His mother was Sarah Hanes, daughter of William Hanes, Esq., long known as "the honest goldsmith," in Ann Street, Boston, with whom Benjamin Tappan, father of Judge Tappan, served his time. Mr. Hanes was a nephew of Dr. Benjamin Franklin. Judge T.'s education was acquired at the common schools of his native town, and at a private school in the same place. From early boyhood he had an extraordinary love of books, and there being one or two libraries of private gentlemen at Northampton, (Gov. Strong's being one of them,) he availed himself of the privilege thus afforded to procure the best works on history and science to be obtained by him at that day. After leaving his native town, it was his custom, whenever he visited his parents, to go to their libraries, and bring home an armful of books, the contents of which he would devour during his short abode with his relatives. By availing himself of every opportunity, at home and abroad, during his whole career, he acquired much information on literary, historical, scientific, legal, and political subjects. His parents were desirous of giving him a collegiate education, but their son having overheard a conversation between them on the subject, in which his father expressed a fear that the expense would exceed his means, he expressed to them soon after a wish to learn some trade, without acquainting them with the reason of his decision. of their eldest son, they educated their next son at Harvard University, the late Rev. Dr. David Tappan, Hollis professor of divinity in Harvard College. Judge Tappan applied himself diligently to the business that had been selected for him or by him. He learned copperplate engraving and printing. He also worked some time in manufacturing military arms and musical instruments, and at clock and watch making, keeping up his earlyformed habit of reading all the valuable books he could procure. At the age of 20 his father set him up in his trade at Pittsfield, Mass.; but although he was diligent in business, his heart was not in it. The day he was 21 he presented himself to his father at Northampton, and said, "Here, sir, is the key of my shop. All the tools, &c., you gave me are there in good order. I have deliberately made up my mind to quit business, and now relinquish every thing to you." Soon after he went to the West Indies as the companion of a gentleman whose acquaintance he had formed at Pittsfield, and who was in feeble health. This gentleman died in the West Indies. Soon after they had embarked it was found by young Tappan that three of the quadrants, all that were on board, were so much out of order that a correct observation could not be made; but neither the master of the vessel nor any other person on board, except Tappan, knew the cause, nor how to apply a remedy. His mechanical skill came here into useful exercise, and enabled him to remove the difficulty. A singular coincidence renders this occurrence somewhat remarkable. His own father, who was the eldest of 12 children, had been partly prepared for He returned to his native land after college, when, on hearing a conversa- the lapse of a few months, and landed at tion between his parents, in which allu- New York. Having from boyhood had sion was made to the great desire they a taste for drawing and painting, he had to give their son a liberal education, sought the acquaintance of the celebrated and their very limited means, he resolved Gilbert Stuart, whose studio was then in that he would not be a burden to them. Stone Street, New York, with a view to Accordingly he, to the surprise of his perfect himself in the business of porparents, told them that he had made his trait painting. Stuart gave him at once mind up not to pursue his studies, as he one of his pictures to copy, and was so intended to be a mechanic. Following well pleased with his execution that he what they supposed was the inclination offered him all the advantages in his of their son, they apprenticed him to Mr. power. Here he remained six months. Hanes, and were never informed of the He then went to Connecticut, and afterreason of what they always deemed the wards to his native town, in which place singular change of mind that led their he took the likenesses of a score or two son to abandon his studies for a mechan- of friends and relatives. He made sevical employment. Agreeably to their eral attempts to paint the portrait of his own wish, and at the urgent solicitation | oldest sister, but failed in taking a satis factory likeness. One day, after having indulged rather freely in a convivial circle, he made another attempt, and succeeded admirably. He said to himself, "When a little excited by wine, I can, it seems, paint better than when perfectly sober. I have observed that this is the case with many artists. If, then, I am to be a portrait painter, I must, like others, indulge myself in wine or brandy drinking. I will not do this. Rather will I relinquish the profession." He threw down his pencil, and never resumed it. A good Providence then saved him from probable ruin. What rendered the determination more praiseworthy is the fact that he had just before received an order to paint several portraits from those whose patronage and friendship promised to be of essential service to him. At the age of 23 he entered the office of Gideon Granger, Esq., then an eminent legal practitioner, at Suffield, Conn., and commenced in earnest the study of the law. Here he continued three years, when he was admitted to the bar at Hartford, Conn. It was a time of high political excitement. The members of the Hartford bar were chiefly politicians of the federal school. The young attorney had embraced the political principles of Jefferson, and had made himself somewhat conspicuous by essays, in prose and verse, offensive to those of the opposite party. Some of them, probably more under the influence of resentment than sound policy, attempted to frustrate his claim to be admitted to the bar; but after a rigorous examination, it was ascertained that he was too well read in the science, and too well versed in the practice, to be set aside. He was therefore admitted. His father being the owner of two thirds of a township on the Western Reserve, O., his son prepared to emigrate to that distant country, as it was called, and commence the settlement of the land. No maps existed then of this and other townships similarly situated, and not a tree had been cut down in the tract of land owned by his father. But young Tappan's spirit of enterprise was so great, his love of adventure so strong, and his