History of Ohio United States of America

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Local History Notes:

OHIO, one of the Western States, is bounded on the N. by Michigan and Lake Erie, E. by Pennsylvania and Virginia, S. by Virginia and Kentucky, and W. by Indiana. The Ohio river forms the entire boundary between Kentucky and Virginia. It lies between 38° 32' and 42° N. lat., and between 80° 35' and 84° 40' W. lon., being about 200 miles in its greatest length from N. to S., and about 195 in extreme width, covering an area of about 39,964 square miles, or 25,576,960 acres, of which 9,851,493 were improved in 1850.

Population: This state, now the third in point of population and wealth of the members of the American confederacy, had no white settlements till five years after the close of the American Revolution. In 1800 it numbered only 45,365 inhabitants; 230,760 in 1810; 581,434 in 1820; 937,903 in 1830; 1,519,467 in 1840, and 1,980,427 in 1850, of whom 1,004,095 were white males; 951,013 white females, 12,715 colored males, 12,604 colored females--forming altogether 348,523 families, occupying 336,098 dwellings. Of the residents of Ohio, 1,219,432 were born in the state, 538,124 in other states of the confederacy, 25,660 in England, 51,562 in Ireland, 11,081 in Scotland and Wales, 5889 in British America, 111,257 in Germany, 7375 in France, and 5697 in other countries, and 4393 whose places of birth were unknown, making about 11 per cent. of foreign birth. In the year ending June, 1850, 28,949 deaths occurred, or about 15 in every one thousand persons. During the same period 2513 paupers received aid, of whom 609 were foreigners, at an expense of about $38 for each pauper. Of the entire population, 947 were deaf and dumb, of whom 8 were colored persons; 665 blind, of whom 12 were colored persons; 1352 insane, of whom 17 were colored, and 1399 idiotic, of whom 19 were colored persons.

Counties: There are in Ohio 88 counties, viz. Adams, Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Gallia, Geauga, Greene, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Logan, Lorain, Lucas, Madison, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Sandusky, Scioto, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull Tuscarswas, Union, Van Wert, Viaton, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Williams, Wood, and Wyandott.

Cities and Towns: Ohio surpasses all the states of the Mississippi valley in the number and populousness of its towns. Cincinnati, called the Queen of the West, is, with the exception of New Orleans, the largest town W. of the Alleghany mountains; and if we include its suburbs in Kentucky, we probably need not make that exception. Its population in 1850 was 115,436. A local census in 1853 gave a population of 160,186. The other most important towns are Cleveland, population, 17,304, (including Ohio City, its suburb, 20,000, ) more than 30,000 in 1853; Columbus, population, 17,883; Dayton, 10,977; Zanesville, 7929; Chilicothe, 7100; Steubenville, 6139; Springfield, 5108; Sandusky City, 5087, and Portsmouth, 4011; Toledo, Mount Vernon, Newark, Mansfield, Xenia, Circleville, Piqua, Akron, Tiffin, Wooster, Marietta, Delaware, Lancaster, Youngstown, Urbana, Gallipolis, and Lebanon, had each, in 1850, populations varying from 2000 to 4000.

Face of the Country: Though Ohio has no mountains, the centre of the state is elevated about 1000 feet above the level of the sea, and there are other portions from 600 to 800 feet. A ridge of highlands, north of the middle of the state, separates the rivers flowing N. into Lake Erie from those running S. into the Ohio river. The tributaries of the Ohio have a much longer course and much greater volume of water than those flowing into Lake Erie. The Ohio slope is interrupted by a second ridge, about the middle of the state, south of which the surface is diversified by hills and valleys. The summits of the abrupt hills, several hundred feet high, which border the Ohio, (and the rivers of the Mississippi valley generally,) are nearly on a level with the surrounding country, through which the rivers have excavated their channels in the lapse of ages. The middle portion of the state is generally an elevated plain, with occasional marshes, which become more frequent and extensive farther north; but it is remarkable that these are on the high grounds, while the banks of the rivers are comparatively firm land. In the N.W. is an extensive tract of great fertility, called the Black Swamp, much of which is yet covered with forest. In the centre and N.W. are some prairies, though the state was originally well timbered. The plains of Ohio, as well as those of other Western States, are covered with large stones (almost rocks) called boulders, which appear to have been carried by the icebergs of an early sea, and dropped at random as the ice melted. The great coalfield of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky enters the S.E. of the state, and occupies an extensive district E. of the Scioto river.

