TOWNSHIPS	Akron	Cuyahoga Falls	Summit City	Scattering
Bath Boston Copley Coventry Franklin Green Hudson Northampton Northfield Norton Portage Richfield Springfield Stow Tallmadge Twinsburg	191 66 271 232 250 289 16 29 30 295 621 153 348 6 181 2,978	41 54 1 4 1 235 132 143 5 16 15 361 177 199 1,384	2 60 7 9 15 1 7 101	1 2 1 12 2 2 1 1 1 1 24

AKRON FINALLY WINS - 105 Akron's total vote - 2,978 Cuyahoga Falls' total vote - 1,384 Akron's plurality - 1,594 Summit City, etc - 125 Akron over all - 1,469 Summit County Court House, erected 1810-1843—Remodeled and Wings added in 1867. This emphatic vote definitely settled the question as to location, and the erection of the county buildings was proceeded with, though by reason of the protracted delay, they were not completed until several months after the time stipulated in the contract as above set forth, as will be seen by the following extract from the record of the County Commissioners: " December 5th, 1843. Simon Perkins, Jr., Jedediah D. Commins and Richard Howe, the trustees for building the court house and jail, and Ithiel Mills, the court house contractor, submitted the court for inspection December 6th. Having examined the court house the board proposed, as an offset to the general bad character of the work, which the building trustees fully admitted, to accept it, if the windows were made to work freely up and down, the doors better hung or fastened and provided with more suitable latches and locks, and the windows in the Auditor's, Clerk's and Recorder's offices secured by iron blinds or shutters made and fitted into them." Though the ceiling has been raised and modernized, the court room remains substantially the same as originally built, though a flight of stairs leading from the lower hall to the two small rooms in the rear of the Judge's seat, on the east end, has been dispensed with. On the lower floor the space on the north side of the hall, now entirely occupied by the treasury, was divided into three 106 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. rooms--Sheriff's office on the east, Treasurer's office in the center and Grand Jury room 'on the west, while upon the south side of the hall was the Probate office upon the east, with the Auditor, Clerk and Recorder in the order named upon the west. A special act was passed March 29, 1867, authorizing the County Commissioners to make certain greatly needed improvements to the court house edifice without submitting the question to a vote of the people. Under this act the two wings upon the front or west end were erected, and the other changes alluded to made, the cost of which was paid out of the general fund as collected from the taxpayers of the entire county, notwithstanding the inhibition clause of the original new county act in regard to the taxing of Franklin and Green for county building purposes for the period of 50 years, that provision having been entirely lost sight of, both by the officials and the tax-payers of those two townships, themselves. No one, however, regrets the expenditure, the improvements being very greatly needed, the wing upon the south providing fairly respectable offices for the Probate Judge below and the Clerk of the Courts above, and that upon the north for the Recorder on the ground floor, and the Jury room above; though the structure is still very inadequate to the constantly growing necessities of the public service, and the people of Summit County cannot better subserve their own interests than by taking immediate measures for the erection, upon their present sightly and beautiful grounds, a new court house not only commensurate with the public requirements, but one, also, that, in point of architectural design and adornment, shall be in keeping with the proverbial good taste of its enterprising and public spirited citizens. The contractor on the jail, Mr. Sebbins Saxton, dying in August, 1841, pending the controversy over the location of the county-seat, on the final settlement of the " vexed question," the trustees, Messrs. Perkins, Commins and Howe, on the 13th day of April, 1842, advertised in the BEACON for proposals for the erection and completion of the jail, a new contract being finally entered into with Mr. Harvey Saxton, a younger brother of the former contractor. The jail was accepted by the Commissioners about the first of October, 1843, and the prisoners then in custody—four in number —were immediately transferred from their comparatively unsafe quarters in the third story of the old stone block, to the supposed to be impregnable and perfectly secure quarters in the new stone jail, on Wednesday, October 3, 1843. Yet, notwithstanding its presumable "non-break-out-ability," the very next night, those same four prisoners liberated themselves from "durance vile" with perfect ease in the following ingenious manner: One of them, by the name of Garner Miller, charged with "tinkering with the currency," was a machinist by trade, and perfectly understood the, principle and power of leverage and purchase. He was not long, therefore, in devising a plan for testing that power, and his own skill upon the walls of the new jail. The beds of the prisoners were composed of a frame work of strips of about 2x6 whitewood plank, with canvas nailed across them. The side rails of the bunks were just about as long as the space between the outer and the inner walls. Using one of these bed rails horizontally as a lever, and another as a pry, with the inner wall as the fulcrum, the united strength of the four men readily pushed one of the huge OVATION TO JOHN QUINCY ADAMS - 107 blocks of sand-stone entirely out of the massive wall, thus demonstrating that at least one important point of strength in the construction of the new bastile had been entirely overlooked, viz.: the anchoring of the several courses of stone as they were laid. This defect was remedied, in part, by drilling obliquely from near the upper edge of each stone, into about the middle of the tier below, inserting iron dowels, and filling the orifice with cement. No escapes from that cause have since been made, though many nearly successful attempts have been made to dig through the soft sand-stone of which the walls are composed. Several escapes have been effected, however, through the soft-iron window gratings and otherwise, though that danger has been partially obviated by the addition of inside steel window gratings, and by boiler plating the walls, but the fact remains that the jail is, as it has been so often declared to be by the Grand Jury, a nuisance—inconvenient and insalubrious to both jailor and prisoner—which should at once be abated by the erection of a building not only creditable to the intelligence and ability of the people of the county, but also in accord with the advanced humanitarian and reformatory status of the age. A FITTING DEDICATION. In the autumn of 1843, Ex-President John Quincy Adams, "The Old Man Eloquent," was invited to deliver an address on the occasion of laying the corner stone of the Cincinnati Astronomical Observatory--the first of its kind on this continent. Being prior to the advent of railroads in the West, Mr. Adams traveled exclusively by those ancient "fast" modes of conveyance—the stagecoach, the canal packet and the steamboat, making brief calls, and receiving enthusiastic ovations at prominent points along the route. Learning that it was his intention to visit Ohio's then most distinguished statesman, Hon. Joshua R. Giddings, at his home in Ashtabula County, a delegation was sent to Jefferson to invite Mr. Adams to visit Akron, but