determination so propelling to establish himself as a lawyer and a politician in one of the new settlements of the country, that he was prepared to en dure every hardship in the prosecution of his wishes. Early in the year 1799 he started from his father's house in Northampton, with an ox team, agricultural implements, seeds, and hired men, himself riding on horseback. They went to Schenectady, then up the Mohawk River, then undertook portage to Ontario Lake, then went to Niagara River, and then to Lake Erie. Here they embarked in a large flatbottomed boat for Cleveland, where there was at the time only one or two log cabins. On the passage, during a violent blow, he stood for hours in the water, breast high, holding the boat, which, with the property on board, was with great difficulty preserved. He could not prevail on his hired men to perform the labor he undertook, and had it not been for his personal and indomitable perseverance the loss and destruction would have been complete. He made his way through the wilderness, to No. 3, the 8th Range, as his father's township was designated, the best way he could. Having, by an observation, ascertained the probable locality, he pitched two tents on a ridge at the north-east of the township, where he built a log house. The next year he moved two or three miles to the centre of the township, laid out a town plot, and gave it the name of Ravenna. He felled the first tree at what is now the flourishing village with his own hands, and for nearly 20 years the large stump remained on the green in front of the court house, and was pointed out as the spot where the first settlement was commenced. In 1800 he visited Connecticut, and married, at Farmington, Miss Wright, sister of the Hon. J. C. Wright, now of Ohio. Her spirit of adventure was similar to her husband's, and she entered with delight upon the duties of housekeeper in a new log cabin, built to receive the newly-married couple. He was successful in the practice of the law. His first case was that of an Indian charged with murder. The trial excited great attention. General St. Clair, who was then governor of the territory, attended it, and extraordinary efforts were made to procure the conviction of the prisoner. Unassisted by any professional brother, young Tappan conducted the defence, and had the sat isfaction of obtaining for his client a verdict of "not guilty." He was warmly congratulated upon his able advocacy, and acquired no little reputation throughout that part of the new state for the skilful manner in which he had managed the case. In 1803, being in his 30th year, he was elected to the Senate of the new state. He served only one year. His professional practice having rapidly increased, and his love of his profession predominating over his love of politics, he devoted himself very assiduously to his practice for several years. Soon after the war of 1812 had commenced, having previously moved to Steubenville, on the Ohio River, he performed efficient military service as aidde-camp to Major General Wadsworth, until ill health, occasioned by his great exposures, compelled him to retire from the service. In 1815 he was appointed president judge of the fifth Ohio circuit, (comprising five counties,) in which office he served the constitutional term of seven years. This appointment was made without any solicitation on his part, or any knowledge that he was thought of for the office. He had the confidence of the bar as an able lawyer and upright judge. One or more volumes of his "Reports of Cases were published, being the first law reports ever published in that state. In 1821 he was appointed canal commissioner, and in the capacity of chairman of the board, devoted himself, to the great acceptance of the people, to the completion of that great undertaking, the Ohio State Ca nal. During Gen. Jackson's administration, in 1833, Judge Tappan was appointed judge of the United States for the district of Ohio, and presided in the court six months. When the nomination came before the Senate for confirmation, it was violently opposed, and at length rejected. No one disputed his competency as an able lawyer and experienced judge; but his nomination was rejected, as was supposed, chiefly on party considerations. The same Senate rejected President Jackson's nomination of Mr. Van Buren as ambassador to the Court of St. James, while he was at that court performing the duties of his office. In the month of December, 1838, Judge Tappan was elected a senator in Congress, and took his seat March 4, 1839. He was the oldest member of that body, while his colleague, Hon. Wm. Allen, was the youngest. Senator Tappan usually acted as chairman when the democratic members of the Senate met in caucus. He took part, frequently, in the debates in the Senate, while he gratified his literary and scientific taste in his labors as chairman of the committee on the Congressional Library. It was owing to him, in a great measure, that the splendid volumes of " Wilkes's Expedition" were so magnificently published. After the termination of his senatorial career, Judge Tappan busied himself, at Steubenville, in scientific pursuits and correspondence. At one time of his life he had paid much attention to geology, and his collection of specimens was very valuable. During his later years his attention was much engrossed with conchology, and his collection was quite extensive. In politics, Judge Tappan was, from early life, a great admirer of Jefferson. The politics of that eminent statesman he endeavored to cherish and act out in all his subsequent life, and deeply lamented in his old age, that the dominent political party of the country, professing to be Jeffersonian democrats, had abjured the most distinguishing parts of the system inaugurated by their nominal leader. Judge Tappan was a man of temperate and simple habits. In his expenses he was extravagant in nothing but in the purchase of books. He had great love of sound knowledge of various kinds. He was a thoroughly read and able lawyer, a successful advocate, an upright judge, and an honest legislator. He was inflexibly upright in all his business transactions, and was much beloved by his family and other relatives. In his death the legislature, jurisprudence, and people of Ohio lost an early and efficient friend; the country a steadfast patriot; the enslaved an intrepid defender; science an enthusiastic student; and the arts a practical and discriminating supporter. Judge Tappan was educated by pious parents, and early instructed in the truths of religion as professed by them |