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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Defiance County, Ohio
containing a History of the County; Its Townships,
Towns, Etc.;
Military Record; Portraits of Early Settlers and
Prominent Men; Farm Views; Personal
Reminiscences, Etc.
Published at Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co.
1883
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Farmer Twp. -
MRS. SUSANNAH EARLSTON was born near
Earlston, N. Y., Sept. 20, 1805, and married Abel Hartman
in Pennsylvania May 8, 1823. Mr. Hartman died Aug.
21, 1831. His children were Obed E., Elizabeth C., Mary
J. and Sarah S. Mrs. Hartman married Isaac
Earlston Jan. 27, 1872, in Marion County, Ohio. Mr.
Earlston died Dec. 23, 1877. His children were
Daniel E. (dead), Feb. 16, 1863, at Bowling Green, Ky.;
Ruth, who married B. F. Lord, Feb. 1, 1868.
Mrs. Earlston's children are all dead except two.
Source: History of Defiance County, Ohio - Published at Chicago:
Warner, Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 273 |
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Hicksville Twp. -
ALFRED P. EDGERTON
of Fort Wayne, Ind., was born in Plattsburg, Clinton County, N.
Y., on the 11th of January, 1813, and is the eldest son of
Bela Edgerton and Phebe Ketchman, who were married at
Plattsburg, Mar. 24, 1811. His father was born at
Franklin, one of the original proprietors of Norwich.
Bela Edgerton was fitted for college in his native town by
the Rev. Dr. Samuel Nott, brother of the late President
Nott, and graduated from Middlebury College, Vermont, in 1809.
He was a classic teacher for several years after his graduation,
in Vergennes, Vt., and in Plattsburg, N. Y. He volunteered
at the latter place in the war of 1812, and took part in the
battle of Plattsburg, Sept. 11, 1864. After the war, he
was admitted to the bar, having previously studied law and
practiced his profession in Clinton County, N. Y., till 1839.
He was a member of the Legislature of New York, in 1826, 1827,
1828, 1829, at a period when it numbered among its members the
ablest men in the State, most of whom obtained national fame in
after years. Among these Mr. Edgerton was
recognized as a peer of the best, and had much to do in shaping
the legislation of the State. He moved to Ohio in 1839,
and settled at Hicksville, where he was well known to all the
people, and no man was more esteemed by old and young. He
died at Fort Wayne, Ind., Sept. 10, 1874, aged eighty-seven
years.
Mrs. Edgerton was born at Livingston's Manor,
Dutchess County, N. Y., Mar. 27, 1790, and died at Hicksville,
Ohio, Aug. 24, 1844. She was a daughter of Joseph
Ketchum, a merchant and manufacturer, who died in the
city of New York in 1795.
Alfred P. Edgerton, the subject of this sketch,
was a graduate of the Academy at Plattsburg. He first
appeared before the public as the editor of a newspaper, in
1833, and in the fall of that year removed to the city of New
York, and engaged in commercial pursuits. In the spring of
1837, he came to Ohio, and assumed the management of the
extensive landed interests of the "American Land Company," and
of the Messrs. Hicks, their interest being known
as the "Hicks Land Company." He laid out the town
of Hicksville, built mills, and made extensive improvements in
the interest of the parties he represented. In his land
office in Hicksville, there was sold by him up to Oct. 5, 1852,
140,000 acres of land - all to actual settlers. In 1852,
Mr. Edgerton became the owner of the then unsold
lands, amounting to 40,000 acres. A large part of these
lands have since been disposed of to actual settlers. In
all sales of land a liberal policy was pursued, and long credits
given, and prompt payment never exacted when purchasers improved
and continued in possession of the property purchased.
During all the time Mr. Edgerton resided in
Hicksville, he was actively engaged in improving and developing
the town and the country generally, and was, and is now, a
liberal contributor to every matter of public interest and
benefit. In 1845, he was elected to the State Senate of
Ohio, from the territory which then embraced the present
counties of Williams, Defiance, Paulding, Van Wert; Mercer,
Auglaize, Allen, Putnam, Henry and part of Fulton. Up to
this time, although accustomed to express, on proper occasions,
decided political convictions, he had not been active in caucus
and conventions, and was only known to the people of the
district as a sagacious and upright business man. The
public questions of that period involved complicated matters
relating to finance, the State banking system, metallic or paper
money, the public debt, public credit and kindred issues, and
regarding these matters, the public mind was greatly stirred.
The recognized leader of the Whig party of the State was
Alfred Kelley, who had been identified with the
public improvements and the financial policy of the State, in
various official relations, since the origin of the public debt
and the commencement of the canal system. Mr.
Kelley was the Whig leader of the Senate, and he had
developed his financial policy - had introduced bills to
sanction it by legislation - had unmistakably beaten his
antagonists and was master of the field.