stress of weather on Lake Erie prevented him from calling upon his warm personal friend and anti-slavery colleague in Congress, as he had designed to do, and the committee returned home without seeing him. Early in the morning of Thursday, November 2, 1843, word was received that Mr. Adams was coming up the canal, en route to Columbus. The committee were hastily convened, who procured a carriage, met the distinguished visitor at Lock Twenty-one, and escorted him to a hotel. As he could only remain while the boat was passing through the locks, bells were rung and messengers were sent from house to house, notifying the people that a reception would be tendered to Mr. Adams at half past eight o'clock. As short as the notice was, the new court room was crowded to its utmost capacity, by men, women, children and babies. The distinguished visitor, on appearing in the Judge's desk, by the rear entrance, was greeted by an immense shower of enthusiastic cheers from the men and the waiving of handkerchiefs from the women. Mayor Harvey H. Johnson, made a brief and fitting address of welcome, the response of Mr. Adams, though occupying only about twenty minutes, giving quite a comprehen- 108 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. sive review of the history and progress of our whole nation, and of his surprise at, and admiration of, the evidences of enterprise and prosperity which met him at every step of his initial visit to the great West, saying among other things equally happy: " It seems as though a person in this Western country was witnessing a new creation—a new world rising from discord and chaos to order, happinsss and virtue! What will this country be in half a century from this time ? Cherish this spirit of improvement which has made it what it is—apply your mighty energies to the work,—invoke the aid, encouragement and protection of your country in your enterprise, and may God speed you." Mr. Adams' remarks were frequently interrupted by enthusiastic applause, and at the close he stepped forward and took each one by the hand, gallantly and graciously kissing each of the ladies and all of the the babies in attendance. It was truly a fitting dedication of the new court house, which had not as yet been formally accepted by the County Commissioners. ADDITIONAL TOWNSHIPS. The aggregate territory of the county remains the same as in 1840, though there have been some changes in the arrangement of the townships, there being now eighteen instead of sixteen as originally. In March, 1851, the township of Cuyahoga Falls was erected by the County Commisssoners, out of portions of the four original townships of Stow, Tallmadge, Portage and Northampton, being on the average, about two miles square. In like manner the township of Middlebury was erected in March, 1857, out of portions of Tallmadge, Springfield, Portage and Coventry, and though subsequently annexed to the city of Akron, as its Sixth Ward, it retained its distinctive township features to the extent of having one justice of the peace and one constable, until the erection of the new township of Akron, by special act of the Legislature, in March, 1888, when, the latter being co-extensive with the city, the former became merged therein. The township of Akron is entitled to three justices of the peace and three constsbles, only, the other governmental functions of the township devolving upon the officers of the city, the law providing for the appointment, by the city council, of an Infirmary director to take the place of the township trustees in looking after the township and city poor. CHAPTER VIII. EDUCATIONAL MATTERS-PIONEER SCHOOLS-" MODEL" EXAMINATION AND A "MODEL" TEACHER OF A "MODEL" SCHOOL-EARLY SELECT SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS, INSTITUTES, ETC.-SUCCESSES AND FAILURES-THE UNION SCHOOL SYSTEM, DEVISED IN AKRON IN 1846 BUT NOW UNIVERSAL-A MAGNIFICENT EDUCATIONAL SHOWING- PRESENT STATUS OF AKRON'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS- BUCHTEL COLLEGE, WHEN, HOW AND BY WHOM FOUNDED -HORACE GREELEY'S CORNER-STONE ADDRESS-BIG-HEARTED JOHN RICHARDS BUCHTEL-THE CROUSE, GYMNASIUM -THE INSTITUTION A GRAND SUCCESS-FATAL DISASTER- CONTEMPLATED NEW FEATURES, ETC. EDUCATIONAL MATTERS. WHEN the writer first came to Akron, in 1835, the public schools of the village were under the jurisdiction of the township authorities, Portage township then being divided into seven school districts. It was the fortune of the writer to teach the school in district number seven, in the Winter of 1835-6. The school house, about 16x18 feet in size, was built of logs, with a huge stone fireplace at one end, surmounted by a stick and mud chimney; plain board desks running lengthwise around the sides of the room, with slab benches for the older scholars, and an inner circle of lower board seats for the smaller ones. The house was situated on the northwest corner of Medina and Portage roads (opposite the northeast corner of the present Infirmary farm), and the " deestrict" extended from Old Portage on the north, to, and including, the Perkins homestead on the south, and from, and including, the McGuire farm upon the west, to the Ohio Canal upon the east, embracing, as will be seen, quite a large slice of the western portion of the present City of Akron. Then, as now, teachers of public schools had to be examined, and provide themselves with certificates, to enable the trustees to draw their proportion of the school fund, but, unlike the present usage, in addition to the half or quarter yearly examinations, the president of the board was authorized to make examinations and issue certificates during vacation, as occasion might require. Akron was then a dependency of Portage County, the president of the board of examiners being, at that time, Darius Lyman, Esq., a prominent lawyer of Ravenna. Riding on horseback, via Middlebury, Old Forge, Cuyahoga Falls, Stow Corners and Franklin Mills (Kent), 18 miles to Ravenna, on a cold December Saturday afternoon, I reached the house of Mr. Lyman, a short distance east of the public square, just as the family was retiring from the supper table. Making known my errand, Mr. Lyman turned to his law-student, Frederick Hudson, a young man about my own age, and with whom I had a slight acquaintance, and said : "Fred, you take Mr. Lane into the office and examine him while I go to the barn and do the chores." Repairing to the office, after a few preliminary questions as to where I was going to teach, size of school, etc., Fred shoved a law book across the table, requesting me to read a few sentences, which I accordingly did. Then handing me a sheet of paper and a stubbed 110 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. goose quill pen, he asked me to write a line or two, and I "writ." Next a sum in simple interest, and a problem in the "Rule of Three" were submitted which were duly wrought out. "That'll do," said my examiner. "What !" I exclaimed, "don't you examine in geography, grammar, etc.?" "No," said Fred, "the law only requires a knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic—the three R's you know—and in all of those you've done first-rate." President Lyman soon coming in, was informed by Fred that I was " O. K." and a certificate for one year, was duly executed, and, paying the customary fee of 75 cents therefor, I wended my way back to Akron, in the face of a blinding snow storm, rejoicing at having slipped through the dreaded examination-mill so easily. How some of the modern aspirants for pedagogic honors, in contemplation of the intricate mathematical