SIDNEY SEA.
THE subject of this sketch was
the most remarkable character that was ever associated with the Tiffin
bar. He was unlike other lawyers in almost every thing, and seemed
to avoid assimilation on purpose. In 1833 he had his office in the
frame building on the south side of Market street, on in-lot No. 71, not
occupied as a saloon. When the writer became acquainted with him
he was known by the name of Sidney Smith. It is said that
he was a graduate of the New Haven Law school, and that formerly he was
a shoemaker by trade. He was married when he moved from Portage
county to Tiffin, in 1832, and very soon secured a very good practice.
He bought a farm in Scipio township, and laid out the larger portion of
Republic. In June, 1836, he published a notice in the Tiffin
Gazette, that he would sell his lots in Republic, a valuable farm
close by, another farm six miles from Tiffin, and one and one-half lots
between the court house and the free bridge, because he wanted to go to
some southern latitude.
Two years thereafter he gave notice that he had left
his property in the hands of Mr. Chapin to sell for him, and
moved to Cincinnati, where he opened a law office. It is said that
he there wore his pants in his boots. The boots had large red
tops, on which were painted in gilt letters," Sidney Smith,
attorney-at-law."
About the latter part of 1840 he came back to Republic
and opened a law office again in the name of Smith. He took
a very active part in the presidential campaign, and made the first
speech when the Whigs raised their log cabin on the lot where the
Commercial bank now stands. In his political harangue on that day
he was exceedingly personal and bitter. This was on the 3d day of
June, 1840. He made many more speeches throughout Seneca county
that summer and fall, but became so boisterous and abusive that the Whig
central committee finally refused to make any further appointments for
him.
Page 367 -
The Whigs carried the day, as
is well known, and whatever may have been the moving cause, other than
that expressed in the petition itself, when the legislature met in
Columbus, the following December, Mr. Smith sent a petition to
that body, praying for the passage of a law to change his name from
Sidney Smith to Sidney Sea. The petition was all
poetry, of his own manufacture, and being so utterly void of
all reason, it was defeated in the senate, and on the 15th
of January, 1841, on motion of Senator Haseltine,
it was reconsidered, laid on the table, and finally passed
on the 16th day of March, 1841.
The reason assigned in this poetic petition by Mr.
Smith was: "That when Adam stood up in Paradise
in obedience with the command of the Creator, to name all
things, and all the living things had passed before Him
receiving names in order, it got to be late in the
afternoon, and poor Adam's vocabulary failed to hold
out. Then Adam held his hands up to shade his
eyes, and saw in a corner of the garden an in famously
looking mob of humanity. He called them up, looked at
them awhile, and being half angry and half provoked, called
them all Smith." he wanted to get away from
that crowd, he said, and the general assembly let him out.
About two years thereafter he was made brigadier
general of this brigade, and when in uniform and on a fine
horse, he was in his true element. The winter has seen
large portions of the army of Bavaria and France, and many
soldiers in this county, but never a man that looked more
furious and brave on a horse than General Sea (as we
shall now call him). He was indeed valliant as long as
he was not opposed by anybody, but "caved in" when
confronted; his acts often bordering on cowardice.
About this time an independent company, called Osceolas,
had been organized in Tiffin, and by the kindness of
General Nighswander, O. M. General of Ohio, had procured
flint-lock rifles, with which they appeared on parade from
time to time. It seems that General Sea
and others had made efforts to procure arms for the
several militia companies in this county and failed.
Now to see these Osceolas parade the streets in Tiffin with
their clean guns, and General Sea's men attend
muster without arms, was too much for the General, and his
poetic genius again took possession of him. One
morning a lot of posters were stuck up all over Tiffin and
copies sent all over the county calling a meting of the
"Grand Militaire" of the county at Tiffin, as follows:
Page 368 -
ATTENTION
MILITARY MEN OF SENECA COUNTY!
INJUSTICE IN THE CAMP!
EVERY MAN TO HIS POST!
Blow ye the trumpet, blow, and sound the
drum,
Send round the hand-bills, let the freemen come;
For equal rights the standard let us raise,
And let the Tiffin Junto foam and gaze.
Eight companies have we, old, faithful and true,
Whose rights are trampled on to bless the new.
our old and patient prayers thrown in your face,
And Oceolas born to partial grace.
The quartermaster deals you pelting storms,
But takes the Oceolas to his arms;
He gives them guns, the brightest and the best,
Let's your old beards petition and be cursed.
Here, you can see, the Tiffin Junto reigns,
While you submit to penalties and pains.
Shall Oceolas flaunt their glittering steel,
And can the older brothers fail to feel?
Behold their sheen displaying to the sun.
And trudge your sober face and wooden gun.
Hear ye, brave spirits of our fathers gone.
And let your children put their reason on.
High soars the eagle out of mortal sight.
