[IV.]

MEMORIAL OF PERRY M. ADAMS.

Perry M. Adams was born in Wood County, Ohio, December 2, 1850, being the eldest son and second child of Harvey and Susannah A. (Phelps) Adams. He was descended from an old New England family on his father's side of the house, tracing his ancestry back to Alexander Adams, of Revolutionary times. Mr. Adams received the elements of his education in the common schools of his native county, and for a number of years followed the avocation of a country school-teacher, in which, as in every avenue he chose in life, he met with unqualified success. In this capacity he was employed for several years, in that manner obtaining the funds necessary to complete his studies in the higher branches. He attended literary and scientific courses in Fostoria, and afterwards in Republic, Ohio, engaging in teaching between terms to defray his expenses. The same means were employed to secure a livelihood during his legal studies.

When he had chosen the law as his profession, Mr. Adams came to Tiffin, Ohio, and on the 18th of March, 1874, entered the law office of the Hon. Warren P. Noble, as a student. Two years later, April 13, 1876, he was admitted to the Bar, and immediately thereafter accepted the offer of partnership interest with his worthy preceptor; a high and mutual regard which was maintained until the end having sprung up between them, and the fact of the success of that firm was greatly due to the indefatigable industry and excellent judgment of Mr. Adams.

In April, 1879, Mr. Adams was chosen city solicitor of Tiffin, and was re-elected two years later. Before the expiration of his second term of service, he resigned to assume the duties of the office of prosecuting attorney of Seneca county, to which he was elected the preceding October. In this capacity he also served two terms, retiring to private life to devote his entire time to his profession. However, he was not long allowed to remain out of public life, for in the summer of 1887, he was again called by his party to a position of honor and trust, being nominated for the office of State Senator over his protest by the Democratic Convention of the Thirtyfirst Senatorial District, which met in Upper Sandusky. He was twice elected to this office, receiving the largest majority in the history of the district. On his re-election he was chosen Speaker pro tem. of the Senate, which, as proven by his ability as a parliamentarian and by the force and decision of character which he exercised in the stormy political times that followed, was an honor worthily and judiciously bestowed.

Mr. Adams was united in marriage in Washington, D. C., with Miss Anna

Kiskadden, of that city, April 26, 1881, leaving at his death three children as the result of that union.

After a short illness of but two weeks, Mr. Adams, on the 22d day of August, 1891, died at his home in Tiffin. His loss was keenly felt, not only at his home, but throughout the State and among the brethren at the Bar. He was known as an able statesman, a skilled lawyer, a genial companion and faithful friend. As a statesman, he was wise and judicious, as is attested by the numerous measures proposed by him during the short period of his legislative life-and especially the proposed measure bearing his name for the relief of the Supreme Court of Ohio. As a lawyer, his industry and painstaking were only equaled by the honesty of purpose and skill manifested in every undertaking, either as a counselor or advocate before judge or jury; and as a friend and citizen, all who knew Perry M. Adams will hold his name in the kindest remembrance.

[V.]

MEMORIAL OF RUFUS P. RANNEY.

BY JUDGE S. E. WILLIAMSON.

For many years Judge Rufus P. Ranney represented to Ohio lawyers all that they admired and emulated. The unanimity with which he was elected the first President of the Ohio State Bar Association was not marred by even the thought that any other choice was possible. With equal unanimity we turn to-day to his life as a model for study and emulation.

The salient features of his career are familiar to his professional associates, and I shall follow them in detail only so far as is necessary to a presentation of that aspect of his life which I have chosen as my subject. He was born in Hampden county, Mass., October 30, 1813. In common with many other farmers who had grown tired of cultivating the sterile hillsides of New England, his father was attracted by the fertility of Ohio soil, and removed with his family to what is now Freedom, Portage county, Ohio. Rufus was then eleven years old. His home was the homely log hut of the early settler, surrounded by forests; wolves and bears were a constant menace to the domestic animals; of course there were no roads, schools or churches; privations were abundant, but they were cheerfully borne; the energies of the whole family were devoted for the time to obtaining food and clothing. But the first settlers of the Western Reserve always cherished the hope of giving their children an education, and in boys like young Ranney, a firm determination gave reality to the hopes of their parents. Yet the necessity of clearing the timber from the farm permitted him but one winter's schooling in six years. Such a life could be endured no longer, but his parents could not help him. He therefore chopped wood enough for a neighboring merchant to pay for a Virgil and a razor. Doubtless the latter was considered essential to a decently reverent study of the Latin poet. He also secured instruction enough to fit him for Western Reserve College at Hudson, where he was a student for about a year, supporting himself by manual labor and teaching. It was pathetic as well as amusing to hear him tell of his first appearance in college in a suit of homespun butternut. In the spring of 1834 he left college and commenced the study of law with Joshua R. Giddings and Benjamin F. Wade, in Ashtabula county. His preparation for the study of law had been a hard and at times a bitter experience, but there was no reason to regret it. Much of his success may be traced to his knowledge of pioneer life, his thorough sympathy with the people, and their meth

ods of thought and honesty of purpose, and his complete dependence upon himself and his own conclusions; the result of habit formed under the necessity of reaching conclusions without books or the advice of friends. After two years and a half of study he was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court in 1836, and commenced practice in Warren, Trumbull county. Early in the following year the partnership between Giddings and Wade was dissolved, and Ranney became Wade's partner. The firm of Wade & Ranney had an extensive business for about ten years. After Wade's election to the bench of the Court of Common Pleas, Ranney continued in practice alone until 1850. In the meantime he made Warren his home again, and married the daughter of Jonathan Warner. Both Wade and Ranney were ardent politicians, but they were by no means harmonious in their political opinions. Ranney was a Democrat of the old-fashioned type and believed in Jefferson and Jackson. His party admired him, trusted him and frequently made him its candidate for office, but as he lived in a section of the State where his party was generally in a hopeless minority, even his ability and popularity could not save it from defeat. He found time also to make up to some extent the deficiency in his early education. Accident and taste combined to direct his attention particularly to the language of France, and as soon as he could read it easily he made a profound study of her literature, politics, history and law. The civil law and the debates which resulted in the Code Napoleon became as familiar to him as the commentaries of Blackstone, and had their part in forming his clear ideas of natural justice and public policy.

In 1850 he was elected a member of the convention called to revise the Constitution. In March, 1851, he was elected by the Legislature Judge of the Supreme Court, to succeed Judge Avery, who resigned. The new Constitution took effect September 1, 1851, and at the first election in October of that year, Judge Ranney was chosen by the people to become one of the judges of the new Supreme Court. In assigning their terms by lot, he drew the longest term, five years, and served until 1856, when he resigned and removed to Cleveland, where he resumed the practice of his profession as a member of the firm of Ranney, Backus & Noble. He was appointed United States District Attorney, but resigned at the end of a few months. In 1859 he was the unsuccessful candidate for his party, against William Dennison, for the office of Governor. Three years afterward the Democrats were unexpectedly successful in electing their State ticket, and he found himself again a member of the Supreme Court, much against his wishes, as it was his desire that his partner, Franklin T. Backus, who was the candidate of the Republicans, should have the position. He retained it but two years and again resigned, and returned to his home and practice in Cleveland. The demands upon his professional services were now more numerous and pressing than ever before, but the attempt to comply with them all was vain. Anything like a selfish regard for his own interest would have induced him to select for his attention a part of the important and lucrative business that was offered him. Indeed he was forced to take enough of this kind of business to secure him a sufficient fortune, but the need of a man or