problems, grammdtical conundrums and geographical, historical, and other puzzles which will be fired at them, will envy me. My stipulated salary was $11.00 per month and "board around," some ten or twelve families thus sharing the " honor " of providing the "school master" with fresh pork, sausage and buckwheat cakes during the winter. The average attendance was about 30, ranging from 6 to 21 years of age. Every house where I boarded but one, was of the log cabin variety; in one, my bed being in the loft, reached by a ladder, and through the long oak shingles of which, on stormy nights, the snow would sift liberally down upon the coverlet. The house where I boarded the longest, had two rooms; one kitchen, dining room, parlor and bed room, combined, the high bed in the corner being occupied by the old folks, and the trundle-bed, beneath, by the two younger children; the other room containing two beds, one of which was occupied by the "Master" and a twelve-year-old boy, and the other by the three older girls of the family, with a linen sheet suspended midway between the two beds! As prolific as were many of those early families, the enumerated youth of the district, of school age, warranted the drawing of less than half the amount of public money needed to pay the • teacher's salary, as meager as it was; consequently a roll of attendance had to be kept, even to the half days, and the deficit assessed, pro rata, and collected from the parents, a task which proved so irksome to the acting director, the late Sidney Stocking, that he finally gave up the job in disgust, paying the last ten dollars out of his own pocket. AKRON'S EARLIER SCHOOLS. Besides this and other outside schools, in the Ayres settlement, the Sherbondy neighborhood, the Spicer settlement, the Old Forge, etc., North and South Akron were each separate school districts, a small frame school house standing on the northeast corner of Middlebury street and Broadway, afterwards replaced by a one-story stone building, which is still standing. That school house, a cut of which, from memory, is here given, was the only place for holding public meetings—religious, political, literary or otherwise, the first number of Akron's first newspaper—the Weekly Post—issued March 22, 1836, announcing that "The Akron Lyceum and Library Association will meet at the School House in South Akron, on Friday next, at 6 o'clock EARLY SCHOOL HOUSES, TEACHERS, ETC. - 111 P. M., to discuss the question: 'Ought the right of suffrage to be extended to foreigners ?' " and the further announcement that "the electors of Portage township will meet at the School House in South Akron, on Thursday, the 31st inst., at 7 o'clock, for the purpose of nominating candidates to be supported at the ensuing election;" and a few weeks later this: "A meeting of the members of the Akron and Middlebury Baptist Church and Society will be held at the School House, in South Akron, on Wednesday, June 16, at 4 o'clock P. M., for the purpose of organizing under their charter;" and also this: "The citizens of Akron and vicinity are earnestly requested to meet at the School House, in South Akron, on Saturday evening at 7 o'clock precisely, for the purpose of ascertaining the public feeling in this place with regard to constructing a Railroad from Akron to Richmond, on Grand river in Geauga County." In North Akron there was then no public school house, such brief terms as were taught being dependent upon such hired rooms, in private houses or stores, as could be procured, though there was erected in 1835, back of where the Congregational Church now stands, a small house for a select school, but by whom built, or by whom the school was taught, is not now remembered. In this house, also, religious, political, literary and other meetings were held, until the completion of the Congregational, Methodist, Baptist and Universalist churches, and the halls in the old stone building, in North Akron, May's building in South Akron, and Stephens' building, between the two villages, were completed in 1836-7. Of the earlier public teachers, the writer has no definite recollection, but the proportion of public money for the payment of teachers was then so meager, and the term so short and uncertain, that many parents preferred to send their children entirely to select schools, which were quite numerous about those days. Among those recalled, who taught for shorter or longer periods, were Miss Sarah Carpender, sister of Dr. John G. Carpender, of 315 Bowery street, afterwards married to Mr. John S. Harvey, one of North Akron's pioneer merchants; Miss Amanda Blodgett, sister of the late Mrs. A. R. Townsend, and later the wife of the late Dr. William P. Cushman; and our present well preserved 80-year-old fellow citizen, Nahum Fay, Esq.; Mr. Fay teaching the North Akron district school for five successive Winters-1836-7 and 1837-8 in a store-room in Lewis P. Buckley's building, where the post-office now stands; 1838-9 in a store room belonging to Elisha N. Bangs, where the Allen block now stands, and 1839-40 and 1840-41 in the new school house, below referred to, on South High street; his sister-in-law, Miss Emily Cummings, teaching in the lower story of the same house; the first Mrs. Fay also at one time teaching a small public school in a rented room on West Hill, near the present residence of Dr. John W. Lyder. Advertisements of other select schools are found in the newspapers of the period, as follows: 112 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. May 20, 1836, M. and A. C. Joyce respectfully inform the inhabitants of Akron, and vicinity, that they have opened a school in South Akron, where they will instruct a few young ladies in Arithmetic, Orthography, History, Composition, Natural Philosophy, Astronomy, Botany, Rhetoric, Chemistry, Drawing in Crayon, Mezzotinto, Pencil, India Ink, Japaning, Flower Painting, etc. Terms made known on application. Those wishing to attend to Reading, Writing, Geography, Grammar, etc., $3 per quarter." NAHUM FAY,—born in Reading, Vt., July 26, 1811; common school and academic education; raised on farm ; from 18 years of age taught school six consecutive winters ; then entered employ of map publishing firm of Lewis Robinson & Co., as salesman and copper-plate printer ; in July, 1836, came to Akron where the company established a map manufactory, working for company Summers and teaching school Winters, for six years ; in October, 1843, was elected County Recorder, and re-elected in 1846, holding the office six years ; served as Deputy County Treasurer, under the respective terms of Treasurers William H. Dewey, Frederic Wadsworth and Chester W. Rice, from 1849 to 1855 ; afterwards grain buyer for several years ; Akron Village Recorder 1842, '43, '47 ; Township Clerk 1844, '45, '46, '47; Village Councilman 1844; Township Assessor of personal property 1847, '51, '52, '54, '61, '62, '64, also several times assessor of real estate, school enumerator, etc.; in 1860 commenced the manufacture of cordage, twine, etc., by hand machinery, supplying the local markets with that class of goods for more than twenty years. In 1837 Mr. Fay was married to Miss Lucia Cumings, of Windsor County, Vt., who bore him two children—Henry C. M.' (deceased) and. Emma V., wife of James W. Chamberlain, superintendent of the Webster, Camp & Lane Machine Co., of Akron. Mrs. Fay dying October 23, 1882, Mr. Fay was again married, to Mrs. Mary E. Wright, September 16, 1883. July 27, 1836, "Mrs. Susan E. Dodge announces that on the 1st day of August, she will open a school on the corner of Main and Exchange streets, for Young Ladies and Misses, in which the following branches will be taught: Reading, Writing and Spelling, $2.50; Grammar, Geography and Arithmetic, $3.50; Rhetoric, Philosophy, Botany, Map-drawing and Needle-work, $5.00; Painting (water colors) 24 lessons, $5.00, Landscape Painting, $5.00.. Term eleven weeks." January 2, 1837, Miss B. M. Hawkins, under the heading, "Akron High School," gives notice that she "will continue her school, over the room of M. C. and A. R. Townsend, in North Akron, during the Winter term of twelve weeks. Tuition: Orthography, Writing, Grammar, and Geography, $2.50; History,. Arithmetic, Rhetoric and Composition, $3 . 