Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-11-27

peer Of lay and Webster, OF Calhoun al
Benton, and their illustrious eompeersi al
still, not a written opinion Of his upon Il
many questions that eonyulsed the natic
and the world; not letter which he r
ceived. or the copy Of letter which !
r wrote during his long life, can now
: found to shed 0 single ray of light upC
the current Of his thoughts and the even
of his TIM, or to repay the labor and :
search Of the diligent inquirer after mat
rails for this imperfect sketch.
Benjamin Ruggles was the second Pres
dent Judge Of the Third Judicial Circui
having been appointed by the Legislatul
at the session Of ls09-l0 to succeed Ca
win Pease, sketch of whose life will
found in the preceding pages. The who
q State was then embraced in three judicii
circuits. Mr.. Ruggles was born at WOOD
stock, Windham county, Connecticut, Fet
ruary 2lst, A. D. 1888. The town {
Woodstock, originally called New Roxbr
ry, was under the jurisdiction of Masss
chusetts till the year 1855. 1t was sci
tied BY people from Roxbury in Massachu
setts in 1856. and in Judge Sewell's Dia
ry is the following entry: 1880. Marc
Is. gave New Roxbury the name o
Woodstock. because of its nearness to Ok
ford. for the sake of Queen Elizabeth, an
the notable meetings that have heen hel,
at the place bearing the name in Eng
land"
General William Eaton, consul to Tun
is, and author of the famous enterprise Il
restore the ex- Bashaw of Tripoli. and Il
accomplish which he led an army across
the desert from Cairo to Deyore, was ais,
a native of this town.
The father of Mr. Ruggles was a farm.
er in easy circumstances, and intended t
educate his son Benjamin for the ministry
bat having become surety for Deighbor
his property was entirely swept away tC
pay the liability, and he was unable tC
give him a suitable education. He died
when Benjamin was twelve years old
Soon after his fathers death he went to
live with his uncle, deacon Dresser. who
had married his mothers sister, and for
several years worked upon the deacon
farm, and attended the free school in win
ter. A few years after his father died,
his mother and family moved to BOttau,
Tolland county, and Benjamin went to live
with her, and taught school in winter, and
attended Brooklyn Academy in sumner
Here by diligeut and earnest application
to study he acquired competent knoWl-
edge of the Latin and Greek languages,
and the various branches of an English
education He then studied law with
Judge Peters and was admitted to the bar
at Tolland, th seat of justice of TOlland
county, where for few years he continu-
ed in practice. But he could not long re-
sist the tide of emigration which bore such
multitudes to the West, and especially to
Ohio, and in the year lSoS he moved to
Ohio, and settled at Marietta in Washing
ton county. where he pursued, with sue
cess, the practice of his profession for some
two years.
In the fall of the year 1909, when he
had resided less than two years in Marict-
IA, he was the Republican candidate fer
the legislature; but the Fe eralists having
a majority in the county, he was defeated.
The Republicans, however, had majority
in the legislature, and they avenged the
defeat of their favorite by making him
President Judge, on the resignation of Mr..
Pease, at the session Of lS09-l0. Soon
after his election as President Judge he
moved to 1t Clairsville, and in the year
1872 he returned to his native State, and
was married and brought his wife to Ohio.
He immediately proceeded to build dwell
ing house near the village, on some twenty
acres of land which he selected for the pur-
pose, where he spent the residue Of his life.
He owned god farm of about three hun
ared acres a few miles from town, and was
much attached to agriculture and the Sc
lection and cultivation of choice fruits
He devoted a good deal of his time to
farming. after his retirement from the Sen
ate, and the last. to all appearance. were
the happiest years of his life. He lost
his wife in 1916, and was married again
in 1925. His widow is still living at st.
Clairsville.
Mr.. Ruggles, though very respectable
awyer, was not distinguished as an advo-
,ate; and in the United States Senate,
which he adorned for so many years, he
vas principally remarkable for his labOri-
us application to business, and his quiet,
manners. He was not lead
r in any sense of the word, nor a bold
nd independent thinker. but always con-
ented himself with following the beaten
rack which others had trod before him
lie was, on the contrary, very cautious
nd timid man. 81,
he National IntelligeDcer, whose in
tructiye columns were presided over by
he late Joseph Gales, and radiant with
is genius and fullness of knowledge, was
is political gospel; and upon the vexed ,
nd disputed questions in theology, his
Tile-an excellent and intelligent lady
Ias his chosen oracle, from whose iudg-
lents he was never known to prosecute an
ppeal When in the Senate he very sell
Ou. II efcTs m1uS oPSCCn, OUt Was sal-
fled to record his silent vote Oh the vari-
is and important questions that came be-
re that body during his term of service.
Mr.. Ruggles was highly esteemed as
ldge. and was always remarkable for his
Witty and Courteous behaviour upon the
snch In his intercourse with the men, !
efs of the bar, he carefully abStained
ON rude, harsh. and insulting remarks, {
ut on the contrary, was remarkably KIND
nd concllIatory; and however furiously
le tempest of passion and excitement
llght wage around him, he was generally
Iim and nnmoved, and sought BY every
leans in his power to render :he transac-
on Of business In Court aud the practice ]
law pleasant and agreeable to those en-
aged in it. In this respect he was a mod l
judge. He appeared very Justly to
ok upon the bench and the bar as co-or-
mate branches of our judicial system,
I'd therefore both equally essential to the
ue administration of justice. The bust
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