From the Defiance Democrat - September 23, 1897
"OVER THE RIVER.
The Oldest Citizen of Defiance
Passes Peacefully Away.
Edwin Phelps, After a Continuous Residence of More than Sixty-three Years Drops Asleep in that Quiet Repose Which is the End of all Things Earthly.
'His life was gentle and the elements so mixed in him
That nature may stand up and say to all the world,
This was a man.' Shakespeare.
Mr. Edwin Phelps died suddenly at his home on Jefferson street last night about 11 o'clock. His age was 81 years, 8 months and 23 days.
A gloom was cast over Defiance and community this beautiful morning in early Autumn when it was known that Edwin Phelps, our oldest citizen, had passed from time to eternity. His life work was well done. He left a saddened community, a multitude of friends and a devoted family to mourn the loss of the dear father who fell asleep, Sept 28, 1897.
The following obituary is furnished by Hon. W. D. Hill, the trusted friend and fellow worker of Mr. Edwin Phelps:
"Edwin Phelps was born at Richville, St. Laurence County, New York, Dec. 30th, 1815. The former name of his birth place is DeKalb. He was an intimate acquaintance and friend of Silas Wright, the eminent Democratic leader and U. S. Senator from the state of New York.
He emigrated to Defiance county, Ohio in August, 1834, and was admitted to the bar in 1839. He married Mary A. Woodward in 1840 who survived but one year; in 1843, he married Emily Eaton and of this marriage, three children were born, Adelaide Victoria, Emily J. Phelps, who married Mr. Chas. Seymour of this city, Ida R. Phelps who married Mr. Gensheimer and resides now at Erie, Pa.
Mr. Phelps was married again Sept. 25th, 1862, to Evaline Richardson of Defiance. Of this union, there were born Mary Alice (now Ackley) of Granville, Ohio; Helen Dorothy; Julia who died in 1864, and Grace, who died in 1870, Abbie (now Mrs. F. P. Weisenberger) of Defiance, and Edwin J., now a law student in Defiance.
Mr. Phelps was appointed Clerk of the courts of Williams County in 1837, eight years before the organization of Defiance County. Afterwards in the organization of Defiance county, in 1845, he was made its first Auditor by appointment and was also a member of the first board of school examiners of Defiance county. Was elected Clerk of the Courts in 1857 and served in that capacity altogether about seventeen years; he was also at one time Prosecuting Attorney of Paulding county for one term.
From the date of his coming to Defiance, he was actively engaged in politics, attended the state conventions of his party, nearly all the county and district conventions and also National conventions. The last National Convention to which he was a delegate was at Chicago in 1864 when George B. McClelland was nominated for President.
From an old memorandum book of his, it is learned that he left New York with $3 in his pocket which he borrowed with which to come west; that when he landed he had a five franc piece and seven cents left. As ferried across the Maumee river at the foot of Jefferson street by the father of Mrs. Jonas Colby and E. F. Lindenberger on the 20th of August,1834. He expended his seven cents for crackers to appease his hunger and through the influence of an uncle whom he found here, he obtained employment from the keeper of the hotel at $8 a month and board. During all the time Mr. Phelps resided in Defiance, he was an earnest and active worker in the interest of the town and the development of the county.
When the county seat of Williams county was removed from Defiance to Bryan, the people immediately began a movement for the organization of Defiance county. Mr. Phelps, being a Democrat in politics, was requested by his friends to go to Columbus in 1845 to use his influence with the Democratic members to get his bill passed organizing a new county of Defiance out of territory taken from Williams, Paulding and Henry counties.
He spent his time and money in securing the location and construction of the Toledo and Illinois railroad through Defiance, which is now the Wabash railway. Prior to that he had taken active part in the construction of the Miami & Erie canal and was for a time employed on the canal. When the 'Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co. proposed to extend its line to Chicago through this county, Mr. Phelps took an active interest in it and traveled night and day soliciting aid and right of way to make sure of the location of the road through Defiance. A few years ago he went to work as vigorously as a young man of 25 for the Columbus, Lima & Milwaukee railroad, which is now being revived again.
In physique Mr. Phelps was a giant in strength; he had a wonderful constitution and some of his friends now believe that if he had never been connected with the Erie mills in this city, where he spent a great deal of his time repairing the water power of that mill and inhaling the poisonous odors of the water and mud of the canal, he would have lived to be a hundred years old.
Mr. Phelps was always kind to his family, true to his friends, and universally respected by everybody who knew him. He received more than his share of political honors and never was defeated but once in a popular election, which was in 1862 when he was a candidate for congress against Gov. Ashley and the late Chief Justice Waite. In that triangular contest, Gov. Ashley was elected.
When Mr. Phelps was admitted to the bar on the 7th of December 1839, before the Supreme Court of Ohio, the committee who examined him were Peter Hitchcock, Henry Stanberry, P. B. Wilcox, John W. Andrews and Judge George J. Smith, all giants in intellect and man of national fame in the legal profession. The late Chief Justice White, of the Supreme Court of Ohio, once said after presiding over a term of district court in this county, that 'Mr. Phelps was the best and most accurate clerk of the courts in the State of Ohio.'"
Mr. Phelps was an old Mason, supposed to have been a charter member of the Defiance Commandery. The members of the Bar held a meeting at the court house yesterday afternoon to commemorate his memory and make arrangements for his funeral.
On Tuesday evening, he retired seemingly in the best of health; a few minutes after he went to his bed, his wife went into the room and found that he had entered upon his last sleep. The funeral services will take place Friday afternoon from the Presbyterian church at 2 o'clock, Rev. B. W. Slagle officiating."
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