00; Geometry, Chemistry, Botany, Intellectual Philosophy, Natural Philosophy, Natural Theology, $4.00; French Painting, $5.00." In the Spring of 1837, Mr. S. L. Sawtell, an eastern college graduate, opened a select school in Stephens' block (present site of VARIOUS "SELECT" AND "HIGH" SCHOOLS - 113 Merrill's pottery) giving such satisfaction, that on the. 15th of November, the "Winter term of the Akron High School," with Mr. Sawtell as instructor, is announced,- the price of tuition for a term of 11 weeks, ranging from S3.00 to $5.00. DR JOSEPH COLE,. - born in Winfield, Herkimer County, N. Y., September 17, 1795 ; served in the war of 1812, 60 days at Sackett's Harbor in 1814; graduated at Fairfield Medical College, February 16, 1825 ; located at Old Portage, Ohio, in Spring of 1826, at once attaining a large practice ; December 25, 1826, was married to Miss Charlotte Dewey, formerly of Westfield, Mass., in Spring of 1827 removed to Akron, where he enjoyed a lucrative practice, and the public esteem and confidence until his death, October 28, 1861, aged 66 years, 1 month and 11 days. Dr. Cole was among the earliest Temperance advocates in Ohio, a bitter foe to human slavery and a most zealous friend of education, largely aiding in the formulation of. the Akron School Law, and serving upon the first Board of Education, elected under said law, in 1847. Mrs. Cole survived her husband nearly a quarter of a century, dying August 1, 1886, aged 85 years, 5 mouths. They were the parents of seven children- Joseph Keep, born April 7, 1828, died July 4, 1829 ; Harriet F., born November 24, 1830, married to Dr. A. H. Agard, October 10, 1849, died November 14, 1854, leaving one child, now Mrs. Helen L. Epler, of Saratoga Springs, N. Y. ; Amanda L., born December 28, 1831, died July 7, 1855; Alvin, born July 18, 1834, died November 15, 1834; infant son born September 1835, died September 19, 1835; Ben. Franklin,. born September 19, 1836, died January 29, 1839; Harrison Dewey born June 19, 1840, married to Miss Harriet A. Farnam, November 24, 1864, died April. 25, 1876, leaving two children-Harrison D. and Fanny F., both now living with their mother, 603 South High street. This seems to have been a regularly organized institution, but whether chartered or not is not remembered, and the management seems to have included gentlemen from several neighboring townships in both Portage and Medina counties (Summit not having yet been erected), the officers named in the advertisement being as follows: Jedediah D. Commins, (Akron), President; Jonathan Starr, (Copley), Vice President; Simon Perkins, (Portage), Treasurer; Horace K. Smith, (Akron), Secretary; John Codding, (Granger), Era stus Torrey, Eliakim Crosby, Gibbons J. Ackley, Justus Gale, Samuel A. Wheeler and Joseph Cole, (Akron), Roan Clark, (Middlebury), Lewis Hammond, (Bath), Allen Pardee, (Wadsworth), and Henry Van Hyning, (Norton), Trustees. But notwithstanding this solid backing, and notwithstanding the acknowledged ability of Mr. Sawtell, the attendance was so meager that, as an inducement to increase of pupilage, the Spring and Summer term, of 22 weeks, in 1838, without increased pay, was offered, Mr. Sawtell seeking, at the same time, to create an interest in his school, and the cause of education generally, as well as to piece out his income, by the publication of the "Pestalozzian," 114 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. which had an existence of six months only, both his paper and his school being discontinued in the Fall of 1838. In the American Balance of December 27, 1837, is an announcement that "on January 3, 1838, a select school will be opened on the corner of Middlebury and High streets, South Akron, under the superintendence of Miss M. E. Hubble, of New York, where pupils will receive instruction in all branches usually taught in our Eastern Female Seminaries. Terms per quarter (11 weeks) from $3.00 to $5.00 according to studies pursued, and for music, $8.00, including use of piano." JUDGE JAMES R. FORD,—born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., January 28, 1797. His earlier years were spent in Pittsfield, Mass., coming to Painesville, Ohio, about the year 1817. Here he resided about 17 years, filling many positions of trust and honor, when he removed to Huron County, and from thence, about 1837 to Akron, when, with others under the firm name of The Akron Manufacturing Company, a large foundry and stove business was carried on, on what is known as the old AEtna Furnace site, opposite Lock Eleven, Ohio Canal. In June, 1845, Mr. Ford was appointed by Gov. Bartley, Associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas Court, for Summit County, which office he acceptably filled until failing health compelled his resignation in 1849. April 27, 1826, Judge Ford was married to Miss Julia A. Tod, daughter of Judge George Tod, of Youngstown, who bore him seven children—Sarah T. (now Mrs. Peck, of Youngstown), James H., deceased ; Mary M. died in infancy ; Hobart, deceased ; Julia A., wife of Judge William H. Upson, of Akron ; George Tod Ford, of Akron ; and Elizabeth A., now Mrs. John F. Earl, of New York. Judge Ford died, January 2, 1851, aged 53 years 11 months and 4 days, Mrs. Ford dying January 19, 1885, aged 77 years, 11 months and 13 days. The growth of the public school system was slow for the next six or eight years, because of the disproportion of Akron's quota of the State school fund, to the number of children to be educated, though, in about 1839, a fair sized school house had been erected in North Akron, on High street, immediately south of the present Congregational Church (still standing there), with a room in the basement in which the younger scholars were taught; a small additional building, afterwards known as the "Bell" school house, on South High street, being used for a second school in South Akron. But owing to the fact that each parent was required to pay his pro rata proportion of the teacher's salary, over and above the amount received from the State, very many of the youths of the village were not kept in school, the average attendance, in 1845, being scarcely more than 350 out of a total enumeration of 690. Yet, besides those mentioned in the "High School" advertisement, above quoted, many other citizens, of both villages, were deeply interested in the cause of education, among whom were Constant Bryan, Esq., Capt. Richard Howe, Gen. Lucius V. Bierce, Webster B. Storer, Ansel Miller, Horace K. Smith, William H. THE "AKRON INSTITUTE." - 115 Dewey, William M. Dodge, Harvey B. Spelman, Allen Hibbard, Henry W. King, Sidney Edgerton, Hon. James R. Ford, James Matthews, James S. Carpenter, Dr. Edwin Angel, Dr. Elias W. Howard, etc. JUDGE CONSTANT BRYAN,--son j of Elijah Bryan (a soldier of the Revolution for six years) and Content Baldwin Fowler ; born in Delaware Co., N. Y., September 6, 1809; raised