USA > Ohio > The biographical cyclopaedia and portrait gallery with an historical sketch of the state of Ohio. Volume I > Part 77
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ingly hopeless confusion, the only fact clearly apparent being that the State was wholly unable to meet its current expenses with its current revenues. Extravagance, mismanagement, and corruption prevailed. He had been elected for the pur- pose of reforming those evils, and he set about the task with all the energy and determination of his nature. In spite of obstructions placed in his way by interested parties, and the abuse and misrepresentation with which he was assailed, he persisted in the work of exposing frauds and preventing their repetition, until at last the financial management was radically changed, a plan of checks and balances established, new revenue laws enacted, an admirable system of accountability between the -several departments of government adopted, more than a million acres of land added to the property sub- ject to assessment, the pecuniary embarrassments of the State removed, and its credit placed on a firm basis. Whilst per- forming this work his annual reports set forth the condition of the State finances, and pointed out with clearness and fullness the evils that had resulted from improper manage- ment, and the true principles on which the financial admin- istration should be conducted. These six reports are con- sidered among the most valuable State papers of their class. Before the close of his second term as auditor he purchased the Phoenix newspaper in Cincinnati, changed its name to the Enquirer, and placed it in charge of his brother Charles. At the close of his term he removed to Cincinnati and opened a law office, writing editorials for the Enquirer, and taking an active part in political affairs, both as a writer and orator. As a public speaker he was popular and effective. Thor- oughly conversant with public affairs, logical in argument, quick in repartee, skillful in the evasion of disagreeable or difficult points, fertile in resources, fluent in speech, and pos- sessing a powerful voice and engaging manner, few public speakers could attempt to cope with him. But whilst thus rapidly becoming a distinguished leader in the democratic party, he was with equal rapidity imbibing a disgust for par- tisan politics. In 1848 he retired from political life, sold out one-half of the Enquirer, and turned his attention to rail- roading. He was elected president of the Madison and In- dianapolis Railroad Company, and moved his residence to Madison, Indiana. He managed the affairs of this line with remarkable success until 1853, when, at the invitation of one of his best friends, Stillman Witt, of Cleveland, he accepted the more responsible post of president of the Bellefontaine line. Under his management that road, which for some time struggled desperately against adversity, eventually be- came prosperous, and took position as one of the leading lines of the country. In 1861 he removed to Cleveland, and managed the line from that point. During the first two years of the war he was untiring in his efforts to serve the Union cause by the prompt transportation of troops over his line, and by every other means in his power. In 1863 the dem- crats of Ohio having nominated Clement L. Vallandigham as their candidate for governor, the news startled him into political activity once more. Although much against his inclination and pecuniary interests, his patriotism at length impelled him to give an affirmative response to the urgent solicitations of prominent leaders of both political parties, that he should devote his eminent abilities to the service of his country in its hour of peril. Mr. Stillman Witt, who at the time was the largest owner of the Bellefontaine Railroad, volunteered to fulfill for him the duties of president of the road, and generously insisted that he should continue to re-
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ceive the salary of that office while performing the more im- portant duties of governor of the State. He went to his old home, Marietta, and made a vigorous speech, declaring slavery destroyed by the act of rebellion, and earnestly appealing to all patriots, of whatever previous political predilections, to unite against the insurgents of the South in support of the government. The Republican Union State convention, which met at Columbus shortly after, unanimously nominated him for governor. He was elected in October by the heaviest majority ever given in the State, being 101,099 over his op- ponent in a total vote of 471,643. From the moment he took the gubernatorial chair he labored with all his might for the success of the Union cause. He was the intimate per- sonal friend of Secretary of War Stanton, and one of Presi- dent Lincoln's most trusted advisers and supporters. Early in the spring of 1864 the contending forces were preparing for a decisive struggle. At this juncture he proposed to several Western governors, in conference at Washington,, that an extra force of one hundred thousand men be raised for one hundred days, and sent to the aid of General Grant, then in command. The suggestion was adopted. He tel- egraphed to Ohio calling out thirty thousand militia, to ren- dezvous within ten days. On the appointed day thirty-eight thousand Ohio troops were in camp under arms, and were at once sent to the front, or to relieve veterans doing guard duty, who were thus enabled to join their comrades at the front. This energetic action produced important results, and evoked the warmest commendations from President Lin- coln and General Grant. 'Of the select few who, by their devotion and great executive abilities were recognized as such, and to whom the people awarded the distinctive ap- pellation of "the Great War Governors," he was unques- tionably the chief. Before the close of his term he was taken ill, and after suffering intense pain, which was borne with great fortitude, he died. His services to the country were great. In his conduct of public affairs he evinced superior statesmenship, looking only to the interests of the people and the safety of the nation. His views of public policy were broad and catholic. His incorruptible honesty was prover- bial. He was just in all his motives and acts. Though not a member of any church, he had a deep, rather than demon- strative, sense of religion, and died expressing his faith in the doctrines of Christianity and his hope of eternal life. He was twice married, his first wife being Miss Achsah P. Pruden, of Athens, Ohio, who died at the age of twenty-five, in 1838, and his second, Miss Caroline A. Nelson, of Columbus, Ohio, whom he married five years afterward.