Mr. Edgerton had been an attentive and
patient observer of passing events, but except voting when
questions came up, had taken no part in the debates. "When
the conflict, however, was approaching a close, he unexpectedly
appeared in the arena, and in clear and logical speeches,
electrified the body by the accurate knowledge he evinced of the
principles involved in the proposed legislation, and of all the
details regarding the finances of the State and of their
management by his political opponents. The battle which
was supposed by the Whigs to have been fought and won, it was
ascertained had just commenced, and Mr. Kelley
soon found in Mr. Edgerton a foeman more worthy of
his steel than he expected or ever hoped to encounter, while the
Democrats from that time forward recognized Mr.
Edgerton as their leader. It may be stated that while
this debate between Mr. Kelley and Mr.
Edgerton was one of the most noted in the State, that the
respectful deference always shown by the latter to the former,
who was the senior, won for Mr. Edgerton the
respect of the entire Whig party of the State, and secured to
him ever after the warm friendship and respect of Mr.
Kelley, which he often exhibited in kind and valuable ways.
In 1850, after the close of a brilliant career in the
State Senate, Mr. Edgerton was elected to the
House of Representatives of the United States, from the district
comprising the counties of Shelby, Mercer, Auglaize, Allen,
Hardin, Putnam, Van Wert, Paulding. Defiance, Henry, Fulton and
Lucas, and was again elected in 1852, the district being changed
by dropping off Shelby. Mercer, Allen, Auglaize and
Hardin, and adding Wood and Hancock. During his first
term, he was second on the (Committee of Claims, but in the next
Congress was the Chairman. This was a very important
committee, and involved much arduous labor, but his duties at
the head of the committee were performed with diligence and
fidelity. He gave searching examinations to every claim
intrusted to his committee, and from his carefully prepared
reports and logical conclusions, protecting alike the Federal
Treasury, and extending evenhanded Justice to worthy claimants,
no successful appeal was ever taken. This labor afforded
him less time to engage in the current debates, yet, when
occasion offered he would enter the field, and his opinions
never failed to command the respect of the House.
In debate, he was forcible, logical, pungent and
refined, his speeches showing great research, and being filled
with information, discrimination and practical good sense, and
always having reference only to the business before the House.
In 1853, he was selected by the Board of Fund
Commissioners of Ohio to represent the State as its edited the
Ohio Press, which journal succeeded the Democratic
Expositor. This was a business venture, and he
lost not only his scanty savings, but became involved in debt.
The law partnership of Hill & Snyder was formed in
1861, and although surrounded by hostile political elements,
prosecuted a fair business. He was elected Mayor of
Springfield in 1861, over James L. Torbert, a favorite
Republican party leader, and in a city strongly opposed to Mr.
Hill's well-understood views upon public men and
measures. In June, 1863, he removed to Defiance.
During the Congressional canvass between Gen. Ashley
and Gen. Rice, in 1864; the latter, being confined
at home by illness, Mr. Hill took the burden off
Gen. Rice's shoulders, and made speeches at many
prominent points throughout the district. Gen.
Rice, as a matter of reciprocity, could not have surrendered
his claims to one more gratifying to his own feelings than Mr.
Hill. The Democracy of this representative
district, and especially those of Williams, insisted, in
1865, in urging his name as a candidate for nomination for the
Ohio House of Representatives, and he was successful against
great odds, and elected by a majority exceeding two hundred.
In 1867, he was re-elected by more than twice this majority.
In 1866, he was a candidate before the Democratic Convention of
his district for Congress, but the late Gen. Henry S.
Commayer secured the nomination, and was heartily supported
by Mr. Hill. In 1875, Gov. Allen
appointed him, unsolicited, and when there was a flood of
applicants indorsed by powerful influence. State
Superintendent of Insurance Department, and he held this
position three years, faithfully discharged his duty, retiring
after the expiration of his term, and resisting the pressure of
many distinguished Democratic politicians in different sections
of Ohio to permit the use of his name as an applicant for re-
appointment. In 1878, he received the nomination for
Congress, and was elected. In 1882, he was re-elected, and
is at present serving as the National Representative from this
district. Several years ago, Mr. Hill
removed to Hicksville, where he has since engaged in the active
practice of his profession. He was married, June 3, 1862,
to Augusta B. March, at Springfield, and has four
daughters - Alice L., Anna E., Mary V. and Mattie T.
Source: History of Defiance County, Ohio - Published at
Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 287 |
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Delaware Twp. -
MONTGOMERY EVANS was my grandfather's
nearest neighbor, he having settled about one and a half miles
above and on the opposite side of the river from him. "Uncle
Sammy Hughes," as he was called, lived some three miles
away. There were some three or four more settlers, but I
cannot recollect their names, who settled along the Maumee about
the time my grandfather did. There were no mills or roads
in the country at that time, the river being the only
thoroughfare, except Gen. Anthony Waynes "trail"
Source: History of Defiance County, Ohio - Published at
Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 258 |
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