on farm ; common school education ; 16 to 19 taught school ; read law in Bainbridge, N. Y., graduating from Law Department of Yale College. in 1830; came to Akron in 1833; admitted to bar in Columbus, in 1834, opening an office in Akron, later for two or three years having Hon. George Bliss for partner ; originally a Democrat; in 1836-37, published and edited the Akron Journal, a Democratic paper ; was Akron's first village Recorder, in 1836 ; was active in formulating the Akron school law, 1846, and an efficient member of School Board thereunder ; early espousing the cause of Freesoilism, in 1852 was elected Probate Judge by a Democratic and Free-soil coalition, serving two years. May 15„ 1839, he was married to Miss Sophia Dennison, of Hartland, Vt., who bore him three children, one of whom, only, is living—Henry E., for many years past Clerk of the City of Columbus. Mrs. Bryan dying, March 27, 1847, at the age of 29 years, 10 months and 8 days, Judge Bryan was again married in September, 1854, to Miss Susan L. Barnum, of Florence, Huron Co., 0., who bore him two sons—Fred C., now practicing law in Akron, and Isaac Jennings, now engaged in newspaper work in Chicago. Judge Bryan died July 27, 1886, aged 76 years, 10 months and 21 days. Early in 1844, Mr. Thomas Parnell Beach, a graduate of Bowdoin College, at Brunswick, Maine, established a high school in the small stone building on the side-hill, north of the Dr. D. A. Scott residence, on North High street, originally used for church purposes by the German Lutheran Society, the school being removed later in the season to an upper room in the new Trussell building, corner East Market street and Maiden Lane alley, which was carried on with a fair degree of success, until the death of Mr. Beach, September 30, 1846, his successor for a term or two being Benjamin Franklin Dennison, A. M., commencing in November, 1846. December 3, 1844, notice of the establishment of a "Select High School," in the "Stone Block," is given by Mr. Samuel S. Greele, the success or duration of which is not now remembered by the writer. In the meantime, a number of citizens had inaugurated a movement for the establishment of a permanent high school on the stock plan, and on the 10th day of February, 1845, a charter was granted by the Legislature for "The Akron Institute," with power to confer degrees, with Simon Perkins, Eliakim Crosby, Edwin Angel, Henry W. King, James R. Ford, Lucius V. Bierce and Samuel A. Wheeler as corporators. Though the stockholders organized, nothing definite seems to have been done towards accomplishing the object sought, the last mention of the project 116 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. found in the papers of the day, being the announcement of a meeting of the stockholders, held October 9, 1846, at which directors were elected as follows: Simon Perkins, Richard Howe, Samuel A. Wheeler, Henry W. King, Edwin Angel, Lucius V. Bierce and William Harrison Dewey, with Simon Perkins as President, Henry W. King, Secretary and Richard Howe, Treasurer. WEBSTER B. STORER,—born in Portland, Me., January 24, 1809; moved with parents to Zanesville, Ohio, in 1818, the family removing to Cleveland in 1828; was educated in common schools of Portland and Zanesville ; learned ship-carpenter and joiners' trade with his father, at the age of 21 engaging in that business on his own account, in Cleveland, continuing four years; in 1836 came to Akron, following house building for three years ; then boat building for 18 years, two years in, partnership with Jacob Barnhart, and ten years with Ansel Miller, meantime from 1856 to 1858, conducting a wholesale and retail grocery store at corner of East Market and High streets. In 1863, sold boat building interests to William H. Payne, and with his son-in-law, John L. Noble, under the firm name of Storer & Noble, ran an iron store corner Main and East Market streets until its destruction by fire on the morning of March 11, 1869; in 1868 bought 208 acres of land, one mile West of city limits, which, with his son-in-law, he has since successfully conducted, making small fruits a speciality. Mr. Storer is a prominent member of the Disciple Church, and an ardent Republican, having served as member of Town Council in 1841; Portage Township Trustee 1848 and 1851, member of Akron Board of Education several years, and from 1s71 to 1874—Director of County Infirmary, the last two years as President of Board. Mr. Storer was married July 24, 1832, to Miss Mary A. Hang, who has borne him five children four of whom are now living—Daniel W. now of Anderson, Ind. ; Hattie 1., now Mrs. John L. Noble ; James B., of Akron ; and George S., of New York City. THE GRADED SCHOOL SYSTEM. Though not a liberally educated man, himself, the late Ansel Miller was an earnest friend of education, in those early days, being for many years a trustee of the South Akron school district, as well as a member of the Board of Education later on. Mr. Miller, realizing the many defects in the old school system, as early as 1840 began to advocate the plan of educating all of the children of the people at the public expense, and the classification of schools into distinct grades according to proficiency. In this view Mr. Miller was warmly seconded by Dr. Joseph Cole, Webster B. Storer, William M. Dodge, Richard Howe, and others in the South Village, and by Horace K. Smith, Nahum Fay, James Mathews, Henry W. King, Allen Hibbard, Hiram Bowen, Constant Bryan, James M. Hale, Dr. E. W. Howard, and others in the North Village. This doctrine, however, did not find favor among the childless property owners, and some of the larger tax-payers, they contending THE GRADED SCHOOL SYSTEM - 117 that aside from the amount annually drawn from the State School Fund, every parent was bound to provide for the education of his own children. Thus, for several years, the discussion went on, both in private and in public, culminating in a large and enthusiastic public meeting, at Mechanics' Hall, in the old stone block, on e night of May 14, 1846, at which a committee was appointed "to take into consideration our present educational provisions, and the improvement, if any, which may be made therein." CAPT. RICHARD HOWE,—born in St. Marys Co., Md., March 8, 1799; father dying April 16, 1810, in 1812 came with mother to Franklinton, opposite Columbus, Ohio ; here he was adopted by Lucas Sullivant, a wealthy resident of Franklinton, who, besides giving him a good education for those times also taught him the art of surveying; at 21, surveyed and located a from Columbus to Cincinnati ; in 1824, was selected as a member of the Board of Engineers to survey and to locate the Ohio Canal, removing to Akron in 1829, where, as president of the board and resident engineer of the Northern division, he was in the continuous employ of the State unti1 his resignation, in 1850, to go to California, where, in 1851, he was appointed Dept. U. S. Surveyor to run the meridian line from Mount Diablo to the Bay of Monterey ; from 1863 to 1865, was employed by the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis R. R. to superintend the building of a bridge across the Ohio River at Steubenville, at which time the portrait accompanying this sketch was taken. Capt. Howe was an early and earnest friend of education in Akron, liberally aided all of her early church enterprises, was one of the trustees for the erection of the court house and jail in 1840; village councilman in 1854, 1855 and 1860. September 25, 1827, Capt. Howe was married to Miss Roxana Jones who bore him eight children, five of whom survived him —Henry W. Howe. Esq., now of Ira, Northampton township ; Charles R., who died December 7, 1875; Nathan J., now of Chicago ; Emily B. now Mrs. J. A. Ingersoll, of Chicago ; Mary Anna now Mrs. John Wolf, of Akron. Capt. Howe died March 19, 1872, aged 73 years and 11 days. Mrs. Howe dying February 14, 1875, aged 70 years, 1 month and 10 days. Rev. Isaac Jennings, Pastor of the Second Congregational Church, was made chairman, (the names of the others not remembered), and the committee at once vigorously entered upon the task of thoroughly informing themselves upon the question under consideration, and to the formulation of a report upon the subject. At an adjourned meeting, held November 21, 1846, Mr. Jennings, in behalf of the committee, submitted an exhaustive report, occupying three columns and a half in the BEACON. After setting forth the defects of the existing system, and the advantages of the proposed change—greater uniformity, enlarged .cope of studies, greater efficiency, etc.