The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-06-29

Rutherford B. HAYES.

| Rutherford Brchard Hayes was born in Della.
ware, Ohio, Oct. 4, 1922. His parents, Ruther-
ford Hayes and Sophia Birchafd,, were natives
of Windham County, Vermont, and emigratcd
to Ohio in 1917. His first American ancestor
of tile name OF Hayes was George Hayes. a
Scotchn,an, who settled in Windsor, Conn,
about 1880. His mother was descended from
John Birchard, who came overwith his father
family from England in 1885 and became
one Of the principal proorietors and settlers
Of Norwich, Conn. Three of his ancestors,
Daniel Austin, Israel Smith, and Elias Birch
ard were members of the Revolutionary Army
the latter dying Curing his term of SERVICE -
In 1912 young Hayes graduated at Kenyon
College with the first honors Of his class, of
which he was the youngest. member, and
during the same year he began the study of
la'V with Thomas Sparrow, Esq, at Columbus
Ohio. In lS43'he graduated at the La School
Of Harvard University, was admitted to the
Bara Marietta, and began. the practice OF
his profession at Fremont, Ohio, In partner
ship with Gen. Ralph P. Buchland. In 1S49
he'removed to Cincinnati, and in 1852 was
married to Lucy Ware Webb, daughter of DR..
James Webb and Maria Cook, of Chilliccthe.
In 1856 he was nominated for Judge OF Com
mon Pleas. but declined the nomination. i In
1858 the office Of City Solicitor becoming va
can't by the death of Judge Hart, he was I'M
expectetly elected by the City Council to fill
the vacancy, and in 1859 was reelected by the
people for a full term, running over five hun
dred votes ahead of his ticket. He held this
office until the Spring of 1861, discharging his
duties, as local journal stated, $50 as even to
extort the highest praise from his political an
tagonists.''
At this period Mr.. Hayes was considered one
Of the most brilliant young lawyers at The Gin,
cinnati Bar, and had acquired both large bust
ness and enviable reputation. He had been
employed as counsel in several of the most no.
table fugitive slave cases of that day, as we'll rs
in several others that attracted wide attention
Among the latter was the celebrated Nancy
Farrar poisoning case, in which Mr.. Hayes was
appointed to defend the accused and secured
her acquttal on the third trial. III the coiirse
of his argument in this case he fully discussed
the laws relating to insanity, and some OF his
propositions were afteiward Incorporated into
the statutes OF the State. He also distinguish
ed himself in what was widely known as the
James Summons murder case, tried, in the final
hearing, before the Supreme Court of thet5tate
of Columbus. Judge now SENATOR Thurman
was then on the Supreme bench, Ind about
two hundred prominent lawyers from all parts
of Ohio were in attendance. Among these 4
was Hon. Thos. Ewing ST., who pronounced8
Hayes opening the best first speech he had
ever heard.
Political advancement was naturally sugge:-
ted by such successsat the Bar, and as early rs
1856 the name. of e. 8. Hayes was very gener-
ally associated in sthe public mind with Con-
gressionaf honors. In 1858 he was very grately
favored, especially BY the young men. for the
nomination to Congress and could untloubted-
ly have had it had lie desired. This was equal
ly true in 1860 and 1862. =