History of Portsmouth, (Scioto County) Ohio United States of America

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Biographies:

Wells Andrews Hutchins, representative, was born at Hartford, Trumbull county, Ohio, Oct. 7, 1818; son of Asa and Hannah (Bushnell) Hutchins, who emigrated from Hartford, Conn., and were among the early settlers of Ohio. Asa Hutchins was a colonel in the war of 1812, and died when Wells, the fourth child, was twelve years old, leaving the boy practically dependent on his own resources. He devoted his leisure to study, and in 1886 opened a select school at Corydon, Harrison county, Ind., where he earned enough money to enable him to prepare for the bar. He studied under the Hon. John Hutchins and John Crowell; was admitted to the bar in 1841, and began practice in Portsmouth, Ohio. He was married, Feb. 23, 1843, to Cornelia M., daughter of Joshua V. Robinson. He was a Whig in politics until the dissolution of that party, when he became a Democrat. He was a representative in the 50th general assembly of Ohio, 1852-54; provost-marshal for Ohio, 1862, and a representative in the 38th congress, 1863-65, being the only Democratic representative in congress from Ohio who voted for the amendment to the Constitution of the United States abolishing slavery. He attained a high position at the bar. He died at Portsmouth, Ohio, Jan. 22, 1875.

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

Printer, Editor and Lawyer, Elijah Glover was born, May 11th, 1811, in Portsmouth, Ohio, and is the sixth child (of nine) of Elijah and Catherine (Jones) Glover, both natives of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and early settlers of Scioto county. His father removed to Ohio in 1798, and first located at Alexandria, Scioto county, removing subsequently to Portsmouth, where he kept an inn for many years, and also a hat store. In this latter building the first court of Scioto county held its first session. He was Sheriff of the county for a number of years, was a soldier of the war of 1812, and took a very active part in all the early organizations and public enterprises of that section. Elijah worked on a farm until he was sixteen, attending school in winter; and being a good student acquired a better education than generally fell to the lot of the youth of the frontier settlements in those days. In 1828 he became an apprentice to the printer's trade in Portsmouth, in the office of the Western Times, and remained there until about 1830, when he established a newspaper himself, called the Portsmouth Courier, which he edited and published for about five years. He also became a bookseller and publisher, and so continued until 1839, when he was elected County Auditor, and then disposed of his book and publication establishment. He was twice thereafter re-elected Auditor, and held the office for six years. Meanwhile he read law with great industry, and in 1847 was admitted to the bar. He entered at once upon the practice of that profession, in which he has continued to the present time. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney in 1850, and held the position one term. In 1866 he was appointed Register in Bankruptcy by Chief-Justice Chase, and resigned that office in 1870. He was a member of the Ohio Legislature from January, 1864, to January, 1870, and was re-elected in 1870. He was originally a Henry Clay Whig, and latterly a Republican. His religious faith is that as held by the Methodists. He is an earnest and active temperance man, and in 1854 published a temperance paper called the Life Boat, both daily and weekly issues. He first advocated temperance principles in 1840. He was married in 1833 to Sarah J., daughter of George Offner, formerly of Winchester, Virginia, but an early settler of Scioto county, Ohio.

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