—the plan submitted by the committee, after full discussion, at a numerously attended meeting at Mechanics' Hall, on the night of November 21, 1846, was unanimously adopted, and a committee, consisting of Rufus P. Spalding, Hour\ W. King, Lucius V. Bierce and Harvey B. Spelman, was 118 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. appointed to carry the report into effect, and secure the necessary legislation in the premises. ANSEL MILLER,—born in Brid - water, Windsor County, Vt., May 20, 1798; education limited—raised a farmer; at 23 learned carpenter's trade; 1826 to 1828 worked at trade in Boston, Mass.; visited Akron in 1828 and located permanently in 1 8 2 9; here, with his brother Lewis, he engaged in contracting and building and being the first to raise a building in Akron—a large two-story frame, still standing opposite Lock One—without the use of whisky; in 1839, engaged in boat-building with Mr. Webster B. Storer, under the firm name of Storer & Miller, continuing 18 years; November 7, 1860, after voting for Abraham Lincoln, moved on to a farm in Copley township, with his son, Charles C. Miller, where he died December 16, 1879, aged 81 years, 6 months and 26 days. r. Miller was married to Miss Lucy Auldin Hawkins, November 22, 1831, who died December 17, 1837, having borne him two children—Charles C., now a prosperous farmer in Copley, born December 11, 1832, and James Nelson, born August 25, 1836 and died August 15, 1837. Mr. Miller was a warm friend of education, often serving as school trustee under the old system, and, as elsewhere stated, among the very first to advocate the union, or graded school system, originating in Akron, and now general in Ohio; was an early member of the Board of Education under the new system, and a member of the Council of the incorporated village of Akron for the yea 1838, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1852 and 1855. Mr. Miller was an original Anti-Slavery man, and from its organization, a zealous member of the Republican party. Mr. Spalding, as the chairman, and Mr. King, as secretary of the committee, carefully embodied the substance of the report in a bill, which, being duly presented and advocated by our Representative, Hon. Alexander Johnston, of Green, and our Senator, Hon. Asahel H. Lewis, of Ravenna, was duly enacted into a law on the 8th day of February, 1847. The act is as follows: An Act for the support and better regulation of the Common Schools of the Town of Akron. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, that the electors of the Town of Akron, in the County of Summit, qualified to vote for members of the town council, shall, at the time and place of holding the annual election for said members of the town council, for the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, meet and elect six directors [Mr. Jennings' report styled them superintendents and recommended their appointment by the council], of common schools for said town of Akron, two of whom shall serve for one year, two for two years and two for three years, the order of the seniority to be determined by lot, by such directors after their election; annually thereafter, at the time and place above specified, there shall, in like manner, be two, directors elected and qualified. All vacancies which may occur shall be filled by the town council. 119 - THE AKRON SCHOOL LAW. HON. HENRY W. KING,— eldest son of Judge Leicester King, was born in Westfield, Mass., September 24, 1815; removed with parents to Warren, Ohio, in 1817; graduated from Washington (now Trinity) College, at Hartford, Conn., August 4, 1836; after thorough course of study at Cincinnati Law School in 1839 opened law office in Akron in connection with Judge Milton Sutliff, of Warren, and latter with James D. Taylor, Esq., and in 1849, with his brother, David L. King, under the firm name of King & King; was married October 20, 1842, to Mary, third daughter of Dr. Eliakim Crosby, who still survives, two children having been born to them—Harry Crosby King, dying in Arrlington Heights hospital August 11, 1864, while in the hundred. days service in defense of Washington as a member of the 164th Regt. O. N. G.; the daughter, Julia Huntington, being married to Homer Fisher (son of Akron's former well-known physician, Dr. Alexander Fisher), now living in Chicago. Mr. King was one of the most active promoters of Akron's Union School System, as elsewhere stated; in 1850 was elected Secretary of State, whose duties, with those of Commissioner of Public Schools, he performed with singular intelligence and fidelity. Ever active in the promotion of the business, educational and moral interests of the town and county, his early death, November 20, 1857, at the age of 42 years and one month, was universally regretted. SEC. II. The said directors, within ten days after their first appointment, as aforesaid, shall meet and organize by choosing, from their members, a president, secretary, and treasurer; and such treasurer, before he enters upon the duties of said office, shall give bond and security, to be approved by the council, and filed in the office of the Mayor of said town, conditioned for the faithful disbursement of all moneys that shall come into his hands as such treasurer, which bond shall be made payable to the State of Ohio; and when such bond shall be forfeited, it shall be the duty of the town council to sue and collect the same for the use of the common schools in said town; and the said directors, so organized and qualified, and their successors in office, shall be a body politic and corporate in law, by the name of "The Board of Education of the Town of Akron," and as such, and by such name, shall be authorized to receive all moneys accruing to said town, or any part thereof, for the use and benefit of the common schools in said town; and the said board shall be capable of contracting and being contracted with ; suing and being sued ; pleading and being impleaded, in any court of law or equity in this State ; and shall also be capable of receiving any gift, grant, donation or devise, made for the use of common schools in said town ; and said board, by resolution, shall direct the payment of all moneys that shall come into the hands of said treasurer; and no money shall be paid out of the treasury except in pursuance of said resolution, and on the written order of the president, countersigned by the secretary. Without following the exact phraseology of the balance of the law, we summarize the remaining sections as follows: 120 