Geology: The great bituminous coalfield from Pennsylvania enters this state, occupying the eastern and S.E. portions of Ohio from the N. angle of Trumbull county to near Portsmouth, on the Ohio river. The N.W. boundary of this great coal deposite runs near the villages of Wooster, Newark, and Lancaster, forming a slight curve. This is succeeded by a very narrow belt of the underlying coal conglomerate, which forms a rim round the coalbed. The great Chemung and Portage groups (the former composed of thin bedded sandstones or flagstones, with intervening shales, and frequently beds of limestone rendered impure by organic remains; and the latter of shale, and flagstones, and towards the upper part some thick bedded sandstone) enter the state from New York and Pennsylvania, and fill up the whole breadth between the coalbed (and the rim of conglomerate spoken of above) and Lake Erie to the mouth of the Huron river, where they turn almost directly S. and strike the Ohio river in the S.E. of Adams county. This is followed by a very narrow belt of the Hamilton group, (composed of dull olive or bluish-gray calcareous shales, sometimes changed by the atmosphere to an ashen, and at others to a brown tint,) which passes under Lake Erie from south of Buffalo, New York, and reissues in Ohio, W. of Huron river. All the state W. of this is occupied by the Helderberg limestone group, (which includes some grits and sandstones,) except in the S.W., in Warren, Butler, Hamilton, Clermont, and parts of Brown, Highland, Clinton, Greene, Montgomery, and Preble counties, which are covered with a bed of Blackriver, Bird's-eye, and Trenton limestone, surrounded by a rim of the conglomerate coal formation.

Minerals: The variety of minerals in Ohio is not great, but she possesses in great abundance those most important ones, coal and iron. There were sent to market in 1850-51, 6,489,299 tons of bituminous coal; but this is very imperfect evidence of the abundance of this mineral, in a state where wood as a fuel is still so cheap. This valuable mineral is found in 20 counties, and is at present mostly mined in Meigs, Athens, and Summit counties. The coal region commences at the Ohio river, and extends in a belt between the Scioto and Muskingum rivers, inclining a little E. of N. to near Lake Erie. Professor Mather computes the quantity embowelled beneath the soil in Tuscarawas county alone, at 80,000,000,000 bushels. The iron, which is found running through Lawrence, Gallia, Jackson, Meigs, Viaton, Athens, and Hocking counties, in a bed 100 miles long by 12 wide, is said to be superior to any other in the United States for the finer castings. In 1850 there were shipped by canal 16,179,227 pounds of iron from different points in the state. The coal underlies the same region as the iron, as well as in other localities. Salt springs are frequent, and marble and lime abound.

Rivers, Lakes, &c: As has been already stated, the Ohio river coasts the entire southern and S.E. border of the state, opening to it, by its connection with the Mississippi river, the commerce of the great Mississippi valley. The Ohio comes abreast of the state to which it gives its name about 50 miles below Pittsburg, where the Alleghany and Monongahela rivers pour together their united tribute to form that beautiful and majestic stream; to whose volume the State of Ohio adds the waters of the Muskingum, Scioto, and Miami, besides several smaller streams. Each of these rivers has a course of from 150 to 200 miles. The Ohio river is navigable during half the year by steamboats of the first class, to its head, at Pittsburg, and at all seasons, with short exceptions, for boats of lighter draught. The Muskingum river is navigable, by means of dams and locks, to Zanesville, 80 miles from its mouth, and at times of highwater, 30 miles farther to Coshocton. The Scioto river is navigable for boats 130 miles, and the great Miami river, 75 miles. The three rivers last mentioned enter the Ohio in the order named, (descending from Pittsburg,) and drain the centre and S. W. of the state. The chief rivers of the northern slope, beginning at the N. W., are the Maumee, the Sandusky, Huron, and Cuyahoga, all emptying into Lake Erie, and all (with the exception of the Maumee river, which rises in Indiana) having their entire course within the state. The Maumee river is navigable 18 miles for lake steamers, and still farther for small boats. The other rivers have rapid courses, and are chiefly valuable for mill sites. Lake Erie coasts the state for about 150 miles on the N. E. and N., affording several harbors. At the W. end of the lake are Maumee and Sandusky bays, the principal on the Ohio shore. Sandusky bay extends about 20 miles inland. There are several small islands in the W. end of the lake, belonging to Ohio.

