinnati. He was, however, prevailed upon to stay in Ilamilton and go into partnership with Messrs. Block & Allstatter, in the manufacture of iron and agricultural implements. Without any other capi- tal than the munificent endowment of their skill, the adven- turous trio formed a partnership under the style of Long, Black & Allstatter, and embarked in the manufacture of agricultural implements. Early in the history of their enterprise, Mr. Long made valuable improvements on the mower and reaper, which was one of the principal articles of their manufacture, and the value of these inventions by Mr. Long, as well as nearly two dozen subsequent ones on different implements, was secured by patents. Among the more important inventions of Mr. Long are the sulky rake, the self-rake, the improvements on the mower and reaper, a punching machine, and an elastic-stroke power hammer -- the last two, though not in the agricultural line, are machines used in their own works, and are of great importance. In the course of a business life like that of Mr. Long, filled with projects and crowded by competition, there has been little time and less desire to indulge the airy ambition for a public career. His thoughts and inclinations have, fortu- nately for the community, taken a different direction, and the city reaps a substantial benefit from the great manufac- turing enterprise which he has been instrumental in found- ing. Ile has, however, served in the City Comicil several terms, and organized and has taken a leading part in bring- ing the steam fire department of the town to its present ex- cellent condition. In building associations he has taken an unusual interest, regarding them as a great boon to the mechanic who desire, to secure a home of his own. He is President of not less than three of these societies, and their influence has been marked in the exceptionally favorable condition of rents in Hamilton. Mr. Long was married, July 20, 1848, to Mary Mither, of Cincinnati, and with her he has had eleven children, ten of whom survive.
ESBITT, BENONI, Lawyer, was born, October 18th, 1812, in Washington county, Maryland, of American parentage. While yet an infant, his parents removed to Ohio in 1814, and settled in Greene county, where they engaged in farming. Ilis education was such as the common school afforded; and after leaving school he engaged in farming until he was twenty two years of age, when he became
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occupied in mercantile pursuits for some seven years. Having determined to adopt the profession of the law, he entered the office of Judge R. F. Howard, under whose supervision he went through the usual course of study, and was admitted to the bar in 1845. He now ranks as second or third oldest of the active practitioners of the Xenia bar. On being admitted to practise he immediately located in Xenia, where he has ever since resided. Ilis practice is a large and lucrative one, and his standing as a professional man is among the first in southern Ohio. In 1859 and 1860 he was a member of the Board for equalizing the val- uation of landed property for the State, In 1864 he en- tered the army, and was appointed Provost Marshal for the Seventh District of Ohio, and served until 1866. On his return home he resumed the practice of the law, in which he continues. Ile was married, January, 1839, to Rachel Crosby, of Xenia, Ohio.
EWBERRY, J. S., M. D., LL. D., Geologist, was born in Windsor, Connecticut, and comes of old Puritan stock, his family having resided at Wind- sor since 1635, when the town was founded by a colony from Dorchester, Massachusetts, and had during the two centuries of residence there fur. nished several representatives to the local and State govern- ments, and to the defence of the settlement, colony, State, and Union, In 1824 his father, Henry Newberry, removed with his family from Connecticut to northern Ohio, where he had large landed estates, inherited from llon. Roger Newberry, a member of the Connecticut Land Company, and settled in Summit county, where he founded the town of Cuyahoga Falls, and died in 1854. Dr. Newberry was quite young when he was brought into Ohio, and conse- quently received his education entirely in that State. Ile graduated at Western Reserve College, in Hudson, in 1846, and choosing medicine as a profession, graduated from the Cleveland Medical College in 1848. The next two years were spent in scientific studies at home and in Europe. At the close of 1850 he returned from travel, and the next spring began the practice of medicine in Cleveland, where be continued with success until 1855; but was much dis- satisfied, as he had no time to pursue his scientific studies. In May be accepted an appointment from the War Depart- ment as Acting Assistant Surgeon and Geologist to the United States Exploring Expedition, under command of Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, whose object was the exam- ination of the country between San Francisco and the Columbia river. The results of this trip are published in the sixth volume of " Pacific Railroad Reports." Dr. New- berry's own report on the " Geology, Botany, and Zoology of North California and Oregon," was published in a separ- ate quarto volume of three hundred pages, with forty-eight plates. In 1857-58 he accompanied Lieutenant J. C. Ives,
