The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1868-07-03
From the Defiance Demccratl
Death of Horace Sessions Meeting Of
the Defiance Bar


Death of Horace Sessions Meeting of
the Defiance Bar,
At a meeting OF tho members Of the
Defiance Bar, held at tho Court House, in
Defiance, on the 10th day of Junc, 1868, on
motion OF w. ID. HUI, WM c. lloLGATE
was appointed Chairman, end EpwiN
riihLrs, Secretary.
Tho Chairman, upon taxing the chair,
addressed the bar as follows:
Breibrea IF he Bar: lIoRACE SESSIONS
is gunc tho Allwisc Being, who rules aud
governs the affairs of men, has taken him
to himself. llo died at Adrian, Michigan,
on the 9th inst, whore he had stopped oil
to visit u friend, us he was returning from
the Republican National Convention, at
Chicago, which he had boon Attending as n
delegate. was present at his death, ana
with other friends and citizens of our
town, accompanied his rcmy,us TO Painos.
Vile, in this State, where, on tho 18th,
thcD were intrrrod, in II beautiful cemetery,
near tho tomb OF loved littlo daughter,
and of 4 father mother, aud other re.
lutivcs.
Our relations with him, aud hia worth.
require something more than the usual
resolutions OF respect aud sympathy. lie.
ing tho first lawyer that ever settled aud
stayed here, he may truly bc called the
father of the Defiance Bar. lie was also u
pioneer of the State. Ia 1894, under An.
thony Wayne, his father was in tho great
batilo that first secured the white man
possession of and titlo to the lands we
occupy, and he helped 10 construct the
fort which gives our town its name. in
1900 he settled on u farm near Palncsville,
and there on tho 10th day Of April, 1912,
lIoRAcE SESSIONS was born, He was n
vigorous, stout boy, dclighting in agricul-
tural pursuits, and in watching the habits
aud caring for the animals reared upon the
farm But at the ago of twelve years n
great misfortune belcl him, He was taken
down with a severe sickness, resulting in
fever sore that rackod his constitution,
/ shattered his norvons system, producing
uutold pain, and crippled him through his
whole life. His father dying in 1897, left
him a poor, crippled boy, aud widowed
mother and sister in destitute circum
stances. Finding that he would be unable
to procure living by tile mannnl labor
Incident to farm work, ho reluctantly relln-
qhished his favorlo calling, and cas-; about
to seeswhat he could do to make living
chose our profession. Being admitted to
the bar at tie ago of twenty one he first
went down tho Ohio aud Mississippi, as
far as VcksGurg, without Iinding salts.
factory location. when, returning, he came
to the Maumee Valley, and, arriving at our
town in 1913, he hogan the FIRST practice of
his profession. Defiance, at fiat time. was
the county scat of Williams County, and to
it was attached several other counties Tor
Judicial purposes. Though the field was
entirely open, lhcro being no other law.
yer here, professional business was very
limited. But HORACE SESSIONS was poor,
lie had q mission TO fulfill and he would
not be idle. In addition TO his professional
duties he wrote in the county Offices and
taught in the district school | see several
present here who like myself, have had
a life long business acquaintance with HIM
mine, perhaps, las been the longest and Of
the most intimate character. Thirty-three
years ago, accompanying my father from
the State of New York on tour of explo-
ration to tho Wabash, with an eye to
settlement at Fort Wayne, we spent week
or more, as We were passing at Defiance,
During that week first became acquainted
with HORACE SEssIoNs, and have often
since thought that acquaintance fixed my
destiny in the choice of future home, and
brought me, a year later, to come here TO
live. At the time ho was occupying
room in the second story of the brick
building on Lot 28, of the original plat of
Defiance, which building was the Court
House, aud, | may add, the schoolhouso
and also the meeting house of the village.
In the same room was kept most OF tho
Offices of tue comfy, lie invited me to
occupy the room with hlin, aud continue
the study OF the law. which had before
begun. Ills bed was in the same room, and
this we occupied together. From that
time to the time of hs decease, whilst
generation of men have passed from earth,
we continuously have occupied an office
together.
From tho time he came here, each sum
mer he would go to the home of his aged
mother, cOnSolng her with his presence,
and giving that material aid that relieved
the wants Of herself aud family. Aud glad
was the other day, whilst assisting at
Painesvillo in tho performance of the last
duties 10 the deceased on earth, 10 hear an
aged and emincnt statesman of that place
say, Mr.. SESSIONS has been very generous
with his fathers family he has ever most
bounti;ully provided Tor them"
Ard here let me say, his generosity was
not confined 10 his relatives alone. In all
his dealings be was liberal. Every char
liable enterprise and good cause he helped
on. lie was industrious, temperate, and
frugal in ali his habits. IIo cut his own
wood al his Office for years he built his
fires at his house. lie sought property
orly to make himself independent aud to
do good aud in this God bountitully
blessed him, as he will ever bless any mau
of like industry, temperance, earefulness,
frugaity aud honesty OF purpose.
AZ lawyer, 10 understand, digest and
bring TO a successful issue delicate, iulri
cate aud complicated business matters,
lIoRAcE SE-sI5ys had lew or 40 buporiorsi