The biographical encyclopœdia of Ohio of the nineteenth century:

BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPZEDIA.
remaining in this situation for three or four years, he
accepted a position in the dry-goods store of John D. Jones,
where he served for several years as salesman, and for a
portion of this time travelled for the house as collector. He
subsequently purchased an interest in the business of this
establishment, which he retained until about I830, when he
embarked in the same business in connection with his
brother, Stephen I. Wade, on the southwest corner of Fourt h
and Main streets, where, in addition to carrying on a very
extensive and profitable business, he conducted the affairs
of a large tannery. At this time their house and that of
Johii Shillito's were the leading dry-goods establishments
in the city. In 1845, after accumulating a handsome fortunle, he retired from business and removed to Avondale,
one of the loveliest suburbs of Cincinnati, where he lived
until his decease. On arriving at manhood he identified
himself with the volunteer militia companies of the city,
and by regular gradation rose from the rank of Second Sergeant to that of Brigadier-General, and was under commission from I825 to I8.49. He always manifested a warm
interest in the citizen soldiery, and upon the outbreak of the
late civil war tendered his services to the government, and
on the recommendation of General O. H. Mitchell, was
commissioned a Brigadier-General of Volunteers by Presid en t L inco ln, and assigned to duty as Commandant of
Camp Dennison, t hen the re nde zvo us of the majo r portion
of the Ohio troops. In this position his arduous and important duties were faithfully and satisfactorily performed,
and in h is dispos ition of the mwen only too e ager, if possible,
to finish the ir preparatory drilling and proceed to the seat
of war, he evinced the possession of sterling administrative and executive talents. For three months he was constantly busied in drilling and equipping the troops, and forwarding them to the field, and at the expiration of this time,
owing to the effects of the iniasmla of the camp, and the
attendlant exposure of camp life, p~articularly prejudicial at
his advanced age, his constitution gave way, and he was
compelled to tender his resignation, which was accepted.
He was married in August, I823, to Eliza G. Armstrong,
daughter of Colonel Armstrong, of revolutionary fame, by
whom he had seven children, four sons and three daughters;
of these three are now living, one son and two daughters.
He died in Avondale, Cincinnati, Ohio, August Iitlh, I868.
iABBITT, HENRY S., M.D., Chief Clerk and
e Deputy Auditor of State, was b)orn at Worcester,
Massachusetts, December Ist, I826; educated in
o the public schools of that town; studied medicine
at Northampton, teaching school to meet his ex penses; graduated at the Berkshire Medical College in 1848; at the age of twenty-one was elected Secretary
of the " Berkshire Medical Association," and a member of the
Massachusetts Medical Society the same year; discharged
the duties of City Physician of Lowell in I849, under Professor Abner H. Brown; and in the autumn of that year
commenced business in the new manufacturing town now
called Holyoke; was elected Treasurer of the toswn in I85o,
and appointed Postmaster by President Fillmore. lIe went
to New York city in i853, adhere he was appointed an
Assistant Secretary of the Crystal Palace Association, and
had charge of the agricultutral department of the Nl'orld's
Fair while it existed. He was one of the contributors to
"Putnam's Illustrated Record of the Exhibition of the Industry of all Nations," and during the same year wrote up
the " History of Reaping Machines from the Earliest Date,"
whoich was published in a series of articles in the Scientisc
A,meric,a. He removed to Newark, Ohio, in I854, to fill
an engagement for five years with the Newark Machine
Works remained with that company till the breaking out
of the slaveholders' rebellion; was Secretary of the Newark
Ilorticultural Society, etc. The president of the machine
Mworks (General George. B. Wright) being appointed Quarternmaster-General of Ohio, Dr. Babbitt was invited to assist in
his office, from which he was sent on an expedition to General J. D. Cox, at Gauley Bridge, Virginia, and was commissioned by Governor Dennison, August 6th, i86i, as
Lieutenant and Quartermaster to equip the 3ist Regiment
tOhio Volunteer Infantry. While serving with his regiment
he was appointed Post Commissary at Camp Dick Robinson,
Kentucky, in November, I86i, and assigned by General
308
Ohio, and during the ensuing two years performed the duties
of his trust with marked fidelity and ability. At the expiration of this time he began to apply his attention, in the same
place, to the tl-yeoi-y and practice of law. He pursued his
legal studies under the supervision of judge Morris, of
Miami county, Ohio, and was admitted to the bar in iS64.
Since that time he has resided iii Napoleon, Ohio, and is
now the. leading lawyer of the place, and the possessor of a
very extensive clientage. In April, i874, lie was elected to
the honorable office now filled by him, of Mavor of Napoleon. Originally well endowed by nature with sterling
capacities, he has been a close reader'and obsei-vei- throughout his life, and valuing bihly the beneficent influence of
thorough culture on self and humanity, has constantly
sought knowledge in all seasons and under all giiises. He
was married, June i i tb, I 863, to Anna E. Dodd, of' NapoIcon, Ohio
. 9
64
HELDON, BENJAMIN ERASTUS, Lawyer and
Mayor of Napoleon, Ohio, was born in Huron
county, Oliio, January 28th, 1834. His parents,
natives of America, were of English origin. His
preliminary literary education was acquired at
.Oberlin College, where he was an attendant until
the end of the junior year; be graduated subsequently, in
i86i, at Lagran,e College, Tennessee. After graduating,
he accepted a superintendency of public schools at Napoleoii,