But why should justice tower a greater height?
The eagle sometimes stoops to mortal kin,
Then why not justice sometimes dwell with man. |
If you arise
and meet in Tiffin, on Saturday, the 14th inst., at 10 o'clock
precisely, and peaceably, with united voice, proclailm your wrongs
to the legislature. I think you may procure your rights, and
arms enough of different descripton to make our brigade respectable,
and I promise my feeble aid on the side of impartial justice.
Why should a miserable faction rule the whole county? I hope and
trust that our well-beloved brethren, the Oceolas, when they find
that their older brothers are men, too, will be more anxious to give
justice than to take wrong.
You've set me as a watchman on the wall. I see
the poison hissing in the camp. I blow the horn. Let's
peaceably extract the venomous teeth and let the reptiles live.
|
SIDNEY SEA.
Brigadier General |
Page 369 -
Let us all come up to
the meeting and investigate the whole affair.
|
ASA WAY,
Colonel.
G. M. OGDEN, Lieutenant Colonel.
HENRY METZGER, Adjutant,
JOSIAH ROOP, Quartermaster,
E. T. STICKNEY, Captain.
D. METZGER, Captain,
J. S. SPARKS, Captain,
PAUL DEWITT, 1st Lieutenant
W. BURROWS, 2d Lieutenant. |
REPUBLIC, January 3, 1843.
These indorsers all lived in Republic, or near by, and were easily
induced to sign anything against Tiffin. After the burning of
the court house, great efforts were made to remove the county seat
to Republic, and build a new court house there, but they failed, and
the grudge had not died away yet. The Tiffin Junto was nothing
but the little independent military company, the most of whom lived
in the country. These "reptiles," wronged nobody when they
secured guns for themselves.
The meeting came off in the little old school house on
Market street. The Osceolas were there in full force, and but
few of the militia. General Sea came in, and taking the
chair, called the meeting to order, and administered one of his
usual reprimands to the Osceolas for not taking their turbans off.
Colonel Gibson, who was invited to attend by Captain
Poorman, of the Osceolas, being present, and the writer, who
procured the guns, having explained to the meeting the manner of our
organization, and the mode of procuring our guns, the meeting
adjourned and
" The Dunk of Brunswick, with his
mighty men,
Marched up the hill and - then marched down again." |
It is probable
that the quartermaster-general of Ohio demanded security for
arms that were distributed among the militia.
On one of the September muster-days, the "grand army"
was drawn up in line from the river to Madison street, on
Washington street, facing to the east. General Sea
was on the high horse, in full uniform, and in his
glory. George W. Black had a bakery and small
beer-shop, nearly opposite the National hall. While
the General was up street, a man slipped out of the ranks
into Black's and, securing a section of ginger cake,
stepped into line again. Now came the General in full
gallop, with his feathers flying in air and the yellow
cuffs, of his gloves up to his elbow, and noticing the man
with his big ginger cake, stopped short, wheeled his horse
facing the men with his big ginger cake, stopped short,
wheeled his horse facing the men, and shouted, "Attention!
Great God! Look at this! A free born American citizen
soldier, in the service of his country, eating ginger bread
in the ranks!" The man wilted.
Page 370 -
About the year 1843
General Sea left Republic and moved to Tiffin again, when he and
Mr. L. A. Hall became partners in the law firm of Hall & Sea.
They soon had a large practice, and while Sea was the better
advocate, Hall was the better pleader. Mr. Sea's
striking appearance and forcible address gave him great influence with a
jury. He was quick and ready to catch a point, and unsparing in
pressing it. This partnership lasted only about two years, and
both continued in the practice in Tiffin.
General Sea was ambitious and used all the means
at his command to get General John Bell, of Lower Sandusky, who
was major-general of the 17th division O. M., out of office, with
a view of filling it himself. General Bell was a most
estimable gentleman and highly esteemed citizen, but he sometimes
appeared on parade with a straw hat on his head; put on no style, and in
1838, while the Canadian or patriot war was raging, a lot of arms were
stolen out of General Bell's warehouse, in Lower Sandusky.
These two circumstances served General Sea's purpose, and he drew
up charges against General Bell for the purpose of having him
tried and court-martialed. He had his law-partner, Mr. Hall,
to copy the charges, and they were sent to Governor Shannon.
Governor Shannon thereupon caused the following order to be
issued, which convened the most distinguished, august and talented
military men that ever formed a court-martial in Ohio, viz:
|
ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE
COLUMBUS, OHIO, February 3, 1844. |
A court-martial, to consist
of seven persons, will assemble at the city of Columbus, state of Ohio,
on Monday, the 19th inst., at 10 o'clock A. M., for the hearing and
determining of charges preferred against Major-General John Bell,
of the 17th division of Ohio militia.
The court will consist of:
Major-General John Snider, of the 1st division,
president.