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. REV. ISAAC JENNINGS, D. D.,— born in Trumbull, Conn., July 24, 1822, in boyhood removing to Derby, Conn.; graduate of Yale College, in class of 1837), with Senator William M. Evarts, Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite, Hon. Edwards Pierpont and Samuel. J. Tilden; taught school from 1837 to 1840; graduated from Andover Theological Seminary in 1842; June 14, 1843 , ordained pastor of the then Second (now First) Congregational Church in. Akron—its first pastor and his first charge; took an active part in inaugurating the graded or union school system, and formulating the "Akron School Laws" now general in Ohio and other states, the old High or Jennings school being so named in his honor. February 17, 1847, Mr. Jennings was married to Miss Sophia Day, of Mansfield, O., immediately removing to Stamford, Conn., officiating as pastor of First Congregational Church there six years, when he removed to Bennington, Vt., where, as pastor of the old First Church, he faithfully and successfully labored over a third of a century, his death occurring there August 25,1887, at the age of 65 years, one month and one day. Mr. and Mrs. Jennings were the parents of nine children, six of whom, with their mother, survive—one son, Isaac, Jr., being a minister ; one, Frederick Beach, a lawyer, and one, Charles Green, a physician. The memory of Mr. Jennings, whose portrait is given herewith, though his sojourn here was comparatively brief, will long be cherished by all the good people of Akron, in whose behalf he so zealously labored nearly half a century ago. SEC. III relates to regular and special meetings of the board, quorum, etc. SEC. IV gives the board entire control of all the schools and school property; that after the then ensuing first Tuesday of June, Akron should constitute but one school district and that all moneys accruing to said district from the- State, or otherwise, for school purposes, should be paid over to the treasurer of the board. SEC. V relates to number and grade of schools; the establishment of a central grammar school, studies to be pursued, what pupils entitled to admission, etc. SEC. VI confers upon the board power to make and enforce rules, employ teachers, fix salaries, purchase apparatus, buy lands, build houses, buy furniture, etc. SEC. VII requires the town council to levy such annual tax upon the property of the district, as, with the amount received from the State school fund, and other sources, would meet the expense of maintaining said schools; which provision, owing to the clamor of certain inimical tax-payers, was modified by an amended act, passed January 28, 1848. limiting the levy to four mills on the dollar in any one year. SEC. VIII places the title of all lands, houses and other school property, with power to purchase, sell, etc., in the control of the town council. SEC. IX provides for the appointment of three school examiners, by the council, for the examination of all applicants as teachers, THE LAW MADE GENERAL - 121. granting certificates, etc., and also for quarterly visits to schools, reporting progress to council, etc. SEC. X provides for public examinations of schools, annually, under the direction of the mayor, council, board of education and examiners. HARVEY B. SPELMAN,—born in Rootstown, Portage County, 0., September 15, 1811; educated in Tallmadge Academy and Twinsburg Institute; after teaching awhile entered employ of Mr. Roswell Kent, of Middlebury, as clerk, afterwards becoming his partner and opening a branch store in Wadsworth ; in 1839 removed to Franklin Mills ( n o w Kent), in 1841, formed a partnership with Mr. Charles Clapp, and removed to Akron, the firm occupying the corner store in the old stone block, corner Howard and Market streets. An ardent Congregationalist, he was one of the organizers. of the Second Congregational Church, in 1842, and one of its first deacons ; strongly antislavery, he early allied himself with the Third Party movement, and by the aid of Free-soil Democrats was elected Representative to the State Legislature, in 1849; enthusiastic in the cause of education, was a zealous promoter of the Akron Union School system, and a member of the first board of education thereunder in 1847; in 1831 removed to Cleveland, where he at once actively identified himself with the religious, educational and reform movements of the day ; in 1856 removed to Burlington, Iowa; in 1864, under Gen. John Eaton, took charge of cotton raised by "contra bands" on lands brought under government control; in 1866, removed to New York, there and in Brooklyn actively engaging in business and philanthropic work. November 16, 1835, Mr. Spelman was married to Miss Lucy Henry, of Blanford, Mass. (sister of the late Milton W. Henry), who bore him three children—Lucy M., born March 4, 1838 ; Laura C., September 9, 1839, (now Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, of New York), and Henry Jennings, born December 1, 1842, and died March 15, 1857, Mr. S. himself dying October 10, 1881, his remains being interred in Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland. Mrs. S. still survives, residing with her daughter, Mrs. Rockefeller, in New York. February 14, 1848, an amendment was adopted by the Legislature, providing: "That every incorporated town or city in this State shall have the provisions of the act entitled 'an act for the support and better regulation of the common schools in the town of A kron' and the amendatory acts thereto, passed by the Forty-sixth General Assembly of this State, extended to all or any of said incorporated towns or cities, whenever two-thirds of the qualified voters thereof shall petition the town or city council in favor of having the provisions of said act so extended," thus establishing a precedent for the "local option" laws, on the temperance question, now in vogue in Ohio, and other states. Changes and amendments have from time to time been made. extending the provisions, under certain regulations, to unincorporated villages, townships and school districts, so that now a large proportion of the State is working under the Akron School Law, a fact of which our citizens may justly feel proud. 122 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY: It will be noted that the plan of the original report was so modified in the act as passed, as to make the superindents, or as the act specifies, the directors, elective by the people, instead of appointive by the town council. At the first election under the law, June 1, 1847, Lucius V. Bierce, Harvey B. Spelman, William H. Dewey, James Mathews, William M. Dodge and Dr. Joseph Cole were duly elected as members of the board. The board organized by electing L. V. Bierce, president; H. B. Spelman, secretary, and W. H. Dewey, treasurer; James S. Carpenter, Esq., Abel B. Berry, Esq., and Mr. Horace K. Smith, being appointed school examiners by the council. The entire town, denominated the "Akron School District," was divided into eight sub-districts; additional primary school houses were built, and the property abutting on Summit, Mill and Prospect streets, then f embracing about two and a half acres of land, was purchased for $2,137.21, and the castellated one-story, frame building, at Akron's already upon the ground, was fitted up for a grammar school, at a cost of $613.44. Mr. Mortimer D. Leggett, Ithaca, N. Y., a ripe scholar, and a thorough disciplinarian, was employed as Principal of the Grammar School, at the "munificent" salary of $500 per year, with Miss Lucretia Wolcott and Miss