Objects of Interest to Tourists: Though not lacking in picturesque beauty, Ohio has no striking natural phenomena within its limits, and is rather interesting for its economical resources than for its physical wonders. The shores of the Ohio river have been much admired by travellers for their gracefully rounded and lofty hills, and the interior streams have some pleasant cascades, which will be noticed in describing their respective localities. There are, however, some earth-works in the neighborhood of Circleville, (to which they give name,) which have claimed the attention of antiquarians for half a century or more. Works of a similar character, of greater or less extent, are scattered over the state. Among the most remarkable is a mound near Marietta, 30 feet high, enclosed by an elliptical wall 230 by 215 feet; Fort Ancient, in Warren county, has nearly 4 miles of embankment from 13 to 20 feet high; Clark's Works, in Ross county, in form of a parallelogram 2800 feet by 1800 feet, enclosing several smaller works and mounds, which altogether make 3,000,000 cubic feet of embankment, &c.; and many others which the nature of this work will not allow us to describe.

Climate, Soil and Productions: It is under this heading that Ohio will exhibit the sources to which she owes a rise, (unexampled in the history of the world except in the United States,) in a little more than half a century, from a mere wilderness to rank among the first of the states of the American confederacy, and to equal some of the kingdoms of Europe in wealth and populousness. Ohio is possessed of that happy medium of soil and climate, which, while not so luxurious as to tempt to indolence and inertness, is yet sufficient to call forth and richly reward energy and industry. The climate in the S. part of the state is mild, and snow seldom lies long enough to make good sleighing, but in the N. the temperature is as rigorous as in the same latitude near the Atlantic. Ohio has sometimes suffered from great droughts, but perhaps not to a greater degree on the whole than the neighboring states.

There is very little of this state that is not available for agricultural purposes; so that it stands among the first in the products of the soil; the very first in wool and Indian corn; only second in wheat, barley, cheese, and live stock; and third in oats, Irish potatoes, buckwheat, orchard products, butter, hay, maple sugar, and grass-seeds. The soil may be generally characterized as fertile, and much of it highly so, especially on the river bottoms. Besides the products named, tobacco and oats are staple articles; barley, rye, peas, beans, buckwheat, fruits, grass-seeds, hops, molasses, beeswax, and honey are produced in large quantities, and sweet potatoes, wine, hemp, and silk to some extent. In 1850 there were in Ohio 143,887 farms, comprising 9,851,493 acres of cultivated land, producing 14,487,351 bushels of wheat; 59,078,695 of Indian corn; 13,472,743 of oats; 5,057,769 of Irish potatoes; 638,064 of buckwheat; 10,454,449 pounds of tobacco 10,196,371 of wool; 446,932 of flax; 4,588,209 of maple sugar; 804,275 of beeswax and honey; 34,449,379 of butter; 20,819,542 of cheese, and 1,443,142 tons of hay. Value of live stock, $44,121,741; orchard products, $695,921; market products, $214,004; slaughtered animals, $7,439,243.

Forest Trees: The forest trees of Ohio are several varieties of oak, hickory, sugar and other maples, beech, poplar, ash, sycamore, pawpaw, buckeye, (which gives its soubri-quet to the state,) dogwood, cherry, elm, hornbeam, and some cypress, though evergreens generally do not flourish in the state. Ginseng, (latterly an article of export to China, as a substitute for opium,) valerian, columbo, snake, and blood roots are medicinal plants indigenous to the state.