Major-General C. B. Goddard, of the 15th
division, judge advocate.
Major-general George Rowe, of the 13th division.
Brigadier-General M. S. Wade, of the 3d brigade,
1st division.
Brigadier-General George Gephart, of the 7th
division.
Brigadier-General Thomas Stockton; of the 2d
brigade, 7th division.
Brigadier-General Sidney Sea, of the 17th
division.
General W. F. Sanderson, provost marshal.
William Lang, Esq., assistant marshall.
By order of |
WILSON SHANNON,
Commander-in-Chief Ohio Militia. |
E. GALE.
Adjutant-General
At the trial, which was held in the old United States
court room, the Hon. Gustavus Swan, as counsel for General
Bell, objected to General
Page 371 -
Sea, and alleged that Sea himself had drawn up the charges
and was therefore disqualified to sit and try the case. Witnesses
were examined and the facts clearly established. Mr. L. A. Hall
testified that General Sea had drawn the charges, and he (Hall)
had copied them. The court, upon deliberation without Sea,
decided that he could not sit. On the meeting of the court after
dinner, this fact was made known to General Sea by the president,
and he was politely requested to withdraw, but there he sat and allowed
himself to be invited to leave the second time. He still refused
to go, when General Goddard ordered the writer to take General
Sea out of the room instanter. The order was obeyed slowly and
reluctantly by both of us.
No matter what became of the case. It is referred
to here only to show the shrewdness and head-strong, stubborn character
of General Sea.
Suffice it to say that General Bell
had to pay a fine for allowing the arms to be stolen from him.
Now General Sea was alone in the practice, and
Mr. Jeremiah Carpenter, of Vnice township, having an estate
coming to him in Kentucky, employed the General to collect it for him.
The General went to Kentucky, and after an absence of several months,
returned with a beautiful horse he called Mazeppa. Mr.
Carpenter claimed that he did not get all of the estate that was
coming to him, and brought suit against General Sea. A
long, sad, costly and angry litigation followed. Carpenter
obtained judgment against Sea, and for want of goods and
chattels, a write of ne exeat was sued out, and under which
General Sea refused to give security, simplly that he would not
leave the county, and preferred to go to jail. Whether the
proceedings were right or wrong will not be discussed; but the case
excited general notice and was the theme of gossip a long time.
While here in jail, General Sea, who always was
a very voluminous pleader, prepared a petition against Judge Bowen
and the associate judges for false imprisonment. It covered about
two reams of paper, written on both sides. Judge Bowen
offered $100 to any person that would make for him a copy of it.
The case was never tried.
After he had lain in the stone jail some three months
or more, Messrs. R. G. Pennington and Oliver Cowdery, as
the attorneys of General Sea, applied to Judge Reuben Wood,
of the supreme court, for a writ of habeas corpus to get the
General out of jail. The writ was issued and Judge Wood
came from Cleveland to Tiffin to hear the case on the 5th day of
February, 1847. General Sea was discharged. This was
the lat official act of Judge Wood, for his term expired on the
next day. The
Page 372 -
court house was crowded to overflowing during the trial, and on
the following night the brass band, with a large crowd of citizens, gave
General Sea a serenade. Much sympathy was enlisted in his
favor by this time.
In 1848 General Sea, with his family, moved to
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, since which time the writer has heard but little
of him.
He was a most wonderful combination of mental force;
shrewd, cunning, able, reckless, daring, crouching, vindictive,
ambitious. An able orator, a forcible advocate, but unsocial and
cold. He was reckless in his adventures, as well as in the
abandonment of a good purpose.
"Pity he loved an adventurous
life's variety.
He was so great a loss to good society." |
COOPER K. WATSON.
In the fall of
1879, while Judge Watson was visiting his daughter,
Mrs. John D. Loomis, at Tiffin, he promised to write
a short sketch of his life for publication in this book, but
being very closely occupied on the bench and his health
failing, the promise was never complied with. The
following is from the Tiffin Tribune of May 27th,
1880, and while it is very incomplete, it is perhaps the
best that can now be obtained as a substitute for a sketch
of his life:
Cooper K. Watson died
in Sandusky, Ohio, Thursday, May 20th, 1880, aged about seventy years,
after an illness of several weeks. We take from the Sandusky
Register the following obituary, and desire to add, that after he
moved to Norwalk, he was elected a member of the constitutional
convention:
"The deceased jurist was born in Jefferson county,
Kentucky, on the 18th day of June, 1810, and was therefore a month of
reaching the full allotted measure of man's life. In boyhood he
was apprenticed to a merchant tailor, and worked at his trade a short
time.