Helen Pomeroy as assistants, at $200. and $150 per year, respectively. The board was opposed in all of its movements by certain penurious property owners, and, as above stated, an amendment to the law was secured, limiting the rate of taxation for school purposes, in any one year, to four mills on the dollar, which compelled so great a degree of economy, in providing houses and apparatus, and the employment of competent teachers, as to very seriously threaten the success of the experiment, Mr. Leggett being impelled to withdraw from the schools the second year for lack of adequate compensation for his exceedingly efficient services. The graded system was found to work well, however, there being a much greater proportionate attendance, and at a considerable less expense per capita, and greater proficiency, than under the old plan. In 1849, an additional sub-district was formed, the primaries were graded into primary and secondary, and the grammar school was suspended during the Summer. September 3, 1849, Mr. Charles W. Palmer, assisted by Mrs. Palmer, and Mr. Josiah Gilbert Graham, took charge of the grammar school, Mr. Palmer's engagement being for two years, at a joint salary, for himself and wife, of $600 per year, though owing to Mr. Palmer's illness, the school was again suspended early in 1851, not to be again resumed until the completion of the new HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING DEDICATED - 123 grammar school building, a contract for the erection of which was entered into by the board with the late Charles W. Brown for the foundation, and the late Andrews May, for the superstructure, in the Winter of 1850-51, at a cost of $9,200. Meantime, Mr. Edwin Bigelow Olmstead, and his wife, were employed to teach a higher grade primary, or rather secondary, school, in lieu of the grammar school, at a joint salary of $50 per month, the fifth annual report showing the cost of tuition for the previous year (1851), to have been $2.00 per scholar upon the average number enrolled; $2.80 per scholar upon the average attendance, and $1.12 per capita on the enumeration. This arrangement continued until the dedication and occupation of the new High School building, October 13, 1853. This building was erected immediately south of the original frame structure, being a two-story brick, 50x70 feet, of fair exterior and interior finish with a large school room and recitation rooms, on either floor. In 1868, the two wings were added, giving four additional rooms, at a cost of $15,000, and is now known as the Central or Jenings School building. The Dedication exercieses were held in the upper room of the new building, which was crowded by parents and the friends of education. Sidney Edgerton, Esq., then a member of the Board of Education, made a formal presentation of the structure, on behalf of the contractor and the board, with congratulatory remarks upon the advanced position which Akron occupied in the educational world, and the bright future in store for her both from a business as well as an educational standpoint. Rev. D. C. Maybin, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, read a portion of the scriptures; Rev. A. Joy, of the Baptist Church, following with an appropriate prayer. Brief addresses were made by Abel B. Berry, Esq., Rev. John Tribbey, of the M. E. Church, and others. Rev. Nathaniel P. Bailey, of the Congregational Church, offered a resolution of thanks to the Board for their efficiency in the promotion of the work which had been done, and a hearty commendation of the system of education, so auspiciously inaugurated, to the unstinted support of the people of Akron, and the friends of education everywhere. The exercises were interspersed with music by the Akron Band, and closed with a benediction by Rev. N. Gher, of the Grace Reformed Church. Mr. Samuel F. Cooper was employed as Superintendent of Schools, assisted in the High Department by Mrs. Cooper and Miss Annette Voris, sister of Gen. Alvin C. Voris; the Grammar department being placed in charge of Miss Elsie A. Codding, assisted by Miss Mary Gilbert and Miss Rosetta Pryne. Mr. Cooper's engagement closing after two and a half years of faithful work, in April, 1856, Horace B. Foster, Esq., of Hudson, graduate of Western Reserve College, filled the position with great acceptance, to both 124 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. board and pupils, from October, 1856, until the Spring of 1857. Mr. E. B. Olmsted was then appointed Superintendent, with Mr. J. Park Alexander in charge of the Grammar school, Mr. George' H. Root, of Tallmadge, having had charge of that department during the years 1855-56, assisted by Miss Harriet N. Angel and Miss Jerusha McArthur; Mr. Root also giving especial attention to penmanship, in both the grammar and high schools. GEN. MORTIMER D. LEGGET.,—born, of Quaker parentage, in Ithaca, N. Y., April 19, 1821; at 16 emigrated to Geauga County, Ohio ; school advantages limited, but by study at night acquired an education which secured the voluntary bestowal of degrees from several western colleges ; though admitted to the bar at 22, his time was for several years devoted to the cause of popular education, being the organizer of Akron Union School System, now general throughout the State ; as Principal of the Grammar School, which position he ably filled for two years, as elsewhere stated, our fine new Leggett School Building, East Thornton, Sumner and Allyn streets, being so named in his honor. On retiring Mr. Leggett engaged in the practice of law at Warren, in 1857 removing to Zanesville, where in addition to his law practice, he officiated as superintendent of public schools, until the Fall of 1861, when he was commissioned by Gov. Dennison to recruit a regiment for the Union Army. Appointed Lieutenant Colonel, 78th 0. V. I., December 1861 ; promoted to Colonel, January 11, 1862 ; fought at Fort Donelson, February 11, 1862; on surrender of fort appointed provost-marshal ; was in continuous service during the war, being several times wounded, with constant advances for meritorious conduct, and appointed full Major-General from January 15, 1865 ; after the siege of Vicksburg, receiving as the award of a Board of Honor, a gold medal, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Bolivar, Iuka' Champion Hills, Vicksburg." Gen. Leggett was appointed Commissioner of Patents, by Pres. Grant, in 1871, and is now with his son, L. L. Leggett, Esq., practicing law in Cleveland. The teachers' pay-roll for 1856, was $2,777.42, the average price paid in the primaries and secondaries being about $4.75 per week; in the grammar school and assistants in the high school $35 per month; superintendent $65 per month. The board, deploring the evils resulting from frequent changes of superintendents and teachers, in their 11th annual report expressed the conviction that the lowest wages principle was not the most economical, and that such liberal compensation should be paid foil both superintendent and instructors, as would secure the best ability and skill in all the departments. Acting upon this principle, Mr. Charles T. Pooler, a teacher of large experience in the state of New York, was employed as Superintendent, assisted in the High School by Miss Harriet N. Angel the first five months, and on her resignation, by Miss Lavena Church, now Mrs. Jacob Oberholser, of New York City, who continued the second year, with Miss Harriet Amanda Bernard as second assistant; Mr. Hezekiah Melchisedec Ford having charge of the grammar school, with Miss Rebecca Coffman as assistant.