Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-03-08
Death of Ex-senator Wade.

Hon. Benjamin Franklin Wade, for
merly United States Senator from Ohio,
died at his home in Jefferson, Ashtabu-
la County, Ohio, on March 2, after an
illness of more than four weeks. Mr..
Wade was born near Springfield, Mass,
Oct. 81, 1900. His father fought as a
common soldier in the Revolutionary
war. None of his family appear to
have been people of distinction. They
were plain, practical, hard-working,
honest New England people Benjamin
was the youngest of ten children.
When only eighteen years of age,
Wade resolved to seek his fortune in
the West and left home with only seven
dollars in his pocket. He walked across
the country, and reached Ashtabula
County, where he had brother living.
He hired himself out to chop cord-wood
at fifty cents per cord, and during the
long winter nights read nearly the whole
of the Bible by the light of pine-knots
piled on the hearth of his rude log
cabin.
In 1921 and 1922 we find Mr. Wade
still at Ashtabula, chopping wood, roll
ing logs, grubbing in summer and
teaching school in winter. In the fall
of 1928 he hired to drover to assist
him in taking herd of cattle to New
York. II was Wade's duty to conduct
the lead steer, and he carried his
clothes packed in bundle and tied be-
hind the ox's horns. When tired, he
would mount on the back of the OK and
ride for short distance. In the fall
of 1925 Mr.. Wade, having once more
crossed the mountains with drove of
cattle, halted at Albany and taught
school during the winter TIE next
summer he worked on the Erie Canal
with a shovel and wheelbarrow.
On returning to Ashtabula County he
again engaged in farming and lumber
ing in the seasons and in teaching coun-
try schools winters. In 1926 he entered
the law-olfice of Elisha Whittlesey in
Jefferson. Two years later he was adj
mitted to the Ashtabula County bar. In
1885 he was elected Prosecuting Attor-
new, and in 1887 he was sent to the
State Senate as Wing. He was twice
reelected. In 1917 the Legislature
elected him Common Pleas Judge OF
the Third District.
While holding court at Akron, in
1851, he received news of his election
to the United States Senate. He had
not been q candidate, and the news sur.
prised nobody rs much as him.
Mr.. Wade went into the Senate as al
anti-Slavery Whig in time to witness
the total wreck of his party, which fol
lowed the Presidential election of 1852
In 1852 he voted, with only five Other
Senators, to repeal the Fugitive Slave
law; he also spoke and voted for thu
bill to abrogate the Missouri compro
mise, against the Lecompton Constitu
ton for Kansas in 1858, against apprO
priating $50, ,000,000 for the acquisition
of Cuba, and against all the compro
misses between the North and Soutl
proposed after Mr.. Lincoln's election
in 1860. The Homestead bill he advo
Gated for years, and it was in his charg
when it was finally passed by the Sen
ate in 1862. From the outbreak of tn
civil war in 1861 Mr.. Wade labored in
cessantly for more vigorous policy
was Chairman of the joint commit
tee on the conduct of the wal
and urged the enactment of a LAY
to conhscate all the property {
leading secessionists and emancipat
their slaves. As Chairman of the Tel
ritorial Committee he reported bi
in 1862 abolishing slavery in all til
Territories of the Government, and pr'
hibiting it in any that might afterwar
be acquired. After the assassination
President Lincoln in 1865 he becan
President pro tempore of the Senate, an
acting Vice-President of the Unite
States; and in March, 1867, he W;
elected President of the Senate.
1871 he was one of the commission sci
to Santo Domingo to report upon i
, proposed annexation to the Unite
! States, scheme of which he approve