in the exploration and navigation of the Colorado river; the object being to open a navigable route of communication with the Umted States troops in Utah. An iron steamer, built in sections, was taken from Philadelphia to the head of the Gulf of California, and there put together and launched, In this steamer they navigated the river 500 miles above its mouth, when they were stopped at the lower end of the Great Canon, an immense chasm through which the river pursues its way for hundreds of miles between nearly vertical banks ranging from 3000 to 6000 fect in height. One year was spent in exploring the country bor- dering on the Colorado; the information obtained regarding it being entirely new and of absorbing imerest. Dr. New- berry's report occupies about one-half of the entire space, and was declared by the commanding officer, in his intro- ductory report, to contain " the most interesting material gathered by the expedition," In 1859 he was assigned to another exploring expedition, and took command of a party ordered to report to Captain J. N. Macomb, Topographical Engineer United States army, to explore the San Juan and upper Colorado rivers. The work of this expedition took him over a large part of southern Colorado, Utah, northern Arizona, and New Mexico, which were found to be rich in natural beauties and mineral wealth. This expedition found the point of junction of the Grand and Green rivers, the parent streams of the Colorado, and explored the valley of the San Juan, the Colorado's largest tributary, which is as large as the Connecticut, and once flowed by the popn- lous towns of a semi-civilized people, the ruins of whose homes now border the banks for hundreds of miles. Be- fore this most interesting report was published the war of the rebellion broke out, and the manuscript still remains in the War Department. In September, 1861, he accepted the position of Secretary of the Western Department of the Sanitary Commission, and continued to have the manage- ment of it until its work was closed and the soldiers had returned to their homes. Ilis head-quarters were first in Cleveland, and then in Louisville, Kentucky. At one time there were more than 5000 societies tributary to it in the loyal States of the Northwest ; and hospital stores to the value of more than $5,000,000 were distributed by it in the valley of the Mississippi, and over 850,000 names were on the records of its " Hospital Directory," at Louisville, and 1,000,000 soldiers, for whom no adequate provision was made, were fed and sheltered in its homes. The Sanitary Commission at the West was an elaborate and extensive organization for the perfect connection and mutual assist- ance of benevolent patriotism at home and lighting patriot- ism in the field. The great success to which it attained was largely due to Dr. Newberry's talent as an organizer and his executive ability. In 1866 he assumed the duties of Professor of Geology in the School of Mines of Colum- bia College, New York city, a position tendered to him before the Sanitary Commission had closed its work. In 1869 he acecpted an invitation of the State of Ohio to take
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charge, as State Geologist, of the Geological Survey of the and he generously refused any assistance from him. When Stute, which had been determined upon. This work con- tinued five years, and was completed in 1875. The several volumes, with the maps, render this one of the most valu- able of any work of its kind extant. Dr. Newberry is enrolled among the members of most of the learned socie- ties of this country and many in Europe. He was one of the original corporators of the National Academy of Science, and President of the New York Lyceum of Natural History.
OODBRIDGE, TIMOTHY, M. D., Physician, was born, February 19th, 1810, at Youngstown, Ohio. He is a great-grandson of President Jon- athan Edwards. His grandfather, Joseph Wood- bridge, and also his father, were natives of Stock- bridge, Massachusetts, where they were educated and resided many years. They removed to Ohio in 1808. Dr. Woodbridge received his primary education in the pub- lic schools of Youngstown, and subsequently attended the academy at Burton, Ohio. Ile afterwards commenced the study of medicine at Youngstown, which he completed at the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. graduating from that institution in the spring of 1835. Ile has been engaged in the practice of his profession ever since, with the exception of two years passed in Brazil with Governor Tod, who was Minister Resident in that empire from 1847 to 1851. During the late civil war he served in the army as Post Surgeon at the depot for prisoners of war, at John- son's Island, Lake Erie. Ile has also been a member of the Town Council, and filled the office of Justice of the Peace for a number of years. Ile was married, in 1844, to Isabella McCurdy.
