Col. Thomas Henry Anderson Home, Cambridge, after page 454
from The Household Guide and Instructor. With biographies of the Presidents of the United States, and a ... history of Guernsey County, Ohio. [By C. S. Percival and others.] With illustrations.
COLONEL THOMAS H. ANDERSON
Thomas Henry Anderson, lawyer, was born in Sewellsville, Belmont county, Ohio, June 6, 1847. His paternal ancestors came from England and settled in Pennsylvania and Maryland; and his maternal ancestors from Scotland, and settled in Pennsylvania. His great-grandfather on his father's side, Jacob Law, was an officer in the English army during the earlier campaigns of the Revolution, and was twice taken prisoner. The second time he espoused the cause of the colonies, entered the colonial army and served as aide de camp under General Washington at the battle of Yorktown. His great-grandfather, on his mother's side, was a Baptist minister, who emigrated from Scotland, and was one of the hardy pioneer preachers of colonial times. It is from this sturdy and distinguished ancestry that the subject of this sketch is descended. His father, John Anderson, was born near Uniontown, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, March 10, 1813, and when a boy moved to Jefferson county, Ohio, and afterwards to Belmont county, Ohio. He engaged in farming until 1878, when he moved to Cambridge, where he now resides. His mother, Amelia Dallas, daughter of Colonel Robert A. Dallas, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, July 8, 1816, and died August 22, 1877.
Thomas Henry Anderson was the fourth of a family of eight children. His boyhood was passed upon his father's farm, and his early education obtained in the Common schools of the neighborhood. During the year 1866 he attended the excellent Fairview high-school, and afterwards entered and for some time pursued his studies at Mt. Union college.
For two years after leaving Mt. Union, Mr. Anderson taught school in various districts in Belmont and Guernsey counties, then, profiting by the experience thus gained, assumed charge of the high school department of the Cambridge Union schools, and successfully conducted the same until 1871. During all this time spent in teaching, Mr. Anderson devoted his leisure hours to general reading and sensibly broadened the culture that had been the fruit of his preparatory study.
At no time had he regarded teaching as other than an expedient, and in June, 1868, he carried into effect a well-matured plan by entering upon the study of the law under the tutorage of Colonel J. D. Taylor, of Cambridge. On the 12th day of June, 1871, at Mt. Vernon, Mr. Anderson was admitted to practice in the courts of Ohio, and at once settled to the pursuit of his profession, being complimented by an immediate admission to partnership with Colonel Taylor, his former preceptor. This relation has been ever since maintained, and with the best results, both pecuniarily and in the way of reputation. Mr. Anderson was at once recognized as a lawyer of promise, and somewhat more than ten years of practice have more than justified the confidence of his friends. He has been engaged in the trial of many important civil and criminal causes, which he has conducted with more than usual success. One, at least, that of the State against Swan, while not the most important, yet, owing to the peculiar character of the case and the skill and ability with which the defense was managed, will justify especial notice.
In 1880 Harvey Swan was indicted for burglary and larceny, and the court appointed Colonel Anderson to defend him. Not desiring to undertake the defense unless satisfied of the defendant's innocence, Colonel Anderson requested and was given time to consult with the prisoner before accepting the charge. Being satisfied from the story of the defendant that he was innocent he accepted the appointment. The testimony offered by the State was overwhelming against the prisoner, showing that when arrested at his home he had in his possession a portion of the stolen goods; that he was overtaken in the night season by the prosecuting witness and another, in the act of returning the balance of the property to its owner; that he then and there confessed the crime, giving all the details of its commission. With this avalanche of testimony against him the prisoner stood convicted beyond all doubt in the minds of every person in the crowded court room. His counsel alone believed him innocent. When the prisoner's counsel disclosed the line of defense, stating that he expected to show that the real culprit was the prosecuting witness and that the prisoner was wholly innocent of the crime, the statement was received with a smile of incredulity. But the facts and circumstances detailed by the witnesses for the defense, and the cross-examination of the prosecuting witness and his associates, showed how carefully the prisoner's counsel had surveyed the field before entering upon so unusual a defense, and when the case closed there was no room for doubt that the prosecuting witness was the real criminal, and that in order to save himself he had procured his friend, the prisoner, to take charge of the goods and return them at a time appointed, and that the subsequent encounter was in furtherance of such conspiracy, while the oath to the information and the testimony as to the confession were the foulest perjury. At the close of the trial, which lasted nearly a week, the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the theory of the defense. The speech made by Colonel Anderson to the jury was one of exceptional power and eloquence, and has, by common judgment, been admitted to be one of the most notable arguments to a jury ever made in the county.
Mr. Anderson was admitted to practice in the United States courts at Cincinnati in the autumn of 1877, and has conducted a number of interesting cases before these tribunals.