He turned his attention, however, to the law, soon
after reaching manhood. He began his study at Newark, and was
admitted to the bar at Columbus. He practiced at Newark, and was
admitted to the bar at Columbus. He practiced at Newark for two
years, then moved to Delaware, where he remained four years; then went
to Marion, where he lived five years, four of which he served as
prosecutor of the county. He then moved to Fremont, where he lived
eight years. While a resident of Fremont he became an intimate
friend of the late Sardis Berehard, an uncle and patron of
President R. B. Hayes.
About 1850 he took up his residence at
Tiffin, and in 1854 was the Free Soil (K. N.) candidate for Congress,
and was elected. He entered the house of representatives with
John Sherman, and soon took rank as an ardent friend of liberty, and
an uncompromising foe of the slave power. He was not re-elected,
and at the close of his term returned to the practice of law.
In 1870 he moved to Norwalk, where he remained until he
made this city his home in 1874.
Page 373 -
Although he changed his place
of residence several times, he always took the front rank at the bar,
and secured not only an extensive acquaintance in the central part of
the state, but a wide reputation as an able and successful lawyer, his
practice extending throughout central and western Ohio and into the
district and supreme courts.
Before a jury more to come
JOSEPH HOWARD.
Page 374 -
ROBERT D. PENNINGTON.
Page 375 -
GEORGE E. SENEY.
Page 376 -
Page 377 -
Page 378 -
Page 379 -
Page 380 -
WARREN PERRY NOBLE

was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, June 14, 1820.
His father's name was William Noble, and his mother's maiden
name Rebecca Lytle. The parents moved to Wayne county,
Ohio, when they had three little children, and located in Salt Creek
township, some ten miles east of Wooster. In 1834 the family moved
to Medina county,
Page 381 -
where father Noble had bought a farm. He
lived there about two years, when he sold the farm, and taking with him
his oldest son, came to Jackson township, where he had previously entered
120 acres, and built a small cabin upon it. Then he returned for the
family and brought them here in 1836. The cabin proved to be too
small for so large a family, and some of the boys had to sleep in the
wagons until another adjoining cabin could be constructed. By this
time they had nine sons and one daughter. The daughter, Mary,
is the wife of Mr. Histe, one of the present county commissioners.
Of the sons but four are still living; the subject of this sketch,
Warren Perry Noble, Harrison Noble, the present mayor of
Tiffin, Captain Montgomery Noble, and John Noble, clerk of
the court in Clay county, Kansas.
Warren P. lived with his father on the farm, and
as he grew up to boyhood, received such school education as the country
afforded; but nature had endowed him with a good physique, with a
more than average amount of brain, and above all, with a spirit of
industry and perseverance that knew no tiring. He applied himself to
his books, and was soon enabled to teach school in the neighborhood of his
home, embracing Fostoria, Mr. John Lawrence, Hon. Charles Foster,
Rev. Jacob Caples, Junius V. Jones, were among his scholars, and
others who have also become eminent in life. In February, 1842, he
entered the law office of Rawson and Pennington, in Tiffin,
and in 1844 was admitted to the bar. From that time to this day he
has faithfully applied himself to the practice.
In 1847, on the 17th day of August, he married Mary
E., oldest daughter of Mr. F. Singer, of Tiffin. Mrs.
Noble died on the 9th of March, 1853, leaving Mr. Noble with
three little children; two little girls and a baby boy but a few days old.
He raised and educated his children, and the girls are both married. Belle
is Mrs. William L. Bates, of Dayton, Ohio; Mary Ellen is
Mrs. Silas W. Graff, residing at Tiffin, Ohio; Warren Frederick,
the son, is a graduate of the Ohio State university, of the class of 1879,
and is now reading law in his father's office.
After living the life of a widower more than
seventeen years, and raising his children until they were able to take
care of themselves, Mr. Noble was married to Miss Alice M.
Campbell, of Tiffin, Ohio, on the 27th day of September, 1870, and two
most interesting little girls are the fruit of this marriage.
In 1846 Mr. Noble was elected a member of the
house of representatives of the general assembly of Ohio, and re-elected
in 1847. In the fall of 1848 he was elected prosecuting attorney for
Seneca county, and
Page 382
re-elected in 1850, serving four years, except a short
time before the expiration of his term, when he resigned. In 1860 he
was elected to the thirty-seventh congress over Judge Carey, the
Whig candidate for his second term, and was re-elected to the
thirty-eighth congress over Judge Wooster, of Norwalk, who was his
colleague in the previous term, having been thrown into this district by
the change of districts prior to the election. Mr. Noble was
a war Democrat, and served as such during the war to March 4th, 1865.
He was one of the trustees of the Ohio state university
for ten years, having been first appointed by Governor Hayes.
After the death of John T. Huss and the failure of the First
National bank of Tiffin, Mr. Noble was appointed as its receiver.
