The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-07-09
A vErERAN OF rHE BAR.
H0A- FIahsr A. BlOoksom, OF New
Lisbon, Ohi0, the Oldest Living

I
HOA. FIahsr A. BlOcksOm, OF New
Lisbon, OhiO, the Oldest Living
Member OF the bar oRfhe Union.
To the Editor Of the Piasbureh Tsle-
graph:
Columbiana county, Ohio, can most
probably claim the honor Of having the
Oldest living, most active member d the
bar, of that State, possibly Of any other
State IN the URion. A short Biographical
notice Of this remarkable gentleman will
interest many Of your readers, particularly
the legal fraternity.
Hon. Fisher A. Blocksom was born in
Sussex county, Delaware, September II,
1882 commenced the study of his pro-
fession with q Mr.. Finuey, at Whining
ton, Delaware, in 1902, with whom he re-
NAMED about q year, or until that GENTLE
man returned to Philadelphia. He then
pursued and finished his course Of studies
under q Mr.. Broome, of the same place,
and was admitted as q member of the bar
in April, 1905. The first vote he ever
cast was in 1908. His first vote for Presi-
dent was for Mr.. Madison, in 1908 ; his
second vote for the same, in 1872, and
for Mr.. Monroe in 1916 and 1920; then
for General jackson in 1924, and for every
Democratic candidate for President down
to the last Presidential campaign, aUhen ne
voted for OConneT. He emIgrated to
Ohio in November, 1905, soon after she
was admitted one of the States of the
Union, and took up his residence at New
Lisbon, where he has since resided, an
honored member of the church, the bar,
and society. At an early day he attached
himself to the Episcopal church, and still
remains an honored and consistent adher-
ent of the same faith. He represented
his district in the State Legislature from
1926 to and 1882; also was twice elected
to the State Senate, in 1847 and in 1S49,
was elected Prosecuting Attorney four.
different times, serving eight years in all.
MIR. Blocksom deprecates the present
mode of nominating candidates for the
suffrage Of electors. He says the old
mode, Of various Aspirsnts announcing
themselves candidates for public favor
through the public press, Is far the more
preferable mode, to the present delegate
election system, and not 30 liable to be
controlled by rings, cliques and political
combinations.
We regard this venerable gentleman as
one of the most remarkable men of his
age, nost certainly one of the best pre-
served. We found him in his old time
worn Office, with all the surroundings
showing the hands Of time, sitting In his
o~ld-fashioned chair, reading an old small
print Bible, with an apparent calmness
which to me was truly interesting to be-
hold. Had l not known of his advanced
age l would not have taken him to have
been more than seventy-fye years of age.
He Is of medium height and weight, and
fine personal appearance and polished
manners. His conversational powers are
very fine, his memory, in tact all his
faculties are still good, with an extra.
ordinary fand of information, particularly
as to his associates and matters of the
past. He spoke of his old associates of
the bar, such as Judge Tappan and
Wright, and Whittlesey, of OHIO; Viii
kins, johnson, Biddle and Ross, of Penn
sylYania, and of still younger friends,
Loomis, Metcalf, Stanton and others.
He remarked that there was but one per.
son now living that he was acquainted
with when he first emigrated to the State.
He also mentioned the fact that he had
not touched any kind of splrituous liquors
for thirty-eight years, to which in part
can be attributed his rem aTkable preser-
walton and longevity. We hope this
venerable gentleman may live to visit the
Centennial Exposition, as well as be pres
ent with his family and friends IN cele-
brating his own centennial birthday,
n. y.
The above complimentary and deserved
notice we clip from the columns of the
Pittsburgh EUening Telegraph, and we
bear testimony that it 10 strictly correct,
with the exception of the fact of the
date in which he came to the State
of Ohio, which was May 18th, 1905, in
stead of November, 1865. November 4th,
1905, he came to New Lisbon. He at
tended school at Wilmington, Delaware,
In 1897 and 1798-Mr. James Laird, an
uncle of the late Hon. C.L. VallRnding-
ham being his instructor, but the cholera
breaking out, the school was dismissed.
He was admitted to the bar on the 10Th
Of April, 1905, and consequently has been
. member Of it for over seventy years.
| He was admitted to the Masonic fratern-
ity in 1913, at Warren, Ohio, and is
probably, a of the oldest members lv-
ing of that fraternity. To-day, (Wed.
nesday) he has gone 70 WellsviIle in
l company with q number OF the fraternity
to attend 8 grand Masonic celebration ct
that place. Our citizens are Justly proud
Of him, and regard him as q land marx Of
New Lisbon. The Last speech he made at
the bar was in opposition to the late Hon.
Edwin n. Stanton, in the case Of J. w.
Riley va. Sandy and Beaver Canal Co.
We sincerely hope that our venerable
friend may yet live to enjoy light Of the
centennial of American In6ependence.-
| Ohio Patriot.