Manufactures: Ohio has now attained that degree of advancement that enables a state to cultivate other than its agricultural resources. Though her manufactures are necessarily in their infancy, yet in 1850 there were 10,550 establishments in the state, producing each $500 and upwards annually; 8 of these were engaged in the manufacture of cotton, employing a capital of $297,000, and 2191 male and 2534 female hands, consuming raw material worth $237,060, and producing 280,000 yards of stuff, and 433,000 pounds of yarn, valued at $394,700; 130 in the manufacture of wool, employing a capital of $870,220, and 903 male, and 298 female hands, consuming raw material worth $578,423, and producing 1,374,087 yards of stuffs, and 65,000 pounds of yarn, valued at $1,111,027; 229 in the manufacture of iron, employing a capital of $4,187,450, and 5881 male hands, consuming raw material worth $2,434,320, and producing 104,473 tons of wrought, cast, and pig iron valued at $.5,401,392. There was at the same time $1,262,974 invested in the manufacture of malt and spirituous liquors, consuming 330,950 bushels of barley; 3,588,140 of Indian corn; 281,750 of rye; 19,510 of oats, and 178 tons of hops, employing 1033 hands, and producing 96,943 barrels of ale, &c., and 11,865,150 gallons of whiskey, wines, &c.; there were 706 tanneries, employing $1,340,380 capital, consuming raw material worth $1,118,080, and producing manufactured leather valued at $1,964,591. Homemade manufactures valued at $1,712,196 were produced in 1850.

Internal Improvements: In respect to opening ways of internal communication, Ohio has shown a spirit of enterprise worthy her New England origin. In January, 1853, there were in the state 1385 miles of railway completed, and 1755 in course of construction, being the greatest amount of any state in the Union, except New York. A complete line of canal connects the Ohio river at Portsmouth with Cleveland, on Lake Erie, following the Scioto river nearly to Columbus, then crossing to the Muskingum, which it coasts (including the Tuscarawas, one of its sources) for perhaps 50 miles, when it crosses to the Cuyahoga, which it follows to Cleveland; thus opening an inland water communication between the commercial metropolis of the Union and the principal city of Ohio. About 100 miles of the canal connecting Toledo with Terre Haute, in Indiana, runs near the Maumee in the N.W. of this state. Another canal connects Cincinnati, through Dayton with the Wabash and Erie canal. Altogether there are 596 miles of canal in this youthful state. Continuous lines of railway connect Cincinnati, viâ Cleveland, Erie, and Dunkirk, with New York city, and with Philadelphia viâ the Crestline and Pittsburg railway; and perhaps ere these sheets leave the press Cincinnati will be directly connected with Pittsburg and with Baltimore viâ Wheeling; and in a short time viâ Parkersburg, still lower on the Ohio. Cleveland also communicates entirely by railway with Chicago, through Toledo, S. Michigan, and N. Indiana. Cincinnati is indirectly united to Terre Haute, on the western border of Indiana, by lines of railway, intersecting with each other. So rapid is the course of improvement in this state, that any table of its railways one year would be antedated by that of the next. Besides the railways mentioned, one crosses the state from Cincinnati to Sandusky city, and various inter-connecting lines unite the more important towns of the state. For full particulars, see Table of Railways and Canals, APPENDIX. In 1850 there were shipped by the Ohio canals 34,563,156 pounds of merchandise.

Commerce: The lake and river trade of Ohio is immense. According to Mr. Andrew's estimates, Ohio exported of domestic produce in 1851, wheat and flour equivalent to 3,000,000 barrels; corn, 5,000,000 bushels small grains, 300,000; wool, 7,000,000 pounds; pork, 300,000 barrels; lard and lard oil, 130,000 barrels; beef, 50,000 barrels 10,000,000 pounds of cheese, 8,000,000 of butter, 1,500,000 of candles, 300,000 of soap; whiskey, 300,000 barrels; to which if we add smaller articles and manufactures, we make a total amount of about $40,000,000. The aggregate trade of all the ports of Ohio he computes at $120,000,000. This is probably much too low for 1853, as the trade of the Sandusky district alone for 1853 has been given at $65,099,487, an amount nearly treble that of 1851. The foreign exports of 1852 amounted to $353,514; imports to $914,826; tonnage entered, 37,703; cleared, 26,066 owned, 60,338 14/95; and 77 vessels (52 of which were steamers) with an aggregate tonnage of 18,329 36/95. For details see CINCINNATI, CLEVELAND, SANDUSKY, TOLEDO, &c.

