In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1903) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1808
From History of Hancock County, Ohio (1903), History of Hancock county [Ohio] from its earliest settlement to the present time, together with remeiniscenses of pioneer life, incidents, statistical tables, and biographical sketches (1881)
EDSON GOIT, SR.,
Was born in Oswego County, State of New York, in 1808, and whilst yet in his infancy, lost his father, and during his boyhood he had but little time or opportunity to improve his mind, but such as he had he made the best possible use of, and by the time he was twenty years old, he taught a district school, and soon thereafter started for the western country. Ohio then, without railroads or canals, and but few wagon roads, was a long journey from New York, and the first appearance of young Goit after he left his native state with his bundle of raiment tied up in a handkerchief, was at Tiffin, in Seneca County.
He taught school in Tiffin and Fremont, then unpretentious villages, and in the mean time pursued the study of law with Abel T. Rawson. In due time, he was admitted to practice, and in looking around for a location, selected Findley, then but a village, but a new county seat, as the scene of his future efforts. Mr. Goit made the journey from Tiffin to Findley on foot, staying the first night with a farmer near the present town of Fostoria, and on the second night at the present site of Van Buren, and on the third day reached Findley. He made his home in the family of the late L. Q, Rawson, and waited patiently for six months for a client, but none came.
There was no other Attorney in the place. Mr. Goit was the pioneer of the profession in Findley. Being discouraged
316 History of Hancock County.
and disheartened at his lack of business, he announced at the breakfast table, that he would leave the place. But while yet at the table, a rap was heard at the door, and the inquiry was made: " Does a young lawyer board here? "
The visitor was a man from the east, desiring to collect a claim held against one who was teaching school not far away, and who was the owner of forty acres of land.
Mr. Goit drew up the necessary papers, the man collected his claim by taking the land, the teacher left the place, and Goit was employed to teach the remainder of his term of school.
Business brightened up, clients came, and he abandoned the idea of leaving the place, and went to board with Wm. Taylor, who was keeping tavern.
Mrs. Taylor's sister, Miss Jane Patterson, and her brother had come from Pennsylvania, making the trip on horseback, and took up their residence with Mr. Taylor. Mr. Goit and Miss Patterson were married in 1835.
No man in the county did more to develop its resources, and to assist the struggling community in its efforts towards wealth and property. He engaged extensively in mercantile business in Findley, Bluffton, Gilboa and Ottowa. He was engaged in almost every public enterprise in town ai;d country.
He was a man of unbounded generosity, and had great confidence in his fellow men. He was seldom appealed to in vain. But like all men of his kind, he became the victim of misplaced confidence. He indorsed notes, and went bail for almost every one who requested him to do so, and the usual result followed — embarrassment, importunity of creditors — and failure. But he neither made an assignment or went into bankruptcy, but took off his coat, went to work
Edsoji Goit, sr. 317 and assured his creditors that they should not loose a penny by him, but that if life was spared him, he would pay every dollar he owed. Life was spared, and he nobly redeemed his promise.
As an Attorney, Mr. Goit was a successful practitioner. He was Treasurer of the County, and also Prosecuting Attorney. Whetever faults Mr. Goit may have had, and he no doubt had some — for who has not — dishonesty was not one of them. His reputation for honesty was never questioned, even in his darkest hour. One of the great comforts to him in his last sickness, was the fact that he should die square with the world, as he expressed it,
Mr. Goit's social qualities always insured him a ready welcome in society. He died in October, 1880, at Bowling Green, Ohio, of which place he had been a resident for several years.
318 History of Hancock County.
As printed in History of Hancock county [Ohio] from its earliest settlement to the present time, together with remeiniscenses of pioneer life, incidents, statistical tables, and biographical sketches (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Edson Goit was the first resident lawyer of Findlay. He was a native of < )oswego county, Xew York, and was born October 18, 1808. When he was quite small his father died, but, through improving every opportunity during his boyhood years he managed to obtain a fair education and taught school ere reaching his majority. In 1827 he left his early home and traveled across Ohio, until arriving at the village of Fremont. Here he halted, and subsequently taught school in Fremont and Tiffin. During this period Mr. Goit read law under Rudolphus Dickinson, of Fremont, and Abel Rawson, of Tiffin, and July 12, 1832, was admitted to practice. Learning that Findlay, the then new county seat of Hancock county, had no lawyer, he at once concluded to come here and cast his fortunes with the then hamlet. Traveling on foot from Tiffin, he reached Findlay on the third day of his journey, and went to reside in the home of Dr. Rawson, a practicing physician of the village. This was in August, 1832, and in September he was appointed prosecuting attorney, which position he held until June, 1836. The office of prosecutor, however, paid a very small salary during this period of the county's history, ami for several months after settling in Findlay, Mr. Goit patiently waited for clients that never came. Discouraged at the poor outlook, he at last made up his mind to leave the town, but ere carrying out his intention, the tide turned, he was engaged to teach a school, and was thus guaranteed sufficient to pay his board. Clients soon began to consult him, hope took the place of despondency, and he gave up the idea of leaving
Findlay. While boarding at the tavern of William Taylor, in 1835, 'ie married Miss Jane Patterson, a sister of Mrs. Taylor, with whom she was living. In May, 1836, Mr. Goit was appointed auditor, vice John C. Shannon, deceased, and served till March, 1837. In April. 1837, he was again appointed prosecuting attorney, but resigned the office in October, 1838. The same month he was elected treasurer, and filled that office two successive terms. He was now on the highway to prosperity, and besides attending to the duties of his profession, launched out boldly into other pursuits. He accumulated a large amount of land and engaged extensively in mercantile business in Hancock. Allen and Putnam counties. He, however, got "too many irons in the fire;" his business was two complex for judicious management, and his large land interests finally became an incumbrance and proved his financial downfall. From January, 1858. to January, 1862, he again filled the office of prosecuting attorney, and this finished his official career. Mr. Goit possessed unbounded energy, and though a fair lawyer, did not devote sufficient attention to his profession to keep up with the times. He was a man of fine personal appearance and dignified carriage, and was regarded as a very strong jury lawyer. Though he lost the fruits of a lifetime of persevering industry, he did not, however, "fail," as that term is commonly understood, but paid his creditors to the last penny, no man losing a cent by him and his every promise being faithfully redeemed. Such was his sterling honesty, that his principal solace at the hour of his death was the fact that he owed no man a dollar. His first wife died in the spring of 1863, leaving a family of three sons and one daughter. One of the sons was subsequently killed in the war of the rebellion. Mr. Goit was afterward married to Mrs. Sarah A. McConnell, of Van Buren, and in the fall of 1867 removed to Bowling Green, where he died May 29, 1880. Two daughters were born of the second marriage, both of whom are dead. Xo man has ever lived in Findlay who is more kindly remembered than Edson Goit. He was charitable to a fault, and every worthy public enterprise found in him a warm friend and generous supporter. Mr. Goit built while living in Findlay what was then the largest block in Findlay. The Karg Bros.' meat market block is a portion of the building he erected, although the entire structure was remodeled during the boom.
As printed in History of Hancock County, Ohio (1903). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Karg Bros.
Their biographies name Edson Goit: Arnold F. Merriam Jacob Barnd Mabel F. Parker Henry Brown (b. 1826) Jude Hall Jonathan Parker William L. Henderson (b. 1797) Charles W. O' Neal (b. 1811) Henry Lamb (b. 1807)
The printed record stops around 1903. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.