Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-09-10
THE DEATH AND FUNERAL
OF Hun. BENZ. RUGGLES
OBITUARY.

lOII, NOultCCilCuI. Ou tIC VI 4 ~
ruary, 1888, and died at ST. Clarsvil!e, Ohio.
on the % day of September, 1857, aged
seventy-four years. His father was res
pectable farmer, religious man, and an
Elder in his church, and durirg Benjamin
childhood was in good circumstances, but
later in lite his property was swept from
him to discharge security obligations IN
which he had become involved for his
brother. His father died, leaving him a
poor 10y of the age of twelve. He had the
Connecticut common school opportunities
for eiucation; and they were in his case, as
in thousands of others of New England's
sons, sufficient to inspire him with an am
btion for the higher walks of intellectual
effort Having no property to devote to
his education, he betopk himself to the
usual resource Of aspiring young men in
that ry. H. taught school winters,
and in the summers spen. his winter cara
ings in gong to school. HIS education
was academic, in which he was taught
Latin, Greek, an yhe higher branches Of
an English education. From tn, academy
be passed not to college, as is tae csseoasasy
course with thoroughly ciucated fsEkses,
but to the stu y Of the law. AZ al early
IL I'll pf
ford, Connecticut, to be ad niited into his
office as student at Law. He inquired of
the Judge what he thought Of the project.
TIE Judge replied, The Bar here is very
much crowded, but Connecticut exports a
great many lawyers. There is demand
for them in the West" The idea Of ult-
mately trying his fortunes in the West was
not new to Benjamin Rugg:es. Ia his boy
ho)d he had frequently listened 10 a song
which rec Junted the felicitias of Western
lie, with the cheering refrlin-"On the
banks o! the pieaslnt OIio;" AM MS con-
vclion b,can, "manfest destiny" that
the future o. his life WAS cast in that re-
gion. Accordingly, when he had finished
hi, studies vita jug, Peters, anI was ad-
n,tte1 70 the Bar, n Immediately set Off
for the West.
For he Fsst: MT inr any particular To-
cality ;h.rein, bat for the West generally:
and on horseba TX, for there were NJ Rail
roads in those days, not even lines Of stages,
and the traye Ter hither provided his own
means OF coaveyance The first point of
his IN linz in Ohio WIS Mtrietta, son the
ba n KS of the pleasant Ohio."s perfect stran-
ger in a strange land. He stopped there,
and in short time opened an office, and
was successful in the practice of his pro-
fession.
ID the year 1910, he was elected Presi-
dent Judge of the Court of Common Pleas
for the Third Circuit. extending from St.
c la irsvi.le to Cleveland, including both
aoes. but hich. did not include, Marietta.
The law requiring that the President Judge
should reside in his circui, was the occasion
of his removal . ST. Csairsyille, where he
re sided rlp to the time of his death. In
1915 he was elected by the Legislature a
United S ates Senator; he was twice re-
elected, ,and served in that body in all eigh-
teen years.
After the termination of his Senatorial
career, thinking his public life at an end,
though always decided and outspoken in
his opinions, he took comparatively very
little part in politics. In his political life
though on the whole very successful, he
essay in politics was as a candidate for tho
State Legislature, in which, by trick &C
the enemy, he fell short OF aD election
thirty seven votes On the morning of the
election, in one part of his district, it was
reported that he had withdrawn from the
canvas. The report was believed, and lost
bir, ro,o. o,,,,rh >, J,s,.. Li H. e.,,
heeiiy 'he 'eAal'"h Vi Suc" ueIea'- ana
once, after his Senatorial career had termi-
n tied, he was induce |, much against his in
c,ira,ion a, frs, 70 run for the STATE Son.
'Ao '"'o u
his 'lcke' ahd was 0elea'ed by about hiiy
votes.
But now his career is ended, and the
accoun, of his life is to be made M H.,
'iaH gone u MS 'ol9 nome, anu we uionrh-
eis go aoou' Tue sueets' ulNihs sadV 10
''o' o'i'' "''"' ''''i VIC say Vi '''e &c
parleu sPn't'
'u"9e n"e2 'eS' '-i'"Sh' =" h's curry man
'"n' "e "i''e Poc't an" "e''ered ora
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