He settled claims against the institution, amounting to $240,000, paying
sixty cents on the dollar, and settled up the concern with the least
litigation and in the shortest time of any bank that failed sine the
inauguration of the present banking system. He has been the
president of the Commercial bank ever sine it started, in June, 1876, and
is the president also of the Tiffin Mutual Aid association, and a member
of the Tiffin board of education. During the construction of the
Baltimore and Ohio and the Mansfield Cold Water railroads, he took a very
active part, as he always did in all public enterprises.
Mr. Noble owes his great success in life to that
indomitable industry, integrity and perseverance that have marked his
whole life from his boyhood.
Source: History of Seneca County : from
the close of the Revolutionary War to July, 1880 - Springfield,
Ohio: Transcript Print. Co., 1880 - Pages 380-381
WILLIAM H. GIBSON
was born in Ohio, May 16th, 1822, and soon thereafter his parents
moved to Seneca County, in the same year. His paternal grandparents
were from Ireland, and his maternal grandparents from Wales. He was
reared on a farm in Honey creek, in Eden, and worked with his father,
John Gibson, at the carpenter trade. After he had attended the
common schools, he attended one year at the Ashland academy. He read
law in Tiffin in the office of Rawson & Pennington, and was
admitted to the bar in 1845. He was the Whig candidate for attorney
general in 1853, but was defeated. He was elected treasurer of the
state in 1855, and resigned in 1857. He entered the army as
colonel of the 49th O. V. I., in 1861, and commanded a brigade and
division of the army of the Cumberland, leading his command in forty-two
conflicts. He left the army with the rank of brigadier-general, and
resumed the practice of the law in Tiffin. He quit the practice in
1872, and applied himself very industriously to railroad enterprises.
He bore a very conspicuous part in all the political campaigns ever since
the organization
Page 383 -
of the Republican party. He is an orator of no
ordinary calibre, and during the past two yeas he preached under a license
in the M. E. church. When Governor Foster was inaugurated
governor of Ohio on the second Monday in January last, General Gibson
was appointed adjutant-general in Ohio, which office he holds to this day.
G. B. KEPPEL
was born May 8th, 1845, in Hopewell township, Seneca County, Ohio.
He graduated at Heidelberg college in 1869; was admitted to the bar in
1871, and is now the prosecuting attorney of the county.*
SHARON's NOTE: Gilford B. Keppel, wife Emma and son Walter K.
can be found in the 1900 census of Seneca County, Ohio in Clinton Twp
within the City of Tiffin. - Film Series T623 - Roll 1320 - Page 117. -
ALSO found in 1860 Census Seneca County, Ohio - Hopewell Twp. - Film
Series M653 - Roll 1034 - Page 198 with his father Henry, mother,
Elizabeth, siblings - Hiram, William, Rebecca, John & Charles.
NELSON L. BREWER
was born in Washington county, Maryland, September 17th,
1832; graduated at Heidleberg in 1855; was admitted to the practice in
1858, and immediately located in Tiffin.
SOURCE:
History of Seneca Co., Ohio - Published by Transcript Printing Co.,
Springfield, Ohio - 1880 - Page 383
SHARON WICK'S NOTE: Nelson Brewer can be found in the 1870
Census - Seneca Co., Ohio - 1st Wd. Tiffin - Film Series M593 - Roll 1266
- Page 331 with wife Harriet, children - Julia, Edward,
Wallace and Belinda Lance and 80 year old Amaza
Chidester.
He can again be found in the 1900 Census - Seneca Co. - Clinton Twp. in
Film Series T623 - Roll 1320 - Page 79 - He his near the bottom of the
page and it is very hard to read.
He can again be found in the 1910 Census - Seneca Co - 1st Wd. Tiffin -
Film Series T624 - Roll 1229 Page 41 at 300 Market Street - Dwelling 19
Family 20 - aged 77 with his wife Harriet aged 71 - It is listed as his
2nd marriage
He is again listed in the 1920 Census - Seneca Co. - 1st Wd. Tiffin - Film
Series T625 - Roll 1431 - Page 152 as Nelson A. Brewer aged 89 with his
wife Harriet M. Brewer aged 81. They are at 300 East Market Street
in Dwelling 178 Family 203 living with John C. Pearson his son-in-law and
Grace C., (Nelson's daughter) and their son John B. (Nelson's grand-son)
JACOB R. HUDDLE (HOTTAL)
JACOB K.
HUDDLE (HOTTAL) was born October 8th, 1846, in Bloom Township,
Seneca County, Ohio. He is the seventeenth child of a family of
eighteen children. He was admitted to practice law in 1871. In
1873 he edited the Tiffin Star with much ability. Upon the
failure of his enterprise, he returned to the practice. Tracing back
his family record he became satisfied that the family name is Hottal.
