Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-09-19
1n,srs.,lnr nl.,orlenl RemlnI.eenee..

Interesting Historical "Reminiscences
A Correspondent Of the Columbus Gazette
has been reading over the first books everkept
BY The sovereign State Of Ohio, and commnni-
eating some Of the facts cleaned to that paper
In a recent number he says his eye fell upon
The name of one who has ever been a favorite
Of the people Of our State; one in whom they
have ever felt a confidence. That name lie
ELISHA WnIrrLEsEY The first registry of Mr..
whiltlescy as holding public office, is the fol.
lowing; ..tI OH ...I#|.#
FEB. 8, 1908 Elisha Whittescy was com
missonod Captain, and Azariah Wetmolc En-
syn, Of the 18th Company, lst Brigade, 4tl
Division of Ohio State Militia"
Elisha Whiulesey, Of old Puritan descenti
man like his Puritan iathtrs-always to be
ound faithful and just, standing up for the
| right and never the wrong puTsuing
Mr. WhiJlosoy has since received many oii
ccs of trust and honor at the hands Of the peo
pie Of Ohio having been q embor OF the
State Legislature for several terms, Judge OF
the Court of Common Pleas a memtcr Of Con-
grcss from the Western Reserve from 1923 TO
1889 To notice the important part Mr.. Whit
tlescy took while in Congress, would take more
space in your columns than you would be dis.
posed to allow any one correspondent. Your
readers will see by referring 10 the Congress
,ional Globe, that "Mr Whiulesey, of Ohio"
vas always to be found at his post, not only at
roll call, but at all times. We lind by reference
| To the proceedings OF one particular session
| The FIST session Of the Gath Congrcss-thut
! there are but two memlers whose names APP
| pear more frequently than Mr.. W.'s on the
papes Of the Journal of the House, and one OF
| those two is cold Man Eloquent" (JOhn
| Quincy Adams,) the other the Hon Churchill
u Cambtclliug, Of New York, 1t was not
| only on the floor OF the House that Mr. Whit
llesey served his constituents, hut more espe-
| ;ialy in attending to their demands upon the
| lillerent departments at Washington.
Upon General Harrison coming to the Presi.
| lency, Mr. Whittlcsey was appointed Comptrol-
| lcr Of the Treasury. He performed the duties
pertaining to that iesposible position SO faith
| fully, that he was retained during two or three
! Administrations Of opposite political principles
/ 10 his own. Long may he live to show TO yong
aspirants to political distinctions, that "honesty
is The best policy in politics, as toeH as in
morals. .......
Ensign Azariah Wetmore, was descendant
of Thomas Wetmore OF MiddletowD, Connecti-
| cut, who was one Of the six that purchased and
settled the PLANTATION Of MaHabeCsie,' on the
| Connecticut river in l649 or 1850, and named
/
mores family were among tho first settlers on
The Western Reserve, they having moved from
| Mi1dlCtown, Connecticut, 10 New Connecticut
Us the Reserve was then called-in 1903.
| Feb. oh, lS0S.-William Wetmore was
commissioned Associate Judge Of the Court of
/ Common Pleas for Portage county, 10 continue
IN office from the 18th Of February, lSOs."
| Judge WetmoTe removed from MiddlctOwn to
the Westsrn Reserve in 1903 and occupied
lands that hereceivei in part payment of claim
| hat he ad against his native State, Connect
cut in those days having more acres of wild
| ands in Ohio than diHerO in her Treasury lie
was the first Judge of Portage county, and he
was also a descendant Of Thomas Wetmore
alluded to above. Judge Netnore's grandfather,
the Hon. Seth WetmOTe, was a deputy to the
| General Court of the colony of Connecticut for
forty eight terms, viz from 1888 to l77l.-
| Judge Seth Wetmore's father, Azariah and
grsndia her, Thomas, and great grandfather,
John, were severIlly Judges in the colony of
Connecticut, serving at different intervals from
l643 to 1898. Thus the judicial ernine dc.
scended from father to son for four successive
enerations-commeneing in l643 and termina
ting in l77l.
"Oct 30, 1903 Lewis Clss was commits.
stoned Brig ldier General of the second Brigade
10 the Third Division of Ohio State Militia"
| 1t will be perceived that "the honorable Sec
retary of State for the United States" re-
eeived his militlry title Of General" from the
| State Of Ohio, and not from Michigan, as IN my
are led to suppose, Brigadler General Uass
al the commission of Major General conferred
upon him by Governor Return S. Meigs, Jr 4, in
January, 1919.
The last record inscribed npon the first book
opened and kept in the Governor and Secretary
Of States office, ON Ohio becoming a sovereign
State is the following
"Dec. Sth, lS0s.-Wm. Creighton, Jr, re-.
signed the office OF Secretary Of State for the
State of Oh o."
The book alluded to above comprises $50 pa
ges ioolscap In this book was the entire rec
ord Of the Governors we'll as the Secretary
Of States departments, from the first orLaniza-
lion of the Stae, March s. 1903, to Dec. 8,
1908, five years ard nine months.
TO keep the records OF the same Departments
now it requires II number Of clerks, beside the
Secretary OF State and Secretary Of the Cover.
nor, and books of large dimensions are filled
yearly. Truly it may be said that free Ohio
has become an empire of itself, and that too, in
a short half century! c. W.
|