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Biographies
Source:
* Fifty Years and Over of Akron and Summit County,
by Ex-Sheriff Samuel A. Lane.
Akron, Ohio: Beacon Job Department -
1892
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HON.
WILLIAM H. UPSON, now living retired at Akron, after
a long and distinguished public life, was born January 11,
1823, in Franklin County, Ohio. In 1832 he removed
with his parents to Tallmadge, Summit County.
At an early age he displayed a native ability which in
later life contributed to his professional success, for he
was but nineteen years old when he was graduated from the
Western Reserve College. He then read law with
Judge Reuben Hitchcock, at Painesville, afterwards
spending one yar in the law department of Yale College.
In September, 1845, he was admitted to the bar, and in
January of the following year entered upon the practice of
his profession at Akron. For many years he was in
partnership with Hon. Sidney Egerton and Christopher P.
Wolcott, Summit County. He was elected the first
president of the Summit County Bar Association, and was a
member of the Executive Committee of the State Bar
Association. In March, 1883, Mr. Upson was
appointed by Governor Foster, judge of the
Supreme Court of Ohio, and served until December. In
1884 he was elected judge of the Circuit Court, and in 1886
was re-elected for the full term of six years.
Judge Upson has always been a stanch supporter
of the Republican party, and for years stood very near to
the head of the organization in the state. His first
public office was that of prosecuting attorney, in which he
served Summit County from 1848 to 1850. He was a
member of Ohio State Senate, 1854-5. In 1868 he was
elected to Congress from the Eighteenth District, serving
until 1873. His party delighted to honor him, and in
1864 he was sent as a delegate to the Republican National
Convention, which re-nominated Abraham Lincoln. He
was also a delegate-at-large to the convention which
nominated Rutherford B. Hayes, in 1876.
From Judge Upson's return to private life until
his retirement from the practice of his profession he took a
conspicuous part in everything pertaining to the development
of Akron and Summit County. For many years he has been
a trustee of the Western Reserve College, Oberlin College
and the Lake Erie Female Seminary.
On May 20, 1856, Judge Upson was married to
Julia Ford, a daughter of Hon. James P. and Julia A.
(Tod) Ford, of Akron, whose family consisted of seven
children. Mrs. Upson's father was born in New
York state, January 28, 1797, and in early manhood became a
resident of Summit County, where the remainder of his life
was spent. He was appointed by Governor Bartley,
associate judge of the Court of Common Pleas, for Summit
County, and filled this position until ill health forced him
to resign, in 1849; his death took place less than two years
later, January 2, 1851. His wife was a daughter of
Judge George Tod, of Youngstown, Ohio. Judge
Upson and his wife have four children, namely:
William Ford, a practicing attorney in New York city,
with residence in Glen Ridge, New Jersey; Henry Swift,
a resident of Cleveland, enaged in the practice of medicine;
Anna Perkins, wife of Colonel G. J. Fieberger,
U. S. Engineer Corps, now professor of engineering at the U.
S. Military Academy, West Point, New York; and Julia Ford.
Judge Upson resides with his family on East Market
Street.
Fifty Years and Over of Akron and Summit County, by
Ex-Sheriff Samuel A. Lane - Akron, Ohio: Beacon Job
Department - 1892 ~Page 172 |
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