Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-04-26
THE NORTHWEST
THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OHIO
By w.FARRAND FELCH .
copyrighted. AHrights reserved

copyrighted. AHrights reserved.
Thomas w. BARLEY being President
of the Senate in 1874, became by the re.
signation of Governor Shannon, Gov
ernor of the State of Ohio and admins.
tered the duties of the Office until the
inauguration of his father, Governor
Mordecai Bartley, in December, 1874
He was born February IL, 1872, in JEFF
ferson county, Ohio, and graduated
from Jefferson College, Pennsylvania,
studied law in Washington city, and
was admitted to practice in 1884. The
following year he was honored by his
alma mater with the degree of master
of arts. He took leading position at
the bar and was elected Attorney
General of Ohio, in which office he
served four years, after which he was
appointed District Attorney of the
United States and served four years.
Subsequently he served one year in the
Legislature and four years in the State
Senate. In 1851 he was elected q Su-
preme Judge of Ohio and served two
terms, then engaged in practice in Gin
cinnati and at Washington city. He
was courteous gentleman, a wise
judge and conscientious politician.
Governor Mordecal BARLEY, the
thirteenth Governor of Ohio, was born
in Pennsylvania in 1888 and removed
to Ohio in 1904. He was in the war of
1872 and afterward removed to Rich
land county. Here he resided for
twenty years, following the humble life
Of a farmer. In 1877 he was in the State
Senate, and in 1923 was elected to Con.
gress, but declined reelection. In 1874
ne was elected Governor of Ohio OH the
Whig ticket, but declined second
nomination and died in 1870.
VIM. Bebb, the fourteenth Governor
Of Ohio was born in Hamilton county
in 1904 and died in Illinois in 1873. He
was of Welsh descent. When twenty
years old he opened school at North
Bend and resided at the home of Gov
ernOr Harrison. In 1881 he rode to
Columbus on horseback to be examin-
ed by the Supreme Court, was admitted
to the bar and for fourteen years prac-
ticed law at Cincinnati. He took an
active part in the "Tippecanoe and
Tayler" campaign. He was elected
Governor of the State four years later,
and was Ohio's "war Governor" during
the Mexican war. In 1850 he removed
TO Illinois, having purchased {, 1000 acres
OF land. On the Inauguration of Lin
coin he was appointed an examiner in
the Pension Department at Washing
ton and held that office until 1866,
when he retired from active life.
Seabury Ford succeeded Governor
q horn In -,
1902 and died at Burton, Geauge coun-
ty, 1855. He came to Ohio in 1907,
graduated at Yale in 1925 and complet-
ed the study of law under his uncle,
Judge Peter Hitchcock. He was ad-
mitted in 1927 and rapidly rose in his
chosen profession. He was Major
General of Militia subsequently and
from 1885 to 1S41 he was in the Legisla-
ture, when he was elected to the Senate.
and continued as Senator until 1S48,
when he was elected Governor of Ohio.
He retired in 1850 and was succeeded
by Gov. Wood.
Reuben Wood, the sixteenth Cover
nor of Ohio was born in Vermont in
1882, and died at Cleveland in 1854. His
father was soldier and chaplain in
the Revolutionary army. Reuben was
raised and educated in Canada, and was
drafted into the Canadian army, in the
war of 1912, but deserted the British
forces and went to New York State. In
1878 he came to Cleveland, but was
very poor; he was admitted to the bar
at Warren, but had to walk the whole
distance from Cleveland. In 1925 he
was elected to the State Senate, and
served for sixteen years; he was made
President Judge of his district. was
elected to the Supreme Court, and was
Chief Justice of that body part of the
fourteen years he served on the Su-
preme bench. He was familiarly
known as "the Old Cuyahoga Chiefn
In 1850 he was elected Governor by H.
900 majority, and became strong Anti
slavery Governor. He was appointed
q. S. Consul at Valparaiso, South
America, in 1858, and after his resigna-
tion he returned to Cleveland and re-
tired to private life.
Governor VIM. Medill, who succeed
ed Governor Wood, was born at New
castle, Delaware, in 1901, and died at
Lancaster, Ohio, in 1865. In 1880 he
removed to Lancaster and studied law
under Hon. Philemon Beecher. In
1885 he was elected to the Legislature
and served for several years. In 1888
he was elected to Congress and at the
close Of his term he was reelected. In
i845 he was appointed Second Assistant
Postmaster-General by Polk, and to
this office was added that of Commits
sioner Of Indian affairs. In l841 he was
t,or ~ tho Constitutional ~,
yention and was made President of it.
In 1851 he was elected Lieutenant Gov
ernor and became acting Governor ON
the retirement of Governor Wood. In
1857 he was appointed by President
Buchanan as First Comptroller ofthe
Treasury and held the office until 1851,
when lie retired to private life. He
was succeeded by Governor Chase, of
whom we give extended mention In
con nection with "Ohio's War Cover