SHARON WICK'S NOTE:
J. K. Huddle, age 22 yrs. can be found in a Flenner boarding house in
the 1870 Census - Seneca Co., Ohio - 1st Wd. Tiffin - Film Series M593 -
Roll 1266 - Page 339 - Dwelling 444 Family 493
Jacob Huddle, age 33 yrs. can be found in 1880 Census - Seneca Co., Ohio -
5th Wd. Tiffin - Film Series - T9 - Roll 1065 - Page 243 - living on Main
Street in Dwelling 74 - Family 90 as follows:
Jacob Huddle, Wife Ellen J. aged 29, Son Frank K. age9; Daughter Olive E.
age 7; Daughter Anna M. age 5; Son Edward R. age 3; Daughter Cora M. age 1
I found a Jacob K. Hottal aged 63 in 1910 Census - Spartanburg Co., South
Carolina - 6th Wd. Spartanburg - Film Series T624 - Roll 1473 - page
246 as follows:
Lived at 123 Forest Street in Dwelling 315 Family 332
Jacob K. Hottal aged 63, Attorney at law & real estate dealer - Wife
Ermine? age 38 yrs.; Daughters Olive age 23 or 25 and Alice M. age 26
yrs.; Grandson Louis K. age 10 yrs.; Nellie Cobb aged 27 a boarder and
Edgar A. McCracken aged 27 a boarder. Jacob K, his wife and
daughters were all born in Ohio. The others were born in South
Carolina.
In 1920 I found the following:
1920 Census - South Carolina - Spartanburg Co., 6th Wd. Spartanburg - Film
Series T625 - Roll 1711 - Page 199 - 123 Forest Street - Dwelling 332 -
Family 413 -
Hottal, Samuel B. aged 36 - Head; Eula M. aged 29 - Wife; Samuel B., Jr.
aged 8 - Son; Ruth aged 7 - daughter; Eula M. aged 4-6/12 - daughter -
John V. age 5/12 - son; Jacob K. aged 75 and widowed - Father. At
this time Jacob K. was employed in Real Estate.
JOHN M'CAULEY
was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, December 10th, 1834. He was
educated at the university at Delaware, where he finished his course in
1859. He was admitted to the bar in 1860, when he located in Tiffin.
He was elected prosecuting attorney in 1865, and held the office four
years. He was elected a member of the late constitutional convention
to fill the vacancy created by the death of Dr. O'Connor. In
October 1879, he was elected judge of the court of common pleas for this
district. *
Source: History of Seneca County : from
the close of the Revolutionary War to July, 1880 - Springfield,
Ohio: Transcript Print. Co., 1880 - Page
383
SHARON WICK'S NOTES:
1870 Census Seneca County - 1st Wd. Tiffin - Film Series M593 - Roll
1266 - Page 327 - Dwelling 285 Family 316:
John McCauley age 35 - attorney-at-law; Josephene age 33 - keeping house;
Anna age 4; Mary age 3; Josephene age 8/12 and Elizabeth
Kingsly age 20 -
house keeper. All born in Ohio.
1880 Census Seneca County - 2nd Wd. Tiffin - Film Series T9 - Roll 1065 -
Page 196 - Dwelling 174 Family 178 -
This record is hard to read however the following can be seen:
John McCauley age 45 - Judge Comm. P. Court; Josephene age 42 - wife;
Anna? age 12 - daughter; _____ age 13 - daughter; _attie age 9 - daughter;
Fannie? age 6 - daughter; Grace age 3 - daughter; and Lydia ____ age 18 -
servant.
1910 Census Seneca County - 2nd Wd. Tiffin - Film Series T624 - Roll 1229
- Page 71 - 181 Washington Street - Dwelling 44 Family 46 -
John McCauley age 75 - Head - Lawyer; Anna age 35 - daughter; and
Ida Fritz age 36 - servant - All born in Ohio. John's parents are listed
as born (Scot) English.
1920 Census Seneca County - 2nd Wd. Tiffin - Film Series T625 - Roll 1431
- Page 197 - 181 Washington Street - Dwelling 138 - Family 145 -
John McCauley age 85 - Widowed Head; Mary Sayler age 50 - widowed
daughter; Joshpine age 17 - granddaughter. This census lists all
born in Ohio and John's parents born in Scotland.
JACOB BUNN
was born June 6, 1847, in Thompson (Seneca County). He graduated at
Heidelberg college in 1870, and was admitted to the bar the year
following, when he located in Tiffin. He was elected probate judge
of Seneca county in the fall of 1878.
SHARON WICK'S NOTES:
1870 Census - Seneca Co., Ohio - 1st Wd. Tiffin - Film Series
M593 - Roll 1266 - Page 339 - Flenner Boarding House - Dwelling 444 -
Family 493 -
Jacob Bunn age 24 b. Ohio - Was there the same time as
J. K. Huddle who is
in these biographies of Seneca Co., Ohio
1880 Census - Seneca Co., Ohio - Thompson - is an Elizabeth Bunn
aged 72 yrs. living with her daughter. C/b Jacob's mother?
