History of Adams County Ohio United States of America

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John A. Cockerill, journalist, was born in Adams county, Ohio, Dec. 5, 1845. He was employed in his boyhood in a newspaper office in West Union, Ohio, as compositor and assistant editor. In July, 1861, he enlisted as musician in the 24th Ohio volunteers, serving in western Virginia and with the army of the Ohio until mustered out in 1863. In 1865 he purchased and personally conducted the True Telegraph, Hamilton, Ohio. In 1868 he was editor of the Dayton Daily Ledger and was later on the editorial staff of the Cincinnati Enquirer, becoming in 1872 managing editor. In 1877 he went to Europe as war correspondent and was with the Turkish army in the Russo-Turkish war. In 1878 he returned to the United States and assisted in the establishment of the Washington Post, removing to St., Louis in 1879 to assume editorial management of the Evening Post-Despatch. In 1883 he removed to New York to become associate editor of the World. With his advent the circulation of that journal began to increase and during his connection with the paper it reached a degree of prosperity never before witnessed in American journalism. He was successively associate, managing and chief editor, resigning in May, 1891, to become editor of the New York Advertiser. In 1894 he relinquished the editorial chair and visited Japan as special correspondent of the New York Herald, during the Chine-Japanese war 1894-95. The emperor of Japan decorated him with the third order of the sacred treasure, a distinction seldom conferred upon foreigners. He died suddenly while on his way home, at Cairo, Egypt, April 11, 1896.

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

Franklin D. Bayless, Lawyer, was born in Adams county, Ohio, February 2d, 1839. His preliminary education was acquired at West Union, in the same State. During 1858-59 he was engaged in teaching school, but in 1860-61 returned to his books and student life. In the winter of 1861-62 he reassumed for a brief period the role of educator, and also, in the course of the latter year, commenced the study of law under the supervision of Major J. W. McFerren (of the 70th Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry). In the following July he enlisted as a private in the 91st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. July 20th, 1864, at Stevenson's Depot, near Winchester, Virginia, he was severely wounded (gun-shot) in and through both thighs. He was subsequently unfitted for active service, through the effects of this casualty, until he was mustered out, in June, 1865. He had, however, in the preceding January returned to his company, at Martinsburg, Virginia. He never applied for pension, and deems it the reverse of creditable to all save the very poor to make application for recompense in such a form. Upon the completion of his studies in law with J. K. Billings, of Adams county, Ohio, he was admitted to the bar, April 23d, 1866, at Portsmouth, Ohio. In this year he was the Democratic nominee and candidate for the General Assembly, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the decease of Colonel Phillips. Owing to the strength of the Republican party, then in power in the county, he was defeated by twenty votes. In 1869 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Adams County, and was re-elected in 1871. In 1873 he was the Democratic candidate for the Legislature, and owed his defeat to local strife connected with the removal of the county-seat. Since then he has been constantly and successfully engaged in professional labors, and is widely and favorably known for his able conduct particularly of criminal cases. He assisted in the prosecution of Frank Hardy, for the murder of J. M. Rice, his stepfather. This criminal, found guilty of murder in the first degree, received from the governor a commutation of his sentence, and was condemned to imprisonment for life. He assisted also in the prosecution of J. W. Harper, for the murder of Luther Collier, when a verdict of murder in the second degree was awarded. He assisted also in the defence of James H. Daugherty and John Warden, for the murder of Morris Edgington. He was married, November 22d, 1869, to Helen M. Young, daughter of James F. Young, of Youngsville, Ohio.

From: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Ohio of the Nineteenth Century. Columbus, OH, USA: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1876.

History of Adams County Ohio

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