Edward Oviatt

As printed in 1881

EDWARD OVIATT, Akron. Edward Oviatt, son of Marvin and Mary (Foot) Oviatt; was born on May 19, 1822, at Hudson, Summit Co., Ohio. He spent a part of his time on a farm during his 3'outh, and attended school at the Richfield Academy at Granville, and Western Reserve College, during a portion of his minority. In May, 1842, he came to Akron, entering the Hon. D. K. Cartter, now the President Judge of the District of Columbia, for purpose of studying law, where he remained four 3-ears, and until Cartter removed to Massillon. In September, 1844, he was admitted at Medina as a practitioner at the bar in the State Courts, and, in November, 1856, at Cleveland, as a practitioner in the courts of the United States. He practiced law alone until July, 1865, when he formed a partnership with Hon. S. W. McClure, which lasted until May, 1870, the latter having been elected as one of the Judges of the Coui't of Common Pleas. He continued the practice alone till September, 1876, when he formed a partnership with George G. Allen, who had, a short time before that, been admitted to the bar, and with whom he still continues, under the firm name of Oviatt & Allen. He was one of the members of the Briard of Education of the city' for several 3'ears; was City Attorney from 1854 to 1862, and Prosecuting Attorney for this county from 1865 to 1869 inclusive, having been almost unanimously nominated b3' the Republican party' early' in September, 1864, and, on the day' of his return from the 100 days' service, leaving Akron as a member of Co. A, 54th Battalion 0. N. G., but, on arriving in camp at Cleveland, in the organization of the 164th Regiment 0. V. I., Col. John C. Lee commanding, he was appointed and served as Color Bearer of the regiment until his return home, the regiment having been located on Arlington Heights, Va., during the entire summer. He started in life without capital, and, for whatever of success in business he may' have acquired, it was gained by industry- and economy'. On Sept. 8, 1847, he married Anna M. Wadsworth, daughter of Frederick Wadsworth, who bore him one daughter — Emma, now the wife of Calvin Edgerton, a lawyer residing in San Francisco, Cal. His wife died Aug. 9, 1854. Dec. 5, 1855, he mai'ded Frances A. Lansing, of Saratoga Co., N. Y., who bore him two children — Olivia F., wife of George G. Allen, and Edward Ailing, the three above named being his only children. An ardent Republican, but not ambitious for office or political preferment, he has devoted his time and energies to his profession, seeking a reputation for fidelity' and trustworthiness in business, rather than political honors. He adopted the rule early in life to owe no man anything pecuniarily, and if a debt was contracted in the purchase of real estate or otherwise, he lost no time or opportunity in meeting the obligation, and to this principle he gives the credit for much of his success in business.

As printed in History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.