History of Springfield, (Clark County) Ohio United States of America

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Biographies:

Edwin Cooley Mason, soldier, was born in Springfield, Ohio, May 31, 1831; son of Gen. Samson and Minerva (Needham) Mason. He matriculated at Wittenberg college, but was not graduated. He engaged in civil engineering and several years before the civil war he organized the Springfield Zouaves and became its captain. On April 17, 1861, he offered the services of the company to the governor for three months and it was enrolled as Company F, 2d Ohio volunteers, it being the first military company in the state to offer its services. He was appointed captain in the 17th U.S. infantry, June 18, 1861, and commissioned colonel of the 7th Maine volunteers, November, 1861, serving with that regiment in the Army of the Potomac until its term of service expired. He was then commissioned colonel of the 176th Ohio volunteers and served with that regiment in the Army of the Cumberland. He was thrice wounded, once severely, at Spottsylvania Court House, May 12, 1864; and was brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers June 3, 1865. At the close of the war he returned to his regiment in the regular army. He was married, May 2, 1867, to Frances M., daughter of Lansing Kingsbury of Marshall, Mich. He was assigned to the 20th U.S. infantry in 1869 and was promoted major in the 21st U.S.I. in 1871; lieutenant-colonel, 4th U.S.I., May 18, 1881; colonel, 3d U.S.I., April 24, 1888, and was retired May 31, 1895. He served with distinguished gallantry in the Indian campaigns and was brevetted brigadier-general, U.S.A., for his services in the Modoc, Bannock-Piute and Nez Perces campaigns. After his retirement he made his home in St. Paul, Minn. He became well known as a lecturer on military subjects which included: Through the Wilderness with Grant; The Mine Run Campaign; How We Won the San Juan Archipelago; The Development of Military Systems; The Modern Army; the Battle of New Orleans; the Lights and Shades of Army Life. He was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and in 1893 served as commander of the Minnesota commandery; was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and of the Grand Army of the Republic. He died in St. Paul, Minn., April 30, 1898.

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

Ezra Kellar, educator, was born in Middleton Valley, Md., June 12, 1812. He was graduated from Pennsylvania college, Gettysburg, in 1835, and became a minister of the Lutheran church in 1837. He was sent as a missionary to the western states, and was pastor of the Lutheran churches in Hagerstown, Md., and vicinity. He settled in Springfield, Ohio, in 1844, and aided in founding and developing Wittenberg college, an institution planned to supply the religious and educational want of the Lutheran church in the west. He was president of the institution from its opening as a seat of learning in 1845, and witnessed three years of steady progress in the affairs of the college. He received the degree of D.D. from Jefferson college, Pennsylvania, in 1845. He died at Springfield, Ohio, Dec. 29, 1848.

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

Joseph Nelson Miller, naval officer, was born in Springfield, Ohio, Nov. 22, 1836. He was graduated at the U.S. Naval academy, after a three years' course, in 1854; promoted passed midshipman, Nov. 22, 1856; served as an assistant instructor at the U.S. Naval academy, 1857-58; was promoted master, Jan. 22, 1858; lieutenant, Feb. 19, 1860, was on blockading duty, 1861-62; was promoted lieutenant-commander, July 16, 1862 was executed as officer of thePassaic, 1862-63, and was engaged in attacks on Forts McAllister and Sumter in 1863, and was commended by the commanding officer for both actions. He served as executive officer of the Sacramento and of the iron-clads Sangamos and Nahant, 1863-64, and on May 16, 1864, commanded the Nahant in an attack on Fort Sumter. He commanded the Monadnock, 1864-65, and participated in both attacks on Fort Fisher. He was at the U.S. Naval academy, 1865-67; executive officer on the Pacific and North Atlantic stations, 1867-70, and was promoted commander, Jan. 25, 1870. As chief of staff of the Pacific squadron he commanded the Ossipee, 1870-72; was in command of the ironclad Ajax, 1874, and was assistant hydrographer, 1873 and 1874-75. He commanded the Tuscarora on the Pacific station, 1875-76; ran a line of deep sea sounding from Honolulu to Brisbane, Australia, and investigated and reported affairs at Samoa. He was on various shore duty, 1877-80, and was promoted captain, May 28, 1881. He commanded the receiving ship Wabash, at Boston, 1881-82, and 1885-88; the Tennessee as chief of staff in 1882, and 1883-84; was captain of the New York navy yard, 1888-91; commanded the Chicago, 1891-92; the receiving ship Vermont, 1892-94, and the Boston navy yard, 1894-97. He was promoted commodore, April 16, 1894, and rear-admiral, March 21, 1897. He was the naval representative of the United States at London, England, at the Queen's jubilee in June, 1897. In August, 1897, with the Brooklyn as his flagship, he hoisted his flag at Honolulu as commander-in-chief of the Pacific station, and in August, 1898, hoisted the American flag when the United States assumed the sovereignty of the Hawaiian islands. He organized the naval reserves on the Pacific coast duriug the Spanish-American war, 1898, and was retired from active service, Nov. 22, 1898.

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

Judge William A. Rodgers was born, December 9th, 1809, in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. His father, Robert Rodgers, was a miller and farmer. On the mother's side he was descended from genuine fighting revolutionary stock, his grandfather, William Allen, having been a colonel in the revolutionary army, wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of White Plains, and after the close of the war appointed a Judge. William Allen Rodgers, after acquiring such knowledge as was to be acquired at the common schools, passed through a preparatory course of study, and then entered Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. After graduating from this college, he commenced the study of law in the office of Judge Kennedy, in Pittsburgh. At the conclusion of the prescribed course of legal studies he was admitted to the bar in Pittsburgh, and then in the fall of 1834 he removed to Ohio. He settled in Springfield, and there began the practice of the law. He practised first in partnership with General Anthony, and afterwards was associated in his practice with Judge White. Subsequently he was elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. On September 6th, 1837, he married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of George Smith, of College Hill, Hamilton county, Ohio, and originally of Dorsetshire, England. Six children, three daughters and three sons, resulted from this union. One of the daughters died in childhood, but the other children survived to grow up. Judge Rodgers died on May 25th, 1855, leaving an honorable and unstained memory.

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