TRACY, CHARLES PACKER, merchant, was born at Oxford, Chenango county, New York, December 5th, 1829. He passed his minority on his father's farm, near that place, receiving his education in the Oxford Academy. In 1851 he located in Portsmouth, Ohio, and was employed for two or three years as salesman in the boot and shoe establishment of R. Lloyd & Co. He then engaged in the same business for himself under the firm name of Oakes & Tracy, and sub- sequently became associated with his brother,-H. R. Tracy, who purchased Mr. Oakes's interest, the firm name changing to C. P. Tracy & Co., in which business he continued until his death, on January 16th, 1874. On December 20th, 1858, he married Isabella, daughter of Captain William McClain. His widow and only daughter, Miss Persis Tracy, survive him. The latter graduated in 1880 from Bartholomew's English
and classical school, Cincinnati. Mr. Tracy was a man of very decided convictions and pronounced opinions, and was universally regarded as one of Portsmouth's best business men, in every sense of that term. He united with All Saints Church of Portsmouth, in 1857, and was one of its most use- ful, active members. His illness was brief, his death sudden, The day previous he had entertained some friends at dinner, and in the evening attended prayer-meeting at a privato house. While engaged in prayer he was struck with a species of paralysis, and was unable to finish. He was at once conveyed to his residence, and while on the way in- quired, "Are we nearly home?" And when told that he was, he replied, "Then my wife can nurse me." These were his last words. Notwithstanding every effort of medical skill, hc gradually sank until six o'clock the following morning, when he "fell asleep in Jesus." We cannot better portray the character of this good man than by giving some extracts from his funeral sermon, preached by his pastor, Rev. I. N. Stanger, in which a most touching allusion is made to the closing scene of his life. After speaking of the uncertainty of human life, Mr. Stanger said: "I know your thoughts this morning. They rest upon that empty pew. That place shall know him no more. Our friend and brother has gone. He whom we all knew, and knew to love and respect more and more as our knowledge of him increased; he who was always so kind, so gentle, so benevolent, so unostentatious, so lova- ble, so noble and refined in everything that marks a true Christian gentleman, has gone! He who always, both by his example and by his constant attendance and deep attention in the house of God, taught all a lesson of Christian humility and love, has gone forever from our earthly sight. He died as he had lived, speaking to God and working for God. His last words were words of prayer, his last act an act of faith. O what a life! O what a death! No greater honor could be given to any than to be carried from that lowly attitude before the Father of all, from that simple oratory of prayer, in that humble widow's dwelling, to those lofty mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare for all who love him. Little did we think as we sat together and sang that sweet song, 'Nearer, my God, to Thee,' that in a few short hours, for one of us, that prayer would be so fully answered. But thus it is. Our friend has gone to be with God. Scarcely had the echo ceased from winged prayer, than the voice of God was heard saying, 'My son, come up higher.'"