Education: A very active and healthy feeling pervaded Ohio till recently on the great question of public education; but sectarian jealousies have crept in, which, it is feared, may at least for a time retard the advancement of this cause, so necessary to the preservation of our republican institutions. Ohio has a school fund of $1,754,322, made up of certain trust funds, the interest of the sale of the salt-land, the balance of the surplus revenue fund, the interest of the same paid to counties, taxes on pedlers' and auction licenses, taxes on lawyers, physicians, banks, &c. The annual amount distributed by the state is about $300,000. The number of common schools in January, 1853, was 9916, attended by 437,412 children only, out of the 838,669 in the state. Volumes belonging to the school libraries in 1850, only 1595; paid to teachers in 1853, $771,145. There . were 11 colleges in the state in 1852, with an aggregate of 677 students, and 69,450 volumes in their libraries; 7 theological schools, with 104, 1 law school with 25, and 4 medical schools with 518 students: See Table of Colleges, APPENDIX.

Religious Denominations: Of the 3890 places of worship in Ohio in 1850, the regular Baptists owned 384; Free-will Baptists, 22; Disciples, (Baptists,) 130; Church of God, (Baptists,) 9; the Methodists, 1520; Presbyterians, 659; Lutherans, 259; Mornvians, 158; Roman Catholics, 130; Congregationalists, 100; Friends, 94; Christians, 90; Episcopalians, 79; German Reformed, 71; Universalists, 53, and Unionists, 48. The other churches were divided among the African, Associate, Bethel, Bible Christians, Comeouters, Dutch Reformed, Evangelical, Evangelists, Emanuel, Free, German United Protestant, German Evangelist, German Protestant, Independent, "Israel George, of Brotherly Love," Jewish, Mennonite, Mormon, Meinese, Mission, New Light, Reformed Protestant, River Brethren, Second Advent, Shakers, Swedenborgian, "Separatists of Zoar," Tunker, Unitarian, and Zion sects--giving 1 church to every 509 inhabitants. Value of church property, $5,765,149.

Public Institutions: Ohio has a state lunatic asylum, at Columbus, which had 318 inmates, (170 males, and 148 females,) in November, 1850--discharged during the year, 300, of whom 163 were cured, and 46 improved--actual expenses of the year, $31,721.82; a deaf and dumb asylum, at Columbus, which has received 499 pupils in the 22 years of its existence; an institution for the blind, also at Columbus, which had 69 pupils in 1851, educated at an expense of $11,202; and a penitentiary, also at the state capital, which had 469 inmates, November 30, 1851--the receipts exceeded the expenditures by $3856.54. There is a library of 8000 volumes for the use of the convicts. In 1850 there were 48 public libraries in the state, with an aggregate of 104,634 volumes.

Government, Finances, Banks, &c: The governor and lieutenant-governor of Ohio are elected by the people for two years, the former receiving $1800 per annum, and the latter, who is ex officio president of the senate, $5 per diem during the session of the legislature. The senate consists of 35, and the house of representatives of 100 members, elected for two years by the people. A board of public works, consisting of three members, is elected for three years, in such a manner that one new member comes in annually. The state cannot contract any debt for internal improvement, nor even for deficits in the revenue, or any other purposes, beyond $750,000; except to repel invasion, or to redeem the present outstanding debt. The secretary of state is also superintendent of public schools. The judiciary consists--1. Of a supreme court, composed of 5 judges, elected by the people for 5 years, one judge being elected each year. The judges receive $1700 per annum. 2. Of courts of common pleas, divided into nine districts, each of which is subdivided into three, presided over by one judge, elected by the inhabitants of his particular division for 5 years. 3. Of district courts, composed of the judges of the court of common pleas of the respective districts, and of the judges of the supreme court; any three of whom may hold a court in each county at least once a year. 4. Of a probate court in each county, held by one judge, chosen by the people for three years. Every white male citizen of the United States, 21 years of age, resident in the state one year next preceding an election, and in the county town or ward in which he lives such time as the law may prescribe, may be a voter. The assessed value of property in the state in 1850, was $433,872,632, and estimated value, $504,726,120, or $255 to each person. The public debt in 1852 was $17,339,216.88; the school fund, $1,754,322; productive property, $18,000,000; ordinary expenses, exclusive of debt and schools, $200,000, and income of state canals for 1851, $856,929.56. There were also, in January, 1852, 61 banking establishments, with an aggregate capital of $7,866,376; a circulation of $11,635,000, and $2,800,000 in coin. Ohio sends 21 members to the national house of representatives, and casts 23 electoral votes for president.