1880 Census - Seneca Co., Ohio - 4th Wd. Tiffin - Film Series T9 -
Roll 1054 - Page 228
Dwelling 57 Family 61 -
Hezekiah Groff age 68; Julia age 65 - wife; Jacob T. Bunn age 32 - Son in
Law - Lawyer; Laura age 29 - daughter; Della Watson age 30 - boarder - Clk
in Drug Store; Flora Watson age 23 - Boarder - Clk in Drug store; Ruth
Guifford age 20 - servant.
1900 Census - Seneca Co., Ohio - Tiffin - Film Series T623 - Roll
1320 - Page 163 -
28 Monroe Street - Dwelling 324 Family 328 -
Julia Groff age 80 Head - Widowed; Edward age 48 - Son - Werner, Alice age
32 - Niece; Jacob F. Bunn age 5_ - s-in-law b. June 18_8 - Widowed.
1910 Census - Seneca Co., Ohio - Film Series T624 - Roll 1229 -
Page 143 - 270 Millmore street - Dwelling 170 - Family 175 -
Jacob F. Bunn age 62 - 2nd marriage - Lawyer; Eugenia age 49 - Wife - 2nd
marriage; Catharine Horton age 17 - step-daughter; John Planck? age 53;
Cora Planck? age 59; Maggie Emick age 25 - servant; Jacob Y___ger age 60 -
Servant.
FRANK DILDINE
Was born in Tiffin, Oct. 15th, 1849; graduated at
the Tiffin high school, and afterwards attended the Ohio
Wesleyan University, at Delaware, and graduated from the
Heidelberg college in 1869; was admitted to the bar in 1872.
Page 384 -
HARRISON NOBLE.

Was born in Wayne county, Ohio, on the 28th of January,
1826, and was admitted to the bar in 1849, when he located
in Tiffin. He was city solicitor four years, and is
now the mayor of the city.
NELSON B. LUTES.
Was born in Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, Mar. 1st, 1848;
came to Tiffin in 1870, and was admitted to the bar in 1872.
JOHN H. RIDGELY
Was born August 16th, 1845, in Allegheny county,
Maryland. He is a graduate of Heidelberg college, and
was admitted to practice law in December, 1869.
H. C. KEPPEL
Was born in Hopewell township, Mar. 20th, 1847. He
is graduate of Heidelberg college, and was admitted to
practice law in 1872 and is now of the law firm of H. C.
& G. B. Kepple; was married at Indianapolis to-day, June
29th, 1880.
J. H. PITTENGER
Was born December 10th, 1828, in Frederick county,
Maryland; came to Tiffin with his father's family in 1830;
was admitted to practice law in 1850, and for very many
years was, and now is, of the law firm of
Hall &
Pittenger.
RUSH ABBOTT
Was born in Seneca county, Ohio, and was admitted to
practice Apr. 12th, 1877, when he located in Tiffin.
NETTIE CRONISE AND FLORENCE CRONISE.
Sisters, and graduates of Heidelberg, natives of Tiffin,
some six years ago were admitted to practice law; probably
the first ladies in Ohio that entered the legal profession.
They are both in the practice now. One is practicing
by herself, without a partner, and the other is in
partnership with another lawyer.
Among the very many remarkable things already related
about Tiffin and Seneca county, the most remarkable of all
is the fact, that here in Tiffin, two lawyers married each
other, and are now raising two most lovely little daughters
about three and four years old. Let any other town in
the United States say the like.
PERRY M. ADAMS
Was born Dec. 2, 1850, in Wood county, Ohio, read law in
the
Page 385 -
office of W. P. Noble, was admitted to the bar Apr.
13, 1876, and is now of the firm of Noble & Adams.
UPTON F. CRAMER
Was born in Clinton township, Seneca county, Ohio, Jan.
9, 1842; graduated at Heidelberg college. He was
admitted to practice law in 1867. He was elected
probate judge three times, and was succeeded by Judge
Bunn in 1877.
CHARLES H. CRAMER
Was born in Seneca county, Ohio, Aug. 20, 1847; was
admitted to practice in Mansfield, in June, 1875, and
located here.
LA FAYETTE L. LANG
Was born Apr. 10 1851, in Tiffin; attended Heidelberg
college and Cleveland commercial institute. He was
teller in First National bank, read law in his father's
office, and was admitted to practice in 1877, when he became
the law partner of the father.
JOHN B. SCHWARTZ
Is the son of Augustus and Littia Schwartz, and
was born in Austin, Texas, Nov. 1, 1854. His mother is
a Massony, whose father's family were among the early
settlers in Hopewell, and came from Belgium. She went
with the family of Jesse Stem from here to Texas,
where Stem was Indian agent, and where he was killed
by some Indians. John B. Schwartz was admitted
to the bar in 1879 and located in Tiffin.