MCPHERSON, JAMES BIRDSEYE, soldier, was born at Clyde, Sandusky county, Ohio, November 14th, 1828, the son of William McPherson, who was of Scotch-Irish descent, and of Cynthia (Russell) McPherson, a native of Massachu- setts. His parents moved to Ohio shortly after their mar- riage, and settled on a wild tract near where the town of Clyde now stands. The husband divided his time between clearing and improving his farm, and working in his black- smith's shop; and four years later the future general was born. He grew up in the hardy backwood's life of the time. His father became unfortunate in business, and failed in his health, the family being compelled to struggle on as they best could. The eldest of the family, the subject of this sketch, was now thirteen years of age, a bright, manly little fellow, and his upright and trustworthy character were so well known in the neighborhood, that he easily obtained em- ployment. Mr. Robert Smith, postmaster and storekeeper at Green Spring, the nearest village, took him into his store,
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and thus helped him to lighten the burden of his mother. Here he remained for six years as store-boy and clerk. He was liked by all with whom he came in contact, on account of his kind and lovable nature. He attended school in the winter; was very anxious to improve his education and gen- eral knowledge, and greedily devoured books of all kinds. He poured over " Plutarch's Lives," "Gibbon's Decline and Fall," "Marshall's Life of Washington," "Buffon's Natural History ;" also a few standard works of fiction. At length a promise of an appointment at West Point induced him to give up his position in the store, and enter the Norwalk Academy for a couple of sessions' preparatory study. He was now nineteen years of age, and so limited had been his opportunities for study, that he was fearful of being rejected an account of his defective education and his age. He
secured the coveted prize, however, and entered the academy a few months before attaining his majority. Among his class- mates were Schofield, Terrill, Sill and Tyler, and later another one-Philip H. Sheridan, still another, with whom in conflict he was afterwards to meet death- James B. Hood. With these rivals, the backwood's store clerk at once took rank next to the highest. In general merit he always held the first place. Graduated at the head of his class, he was assigned to the engineers, and retained at the academy as assistant professor of practical engineering, and in this posi- tion he remained a year. For three years he was employed on engineering duty on the Atlantic coast, and subsequently for three years and a half in charge of the fortifications in the harbor of San Francisco. And then came the war. In the meantime he had developed into the accomplished en- gineer. He was very affectionate in the family circle, thor- oughly enjoying his visits home, where he was almost wor- shipped. Before his appointment to West Point his father had died. Political matters seem to have attracted some of his attention. He could scarcely have passed through West Point in those days without absorbing the Southern notions which prevailed, and the dislike which many officers of the regular army chose to affect toward the abolitionists. How- ever, with all this, he stood by the Constitution and the Union. In the summer of 1861, after personal application, he obtained orders to come East, and was assigned to engineer duty in Boston harbor, and on August 6th, was advanced to a cap- taincy of engineers. When Halleck went West, Captain McPherson was promoted to a lieutenant-colonelcy of volun- teers, and assigned to duty on General Halleck's staff. This was in November, 1861. At the end of January, 1862, Gen- eral Grant received permission to move on Forts Henry and Donelson, and McPherson was with him as brevet-major and chief-engineer of the expeditionary forces. Here his health broke down from exposure, and he was forced to hasten to St. Louis for medical assistance. In the first days of March he was ready to return to the field, and bore with him the instructions to General Grant for the movement up the Tennessee. For gallant service in this disastrous cam- paign, ending at Pittsburgh Landing, he was promoted to a lieutenant-colonelcy in the regulars, and a colonelcy in the volunteers; and assigned to Halleck's staff, as chief-engineer to the army moving against Corinth. Though he performed his work faithfully and well, he disapproved of the plans of his superior. When Halleck was summoned to Washington as general-in chief, McPherson remained behind, and pres- ently, on the recommendation of General Grant, was pro- moted to a brigadier-generalship of volunteers, in order that