History: Ohio fully bears out the adage, that prosperous communities have but few materials of history. The settlement of this state commencing subsequently to the Revolution, she had little to do but to subdue the forest, and develop her resources. In 1788, five years after the close of the Revolution, a company of New-Englanders made the first white settlement in Ohio, at Marietta, April 7th, 1788. A territorial government had been established in 1781 over this region, called the territory north-west of the Ohio river; from which, in 1802, the present sovereign State of Ohio was separated. The inhabitants were much annoyed by incursions of the Indians, who had successively defeated General Harmar and General St. Clair, the latter with great slaughter of his troops, leaving scarcely one-fourth,) in 1791 and 1792, but were themselves in turn utterly routed by General Wayne, in August, 1794. Fort Sandusky in this state, in the war of 1812, was successfully defended by Major Croghan, a youth of 21 years, with 160 men, against an attack of General Proctor at the head of 500 regulars and as many Indians.

Biographies:

Benjamin Sprague Cowen, representative, was born in Washington county, N.Y., Sept. 27. 1793; son of Joseph (a Revolutionary soldier) and Phoebe (Sprague) Cowen, and brother of Judge Esek Cowen (1787-1844). He was a teacher, a soldier in the war of 1812, and a medical student and practitioner. He removed to Moorfield, Ohio, in 1820, and was admitted to the bar in 1829. He became editor of the Belmont Chronicle, St. Clairsrills, Ohio, in 1839, and was succeeded as editor in 1848 by his son, Benjamin Rush Cowen. He was a delegate to the Whig national convention of 1839; a representative in the 27th congress, 1841-43; in the Ohio legislature, 1845-46; and president judge of the court of common pleas, 1847-52. In congress, on the expulsion of Joshua R. Giddings, he succeeded him as chairman of the committee on claims. He opposed the extension of slavery, favored the tariff of 1842, and supported Van Buren for the presidency in 1848. During the civil war he served on the commission to examine and report upon political prisoners. He was married in 1820 to Anne (1794-1865), daughter of David Wood of Washington county, N.Y., and their son, Daniel Duane Tompkins Cowen (1826-1884), was a lawyer, lieutenant-colonel of volunteers in the civil war, and judge of common pleas in 1865. Benjamin S. Cowen died in St. Clairsville, Ohio, Sept. 27, 1869.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Samuel Sullivan Cox, representative, was born in Zanesville, Ohio, Sept. 30, 1824; son of Samuel J. Cox. His father was a member of the Ohio senate, 1835-39, and his grandfather, James Cox, fought at Germantown and Monmouth, gained the rank of brigadier-general in the Continental army, was a member of the New Jersey state assembly, its speaker, a representative in the 10th U.S.,congress, and died at Monmouth, N.J., Sept. 12, 1810. Samuel attended Ohio university and was graduated at Brown university in 1846 with honors in classics, history, literature and political economy. He practised law in Ohio, visited Europe and in 1853 became editor of the Statesman, Columbus, Ohio, through Which he largely influenced the politics of the state. He refused the secretaryship of the American legation at London in 1855 and accepted a similar position in the legation at Lima, Peru. He was a representative from Ohio in the 35th, 36th, 37th and 38th congresses, 1857-65. His congressional career through the period of the civil war was eminently patriotic. He sustained the government in the prosecution of the war, while he opposed many of the political policies of the administration. He was chairman of the committee on Revolutionary claims. He changed his residence to New York city in 1866 and represented his district in the 41st-48th congresses inclusive, serving 1869-85. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the speakership of the 45th congress and was thereafter frequently speaker pro tempore. He introduced in the house the new census law and a plan of apportionment adopted by the body. He secured the passage of a bill creating the lifesaving service, and one increasing the pay of letter carriers. The latter act lessened the hours of labor and gave to the carriers a vacation with pay, and this service was recognized in the erection in Astor Place, by the letter carriers of New York city, of a statue in bronze of the benefactor. In 1869 and again in 1882 he visited Europe, making his first journey to include visits to Italy, Corsica, Algeria and Spain, and his second, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Turkey and Greece. In 1885 President Cleveland appointed him U.S. minister to Turkey and after one year at Constantinople he resigned in October, 1886, returned to New York, and was elected in November a representative in the 50th congress, serving 1887-89. He was a regent of the Smithsonian institution and a delegate to the Democratic national conventions of 1864, 1868 and 1876. Brown university conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. in 1885. He wrote: A Buckeye Abroad (1852); Puritanism in Politics (1863); Eight Years in Congress (1865); A Search. for Winter Sunbeams (1870); Why We Laugh (1876); Free Land, Free Trade (1876); .Arctic Sunbeams (1882); Oriental Sunbeams (1882); Three Decades of Federal Legislation (1885); Isle of the Princes(1887); Diversions of a Diplomat in Turkey (1887); and The Four New Stars (1889). He died in New York city, Sept. 10, 1889.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Joseph Benson Foraker, senator, was born in Rainsboro, Highland county, Ohio, July 5, 1846; son of Henry S. and Margaret R. Foraker. His first American ancestors emigrated from Devonshire, England, about 1740, and finally settled at Bombay Hook near Smyrna, Del. His grandfather removed to Ohio in 1820. His parents were farmers with a family of eleven children, and could give the son but a limited education in the district school. At the age of fifteen he became a clerk at Hillsboro, Ohio, in the office of his uncle, who was auditor of Highland county. On July 14, 1862, he enlisted in the 89th Ohio regiment; was in the army of the Cumberland, and participated in the battles of 1863-65, incident to the advance of Sherman's army to and through Georgia, and thence to Washington. He was promoted sergeant, Aug. 26, 1862; 1st lieutenant. March 14, 1864, and brevetted captain March 19, 1865, "for effective services during the campaigns of Georgia and North Carolina." He was aide-de-camp to Gen. Henry W. Slocum in the march to the sea and through the Carolinas. He spent the years 1866-67 at Wesleyan university, Delaware, Ohio; and was graduated at Cornell university in 1869, in the first class graduated from that institution. He then went to Cincinnati, where he was admitted to practise law Oct. 14, 1869. He was judge of the Cincinnati superior court, 1879-82; an unsuccessful candidate for governor of Ohio in 1883; was elected governor in 1885; reelected in 1887 and defeated again in 1889. He was an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. senator in 1892 and was elected to that office, Jan. 15, 1896, to succeed Calvin S. Brice, taking his seat March 4, 1897. He was chairman of the committee to examine the several branches of the civil service, and a member of the committees on foreign relations, on Pacific railroads, to establish the University of the United States, and on transportation routes to the seaboard. He was a delegate to the Republican national conventions of 1884, 1888, 1892 and 1896, being chairman of the Ohio delegation in 1884 and 1888, and chairman of the committee on resolutions in 1892 and 1896, nominating William McKinley for President in 1896. On May 23, 1898, his father, Henry S. Foraker, died at Hillsboro, Ohio. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Marietta college in 1886.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William S1ocomb Groesbeck, representative, was born in New York city, July 24, 1815. He was graduated at Miami university in 1835, was admitted to the bar, and practised law in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1851; was one of the commission appointed to codify the laws of the state in 1852; represented his district in the 35th congress, 1857-59; was a member of the peace congress in 1861; of the Ohio senate, 1862-64; a delegate to the National Union convention in 1866; and was one of the counsel for the defence of President Johnson in the impeachment trial in 1868. In 1872 he was nominated for the presidency by a branch of the Liberal Republicans, opposed to Horace Greeley. His nomination was overlooked in the excitement of the canvass and on the meeting of the electoral college in 1873 he received one electoral vote and that was for the vice-presidency. In 1878 he was a delegate to the International monetary congress in Paris, France. He made to the city of Cincinnati a gift of $50,000 for the purpose of providing free park concerts. He died in Cincinnati. Ohio, July 7, 1897.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

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