he was eighteen years of age, young McLean went to write in the clerk's office of Hamilton county. This employment, while it would enable bim to support himself, would also initiate him into the practical part of the law, the profession he had chosen for his future career. The arrangement was that he should write in the office for three years, but reserv- ing a portion of each day for study; the latter to be under the direction of that cminent counsellor-at law, Arthur St. Clair, son of the illustrious general of the same name. During his continuance in the office he was indefatigable in the prosecution of his double duties. Ile also became a member of a debating society-the first ever formed in Cincinnati-in which he took an active part. Ile was ad- mitted to the practice of the law in the autumn of 1807, and settled at Lebanon, Warren county. Ile immediately attracted notice, and soon rose into a lucrative practice at the bar. In October, 1812, he was elected to Congress in the district in which he resided, by a very large majority over both his competitors. From his first entrance into public life he was identified with the then Democratic party. Ile was an ardent supporter of the war and of the administration of President Madison ; but his votes were not given in favor of every measure because it was proposed by his party, but solely in reference to principle; and the idea of supporting a dominant party, merely because it was dominant, did not influence his judgment, or withdraw him from the high path of duty which he had marked out for himself. Ile often voted against his political friends; and so highly were both his integrity and judgment estimated, that no one of the Democratic party separated himself from him on that account, nor did this independent course in the smallest degree diminish the weight which he had acquired among his own constituents. The first session which he attended was the extra session after the declaration of war, when the tax bills were passed to sustain the war. The law which was passed to indemnify individuals for property lost in the public service was originated by him, and very he had set out in public life. At the ensuing session he introduced a resolution instructing the proper committee to inquire into the expediency of granting pensions to the widows of the officers and soldiers who had fallen in the military service, which was afterwards sanctioned by law. At this session he also delivered a very able and effective speech in defence of the administration in the prosecution of the war. This was published in the leading journals of that day, and gave an earnest of the future eminence which he was destined to attain. He was a member of the Com- mittees of Foreign Relations, and on the Public Lands. In the fall of 1815 he was re-elected to Congress with the same unanimity as before. During the same year he was solicited to become a candidate for the Senate, but declined, as the Ilouse seemed at that time to present the widest arena for the display of talents and for the acquisition of public fame.
LEAN, JOHN, LL. D., Lawyer, Statesman, and i naturally contributed to add to the reputation with which Jurist, was born, March 11th, 1785, in Morris county, New Jersey. When he was four years old his father removed to the West. He re- mained one year at Morgantown, Virginia, and thence proceeded to that part of the State since known as Kentucky, where he sojourned about seven years. In 1797 he removed to the then Northwest Territory-now Ohio-and settled on a farm. John was sent to school when quite young, and made unusual proficiency for one whose general opportunities were so limited. He labored on the farm until he was sixteen years old, and then placed ! himself successively under the instruction of Rev. Matthew G. Wallace and Mr. Stubbs, by whose assistance he made great progress in the study of the languages. During this period his expenses, both for board and tuition, were de- frayed by himself, as his father's means were very limited,
John dklean
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Ile was elected in 1816, unanimously, Judge of the Supreme Court of the State, and discharged the duties of that station with fidelity. His mind seemed to combine all the leading qualities which are requisite in a Judge, and his advance- ment to the office was felt to be a publie advantage to the whole State. In the summer of 1822 he was appointed, by meucement of his first term, recognizing the superior ad- President Monroe, Commissioner of the General Land ministrative ability of the Postmaster-General, tendered him Office, and he removed to Washington. Ile filled that station for only about one year, when he was named Post- master-General, July ist, 1823. Many of his friends urged him not to accept this post, as former incumbents had found its duties exceedingly arduous, while at the same time they were not exempt from a large share of that abuse and cal- umny so often wantonly and indiscriminately heaped upon public servants, It was said none could acquire reputation in that office; but he went into the office with the deter- mination of devoting bis whole time, day and night, to the discharge of his duties. He found the finances of the de- partment in a low condition, and it did not possess the pub- lic confidence; but order was restored at once and public confidence revived. In a short time the finances of the department were in a most flourishing condition; despatch and regularity were given to the mails, and the commercial intercourse of the whole country was prosecuted with the utmost celerity and ease. Inefficient contractors were dis- missed, and the same course was adopted with regard to the postmasters and other agents of the department. He controlled its entire action. The whole correspondence was superintended and directed by him, and he gave his undivided and personal attention to every contract which was made or altered. All appointments, all charges against postmasters, were aeted on by him. In fact, there was nought done, involving the efficiency or character of the department, which was not done under his immediate sanction. During the whole period that he presided over the affairs of this department, which embraced nearly two years of President Monroe's administration, and the four years' term of President John Quincy Adams, the country was divided into two great parties, animated by the most determined spirit of tivatry, and each beut upon advancing itself to the lead of public affairs. A question of great im- port was then started, whether it was proper to make political opinions the test of qualification for office. It had never become the settled and systematie course of conduct of any public officer. That which Judge MeLean pursued was marked by the greatest wisdom and moderation. Be- Iieving that every publie officer held his office in trust for the people, he determined to be influenced by no other principles in the discharge of his public duties than a faithful performance of the trust committed to him. No person was removed from office on account of his political opinions. In making appointments, where the claims and qualifications of individuals were equal, and at the same time one was known to be friendly to the administration, he felt himself hound to appoint the one who was friendly ;
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