he might assume the position of military, superintendent of railroads. He remained however, on General Grant's staff, until after the battle of Iuka. With a hastily formed brigade, he did good service in the relief of Rosecrans at Corinth. His gallantry soon after won him a major-general's epaulet. Grant believed him capable of great things. He was now called upon to give up his control of the railroads and enter upon his duties as major-general; and in testimony of the attachment and regard felt for him by his railroad subordin- ates, they gave him a parting supper, at which Grant, Logan, and a number of rising officers who have since become famous, were assembled, and presented him with a horse, saddle, bridle and sword. McPherson was assigned to the command of the district of Bolivar. Here he was enabled, by keeping a keen eye upon the movements of the enemy, to furnish much information to Grant that went to shape the campaign upon Holly Springs and Vicksburg. He was ordered by Grant to make a reconnoissance in force toward Holly Springs, to discover the enemy's strength. He encoun- tered the rebels in force, but, after a short resistance, they broke, and fled in confusion. With the cavalry, he pushed on in person, following the retreat, and presently discovering the full strength of the enemy behind their fortified positions, and making a careful reconnoissance, he retired with about a hundred prisoners and such information, as to the rebel strength and position, as satisfied Grant that the time for his advance had come. So fully had McPherson now won the approval and confidence of Grant, that he was given the en- tire right wing of the army of the Tennessee, and assigned to the front. Now began the advance upon Vicksburg by way of the Mississippi river. He was prominent and active in this memorable campaign, and was one of the most suc- cessful officers in his operations. Indeed some writers have not hesitated to place upon his brow the laurels of that great Union victory. On recommendation of Grant he was made a brigadier-general in the regular army. At one time, hints were thrown out that he was too kind to rebel prisoners, and had sympathies of a Southern character, but they are hardly worthy of passing notice. He was presented with the gold medal of honor awarded by the "Board of Honor," com- posed of fellow-soldiers in Grant's army, in testimony of the appreciation in which he and his work were held by those who knew both the best. At the opening of the Atlanta campaign in the beginning of 1864, he had secured the reenlistment of his corps. That memorable campaign was his last. He took a prominent part in the advance on Atlanta, doing noble ser- vice for his country. He had been galloping hither and thither, giving orders and directing movements, when he ran into the fatal trap. He was riding from the 16th towards his own corps, the 17th, which he had heard was being badly pressed, when he came suddenly upon some rebel skirmishers, and was ordered to halt. He stopped for an instant, raised his hat, then, with a quick wrench on the reins, dashed into the woods on his right. He was followed by a volley of bul- lets, and a shot entered his right lung and shattered the spine. His wounded charger galloped among his men, and mutely told the sorrowful story. The wound was fatal, and he was found an hour afterwards, conscious, but unable to speak. His men fought terribly to avenge his death, and drove back the rebel assault with great loss. The entire army was bowed in grief after the battle. He was killed July 22d, 1864. In personal appearance he was eminently prepossessing, six feet high, of full, manly development, with graceful carriage, and
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most winning manners, he was altogether a splendid speci- men of a soldier. He was buried in the orchard of the old homestead at Clyde. At the time he met his death, he was betrothed to a young lady of Baltimore, to whom he was tenderly attached.
NOYES, EDWARD FOLLENSBEE, the twenty-fourth governor elected by the people of Ohio, was born at Haver- hill, Massachusetts, October 3d, 1832. His parents, Theo- dore and Hannah Noyes, both died before he was three years old, and he was reared by his grand-parents, Edward and Hannah Stevens, who resided at East Kingston, Rocking- ham county, New Hampshire. When twelve years of age his grandfather having died, he went to live with his guar- dian, Joseph Hoyt, at Newton, New Hampshire. Here he went to school in winter and worked on the farm of his guar- dian in summer until he was fourteen years old, when he was apprenticed to learn the business of printer in the office of the Morning Star, the organ of the Free Will Baptist denomina- tion, then published at Dover, and he boarded in the family of the editor of that journal, William Burr, a good and kind- hearted man, where he remained thus engaged four years. According to his indentures he was bound to serve until he was twenty-one, but, when eighteen, he surprised Mr. Burr by requesting his permission to quit the office and go home to go to school, and which he was at once allowed to do, carrying with him the earnest promises of the friendship of his employer. Having prepared himself for college at the academy in Kingston, New Hampshire, he entered in 1853 and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1857, having been appointed by the college faculty to deliver the commence- ment poem, and for which he selected the suggestive theme "Eloquence." In the winter of his senior year he had begun to read law in the office of Stickney & Tuck, at Exeter, New Hampshire, and before leaving the halls of old Dartmouth, he had imbibed those principles which distin- guished the men known to the slaveholders as the leaders of the abolitionists. His ability as a speaker, caused him to be employed by the State central executive committee of New Hampshire to traverse the State and advocate the elec- tion of John C. Fremont. Having the following year visited a classmate in Cincinnati, he decided to make that city his home, and having entered the office of Tilden, Raridan & Curwen, he attended the lectures of the Cincinnati Law School during the succeeding winter, and was admitted to practice in 1858. At once opening an office, he soon entered upon what promised to be profitable employment, when a careful study of the impending crisis caused him to turn his at- tention to the army. He knew nothing of war, but saw plainly that the consequences of threatened secession, if consum-
