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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
Biographical
and
Historical Sketches
A Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents
From 1792 to 1896
By Stephen D. Cone
Illustrated
Hamilton, Ohio
Republican Publishing Company
1896
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JOHN EDWARDS
was a graduate from Miami University in 1862. His
career as a teacher began immediately afterward. He
was Superintendent of the Hillsboro, Ohio, schools from 1862
to 1864. In 1864 he was elected Superintendent of the
Hamilton schools, serving until 1857. He was a man of
great force of character and commanding a wide influence,
was a logical reasoner and possessed a firey eloquence.
He was a man of rare literary attainments.
He was president of the Thespian Literary society that
met in the Smyers' building on the West Side. Rev.
Jacob Steck, Dr. W. H. Scobey, Dr. Joseph W. Harris, Eugene
A. Weiler and Dr. J. L. Kirkpatrick were members
of the society.
After severing his connection with the schools he
studied law and was admitted to the bar, and immediately
thereafter immigrated to Maryville, Mo., where he began
practicing his chosen profession. He was careful in
preparing his cases and possessed the ability to present
them in a concise and forcible manner. His success as
an attorney was acheived by untiring diligence. He
was a good judge of men and motives. Mr. Edwards
was elected district attorney for Nordaway county and
convicted the Talbott brothers for the murder
of their father. This criminal trial was the most noted in
the annals of Missouri and attracted wide-spread interest.
The Talbott brothers employed the best
legal talent in the State to defend them, but went to the
gallows through the masterly prosecution of John
Edwards. During this trial he earned the
reputation of being one of the ablest criminal lawyers in
Missouri.
In politics Mr. Edwards was a Democrat of
the Radical school. He was a candidate for
Attorney-General before his party convention that convened
at Jefferson City, but unfortunately was defeated.
With hope deferred and ambition blasted, he brooded
over his defeat until his mind became temporarily
unbalanced, and while in this condition he suicided,
September 13, 18S8.
Source: Biographical & Historical Sketches - A
Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents from 1792 to 1896 -
Publ. 1896 - Page 110 |
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FREDERICK EGRY was born
in Germany, November 14, 1840. In 1852, he emigrated to
America, locating at Dayton, Ohio. He learned the art
of printing in the Journal office, then edited and
owned by Richard and William Comley.
In 1857, he edited, and, as a printer, did the composition
on the first German daily newspaper published in the Gem
City. In 1859, he came to Hamilton and purchased an
interest in the Shildwache. On October 24,
1861, Egry & Williams purchased the Hamilton
Telegraph from Dr. John P. P. Peck. This
paper espoused the Union cause and refused to publish
Maginnis' secession resolutions. The Telegraph
subsequently absorbed the Hamilton Intelligencer.
The larger portion of the Butler county Democracy were of
the Calhoun stripe; opposed the war and set up a new
journal, the Hamilton True Telegraph,
September 26, 1861. Mr. Egry was owner
of the Telegraph until December 17, 1879, when he
sold out to C. M. Campbell. He was elected
Mayor in 1879, and his administration was one of good order.
He has been elected councilman from the Second ward for a
number of terms. He is engaged in the insurance
business which is large and profitable. He is a
Democrat in politics.
Source: Biographical & Historical Sketches - A
Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents from 1792 to 1896 -
Publ. 1896 - Page 139 |
Alston Ellis |
ALSTON ELLIS - The subject
of this sketch was born January 26, 1847, near Covington,
Kentucky. In the common schools of that day he acquired the
rudiments of an education.
When he arrived at the age of 16 his parents moved to
Covington, where lie entered a private school. It was here
that he made preparation for entering upon a collegiate
course. During the winter and spring months of 1864,
he taught school
near Carrollton, Kentucky. In September of the same year he
matriculated as a Sophomore at Miami university, Oxford,
Ohio. He was graduated from this famous institution of
learning in 1867. His studious habits, while at Miami
university,
won him a recognized place in the field of scholarship.
His frank manners and gentlemany qualities placed him high
in the esteem of the students and faculty. He was
remarkably proficient in mathematics and ancient languages;
and in all
branches of the college course he was at the head of his
class. He was not eligible for any class honors by
reason of his not having taken all the branches of the
prescribed course in their regular order. In the
literary society and recitation room, his leadership was
unquestioned. He possessed a lively interest in every
day affairs; was fired with an ambition to express well that
which he knew, and balanced by his scholarly achievements,
he was a fluent speaker, a ready debater and possessed
of the powers that make natural oratory. He had a
large share of college honors, held high offices in the
Krodelphian Literary society, and was college orator in the
annual celebration of Washington's birthday. A month
after graduation Alston Ellis found the woman of his
choice in Oxford college, then under the charge of Rev.
Robert D. Morris. On July 23, 1867, he was united in
marriage to Miss Katie Cox. Not a little of
President Ellis's success in life has been due to
the influence of his cultured wife who has infused into
their home life and to their large circle of acquaintances
only those qualities which stimulate the best that is in
name. He returned to his home
in Covington, where he did effective work as principal of
the Third district and Intermediate schools of that city.