W. L. KERSHAW.
Ws born in New York city in November, 1856; was admitted
to practice in Mansfield, Ohio, July 20, 1879, and settled
in Tiffin soon thereafter.
H. J. WELLER
was born January 21, 1856, in Thompson township, in this
county, and was admitted to the bar June 2, 1880, at the
supreme court in Columbus. He located in Tiffin
immediately thereafter.
GERALD E. SULLIVAN
Was born June 20, 1856, at Tiffin, Ohio; was admitted to
the bar and located in Tiffin Dec. 12, 1878.
JAMES F. LEAHY,
Was born May 14, 1855, in the county of Kerry, Ireland;
was admitted to the bar in Tiffin Dec. 30, 1879, and then
located here.
Page 386 -
JAMES PILLARS
WILLIAM LANG

Want of room and want of desire
to write my biography will make the story of the writer a
very short time.
Mont. Jarvis is the endand the highest peak of
the Vosges moun-
Page 387 -
tains in the Palatinate in Germany. A little south of
its foot, and where the Vosges slope away by low hills into
the bottom lands of the Rhine, and on its left bank in the
Canton of Weimweiler, is the pleasant little town of
Sippersfeld. Here I was born on the 14th day of
December, 1815. I was the seventh child and the first
son of Henry and Catherine Lang.
Father kept me at school until
we started for America. It was his intention to
prepare me for the profession of school teacher. When
we arrived in Tiffin on the 18th of August, 1833, my German
education could not be utilized very well, and I entered the
cabinet shop of D. H. Phillips, as an apprentice.
I worked at the trade seven years, when, in the spring of
1840, I entered the office of Mr. Joshua Seney to
read law. Mr. Sweney gave the practice no
attention, and when Mr. Cowdery located in Tiffin
late in the fall of the same year, at the suggestion of
Mr. Seney, I entered Mr. Cowdery's office as a
student. On the 25th day of July, 1842, I was admitted
to the practice at Lower Sandusky, Ohio. Judge E.
Lane administered the oath to me. Judge D.
Higgins was the chairman of the committee that examined
me. Brice J. Bartlett, John C. Spink, Cooper K.
Watson, R. P. Buckland and others were members of the
committee.
In the fall of 1844 I was elected prosecuting attorney
of Seneca County, and re-elected in 1846. In 1851 I
was elected the first probate judge of Seneca county, with
the highest majority that Seneca county ever cast for any
man to office. In the fall of 1854 I was re-nominated
by my party and would have been re-elected had it not been
for the storm of Know-Nothingism that swept the country like
a mad cyclone, in the fall of that year. Seneca gave a
majority of 1,400 for the Know-Nothings. In 1859 I was
nominated by the Democrats of Seneca county as a candidate
for representative to the legislature, with Mr. Morris P.
Skinner, Seneca county being entitled to two members
that time. Mr. Skinner (Democrat) and Mr.
Jones (Republican) were elected. It will interest
but very few to relate the causes that led to my defeat.
In 1861 I was elected to the senate of Ohio from the
counties of Seneca, Crawford and Wyandot, and re-elected
in1863, serving four years and during the war. In 1865
I was nominated by the Democratic party of Ohio as its
candidate for lieutenant-governor, on the ticket with
General G. W. Morgan or governor. In the fall
previous the state went Republican some 60,000 majority.
The campaign was a quiet one; there was no hope of a
Democratic success, but with all, the Republican majority
was reduced one-half. General Morgan and myself
made a vigorous campaign, and had but very little local aid,
Page 388 -
working against hope. In 1869 I was elected treasurer
of Seneca county, and re-elected in 1871, serving four
years. It was the first mayor of the city of Tiffin,
and the first president of the school board of Tiffin, and
being a member of the same board now, I take great pride in
holding the highest office that the law gives to any man.
I have now been at the Tiffin bar longer than any other
lawyer connected with it, except it be brother
Pennington.
Just in time, and before these
sheets go to the printer, I can add the fact, that at the
Democratic state convention, held in Cleveland on Thursday,
the 22d day of July, 1880. I was nominated by
acclamation as the candidate for secretary of state.
On my return to Tiffin on the day following, a large party
of my friends and neighbors, some five hundred, with a band
of music and carriages, met me at the depot in Tiffin and
escorted me home. Dr. J. A. Norton announced my
nomination to the assembled crowd in front of the court
house; W. P. Noble made a speech of welcome in
glowing terms, and Republicans and Democrats joined in their
hearty congratulations. It was a scene the like of
which Tiffin never witnessed before. The ovation was a
personal compliment, without distinction of party. In
record it here in gratitude as the happiest day of my life.
The good opinion of one's neighbors is a price far beyond
the emoluments of office.
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