· mated, would be a struggle for the life or death of the Repub- lic, and, on the 8th July, 1861, much to the surprise of those who believed the three months' volunteers would effectually end the rising, an advertisement appeared in the Cincinnati newspapers calling upon all officers representing military organizations desirous to enlist for the war to report at the office of Noyes & Stephenson without delay. On the 20th of the following month, the 39th Ohio volunteer infantry, as a full regiment, with John Groesbeck colonel, A. W. Gil- bert lieutenant-colonel, and Edward F. Noyes major, was ready to take the field, and, by request, this regiment, and the 27th Ohio volunteer infantry, also in a properly equipped condition, were transferred from the Eastern to the Western
army, and sent to Missouri under the command of General John C. Fremont. After marching fifteen hundred miles in the State of Missouri, and dispersing guerilla bands, these regiments, early in 1862, joined the old army of the Missis- sippi, under the command of General Pope, and took part in the capture of New Madrid and Island No. 10, after which Major Noyes was assigned for duty on General Pope's staff, and, until that officer was transferred to the army of North- ern Virginia, he remained so engaged. Then both Colonel Groesbeck and Lieutenant-colonel Gilbert having resigned and withdrawn from military service, Major Noyes was commissioned colonel and took command of his regiment in October, 1862. Under General Rosecrans, it was engaged in the battles of Iuka and Corinth, and, under General Dodge, in all the operations against the force commanded by General Forest and others in the Tuscumbia valley. In 1864, the reg- iment was one of those forming the Ist division of the 17th army corps, and took part in the famous Atlanta campaign under General Sherman. July 4th, 1864, while leading his regiment in an assault at Ruff's Mills, in Georgia, Colonel Noyes was shot, severely wounded, and suffered the amputa- tion of a leg upon the battle-field. The operation not proving successful, on account of heat, he was brought to Cincinnati, and there operated on by the late Dr. W. H. Mussey, at nearly the cost of his life. In the following October, on crutches, he reported for duty to General Hooker, and was assigned to the command of Camp Dennison. Under the recommendation embodied by General Sherman, in a short account of the at- tack in which Colonel Noyes lost his leg, he was promoted to the full rank of brigadier-general, and while in the discharge of his duties as commandant of Camp Dennison, he was elected city solicitor of Cincinnati. Thereupon he resigned the com- mand of the camp and engaged in the legal duties of his new office, in which his term had not expired when he was elected probate judge of Hamilton county, a position at that time that commanded fees to make it among the most satis- factory of any known to the profession. In this office he served until the autumn of 1871, when, having resumed his law practice, he was nominated for governor, and elected by nearly 20,000 majority. Two years subsequently, he was again nominated, but defeated by the small majority of 800 in a vote of 448,000. After this he was, by his party, unani- mously nominated for United States senator. His adminis- tration as governor was eminently non-partisan and generous toward political opponents. As an orator his natural and ac- quired ability place him in the front rank, while his disposi- tion demands fairness of treatment for any subject he discusses. In the presidential campaign of 1876 he took a prominent part, and did effective service for his party and its nominee, and such service was acknowledged by his nomin- ation by President Hayes for the position of minister to the French republic, where he was received with marks of high distinction by President McMahon and the various members of the French government. He remained four years at Paris, as United States Minister to France, during which time, under special instructions from the United States government, he made a ten-thousand mile tour through the countries along the Mediterranean, for the purpose of investigating the con- ditions of the lower classes in the different countries as to the compensation of labor and the relative cost of living. A de- tailed report of his trip was made to the State Department at Washington, showing most careful and thorough observa- tion, and containing much valuable and interesting information.
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