The thoroughness of his work brought to him, then the more
responsible position of assistant superintendent of the
Newport, Kentucky schools, which position he held for nearly
three years. In 1871, he was called to the
Superintendency of our schools, which position he held for
eight years. At the time of his call the schools were
not doing as satisfactory work as parents and tax-payers had
a right to expect. They had dropped to a low grade.
To place them on an excellent footing was a work not to be
done in a day, but within a short time our
schools had no superiors in the state, and few equals.
It was here that he displayed rare ability as a scholar and
executive officer.
Today, the high reputation of the schools our city,
through the state, is largely the result of the work of
President Ellis, and his name is indelibly associated with
the knowledge of this excellence. In 1879, he
abandoned teaching and engaged with the well known firm of
Harper & Brothers, of New York, with headquarters at
Columbus, Ohio. During this year much of his time was
given to addressing college societies, teachers'
associations, and contributing to educational journals.
In May, 1887, he was elected Superintendent of the
Sandusky, Ohio, schools, in which position he achieved the
same enviable record that had been made in our schools.
Again our schools had deteriorated, and in 1887, in response
to urgent calls to resume his old field work, he returned to
Hamilton and continued at the head of the schools until
called to the Presidency of the Colorado State college, at
Fort Collins.
In 1891, the trustees of that institution extended him
a unanimous call to become its President. He at first
declined, but later on in response to an urgent personal
appeal, Dr. Ellis went to Fort Collins to
confer with the Board of Directors and take a survey of the
field. Here he found large, handsome buildings,
excellently equipped, an able faculty, specialists in their
chosen lines. As a result Dr. Ellis
accepted the position at a salary of $6,000 per annum.
Fort Collins is a progressive and prosperous town of
3,000 inhabitants, in Larimer county, situated seventy-five
miles north of Denver and four miles from the foot hills.
It is in full view of Long's Peak and many miles of the
Snowy Range. From the melting snow of the mountains is
derived its water supply. Here is located the Colorado
Agricultural college, which had its origin in the act of
congress, July 2, 1862, which granted the institution 90,000
acres of land. In 1883, the state levied for its
support an annual tax of one-fifth of a mill on all taxable
property, which in 1891 was reduced to one-sixth of a mill,
owing to an increased duplicate. The college
was incorporated in 1870, but no buildings were erected
until 1878, when Fort Collins was selected as a site.
In September, 1879, it was first opened for the reception of
students; a dormitory was erected in 1881, and the chemical
laboratory a year later. Horicultural hall,
Mechanical Art hall and Agricultural hall, all with well
equipped laboratories have since been added. At first
the number of students was limited, but has increased until
the session of 1895-96 shows a register of over 300
students. The highest enrollment of students prior to
Dr. Ellis' presidency was 109.
The college buildings, grounds, etc., are worth not
less than $250,000.00. In addition to this the college
has four experimental farms in other portions of the state,
whose estimated value is $50,000.00. The institution
is not a university, but is a through-going, well-equipped
scientific and technical institution. It has five courses of
study, each complete in itself. In addition to these
regular courses, postgraduate
work in engineering, chemistry, mechanics, agriculture
zoology, and irrigation engineering are provided for.
Hamilton was loath to lose Dr. Ellis as
an educator and citizen, "Yet is proud to have given
Colorado a man who is such a power for the advancement of
the cause of education within her borders." In the
short time he has been president of the Colorado college, he
has taken his place on the top rung of the ladder as the
most successful educator and lecturer in the state. In
fact, his reputation is not confined in any single state -
it is national.
As early as 1872, we find his Alma Mater, Miami
University, confering upon him the degree of Master
of Arts. In 1879, the University of Wooster gave him
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, the Ohio State
University gave him the same degree
in 1888. A still greater recognition of his
attainments was made when he was given the degree of LL. D.
from the Ohio State University in 1890.
He was elected a life member of the Victoria Institute
- the Philosophical Society of Great Britain—of which the
Queen of England is a patron. The membership is
classified under three ranks in the society—ordinary,
associate, and life members. He was enrolled in the
latter class in 1890. Some of the most famous men in
the world are members of this Institute. Only four
from America have been recognized, Dr. Ellis being
one.
He was a member of the state board of school examiners
for a term of ten years, during which period he was clerk.
In 1891, he was re-appointed for a term of five years.
In religion Dr. Ellis is a
Congregationalist or Presbyterian, according to where he is
located. In politics he is a Democrat. He possesses
all the qualifications for a successful politician, is
social, easily approached, an able writer, a polished orator
and well informed on the questions of the day.
In 1895, Dr. Ellis was unanimously
elected Superintendent of the Hamilton schools at a salary
of $3,000 per annum. After considering the subject he
declined. He is an honorable and talented gentleman, capable
of filling any position in school work.
Source: Biographical & Historical Sketches - A
Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents from 1792 to 1896 -
Publ. 1896 - Page 111 Portrait between Pps.
110-111 |
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