Politically the gentleman is a Republican of the most pronounced type, and for ten years past he has been a very active worker upon the stump, in primaries, conventions and elsewhere. During several campaigns he has stumped Eastern Ohio, during the campaign of 1880 performed the same office in Western Pennsylvania.
During the canvass preceding the Chicago convention, the people of Cambridge and Guernsey county were divided in their preference between Blaine and Sherman. Colonel Anderson championed Blaine, and some of the leading men of the county represented the Sherman interest in the county convention called to name delegates to the State convention to be held at Columbus. The majority of the delegates seemed to favor Sherman, but Colonel Anderson, by a happy speech at a critical moment, turned the tide and a Blaine delegation was elected. At Columbus, upon a renewal of the contest, Colonel Anderson was defeated by his partner, Colonel Taylor, who was named as a Sherman delegate to Chicago by a majority of but one vote.
On the 9th of May, 1881, Governor Foster appointed Mr. Anderson as aide de camp upon his staff, with the rank of colonel, and re-appointed him upon the reorganization of the staff in 1882. In the summer of 1881 he was attached to the staff of Adjutant General Samuel B. Smith during the annual tour of inspection.
Colonel Anderson joined the Methodist Episcopal church in Cambridge in 1874, and has been a member of the official board of that body for several years. In January, 1879, he married Miss Laura B. Augustine, a native of Pennsylvania, a lady of rare culture and refinement — a graduate of Beaver college, Pennsylvania, and is now the father of one child.
Col. Thomas Henry Anderson Home, Cambridge, after page 454
from The Household Guide and Instructor. With biographies of the Presidents of the United States, and a ... history of Guernsey County, Ohio. [By C. S. Percival and others.] With illustrations.
COLONEL THOMAS H. ANDERSON
Thomas Henry Anderson, lawyer, was born in Sewellsville, Belmont county, Ohio, June 6, 1847. His paternal ancestors came from England and settled in Pennsylvania and Maryland; and his maternal ancestors from Scotland, and settled in Pennsylvania. His great-grandfather on his father's side, Jacob Law, was an officer in the English army during the earlier campaigns of the Revolution, and was twice taken prisoner. The second time he espoused the cause of the colonies, entered the colonial army and served as aide de camp under General Washington at the battle of Yorktown. His great-grandfather, on his mother's side, was a Baptist minister, who emigrated from Scotland, and was one of the hardy pioneer preachers of colonial times. It is from this sturdy and distinguished ancestry that the subject of this sketch is descended. His father, John Anderson, was born near Uniontown, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, March 10, 1813, and when a boy moved to Jefferson county, Ohio, and afterwards to Belmont county, Ohio. He engaged in farming until 1878, when he moved to Cambridge, where he now resides. His mother, Amelia Dallas, daughter of Colonel Robert A. Dallas, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, July 8, 1816, and died August 22, 1877.
Thomas Henry Anderson was the fourth of a family of eight children. His boyhood was passed upon his father's farm, and his early education obtained in the Common schools of the neighborhood. During the year 1866 he attended the excellent Fairview high-school, and afterwards entered and for some time pursued his studies at Mt. Union college.
For two years after leaving Mt. Union, Mr. Anderson taught school in various districts in Belmont and Guernsey counties, then, profiting by the experience thus gained, assumed charge of the high school department of the Cambridge Union schools, and successfully conducted the same until 1871. During all this time spent in teaching, Mr. Anderson devoted his leisure hours to general reading and sensibly broadened the culture that had been the fruit of his preparatory study.
At no time had he regarded teaching as other than an expedient, and in June, 1868, he carried into effect a well-matured plan by entering upon the study of the law under the tutorage of Colonel J. D. Taylor, of Cambridge. On the 12th day of June, 1871, at Mt. Vernon, Mr. Anderson was admitted to practice in the courts of Ohio, and at once settled to the pursuit of his profession, being complimented by an immediate admission to partnership with Colonel Taylor, his former preceptor. This relation has been ever since maintained, and with the best results, both pecuniarily and in the way of reputation. Mr. Anderson was at once recognized as a lawyer of promise, and somewhat more than ten years of practice have more than justified the confidence of his friends. He has been engaged in the trial of many important civil and criminal causes, which he has conducted with more than usual success. One, at least, that of the State against Swan, while not the most important, yet, owing to the peculiar character of the case and the skill and ability with which the defense was managed, will justify especial notice.
In 1880 Harvey Swan was indicted for burglary and larceny, and the court appointed Colonel Anderson to defend him. Not desiring to undertake the defense unless satisfied of the defendant's innocence, Colonel Anderson requested and was given time to consult with the prisoner before accepting the charge. Being satisfied from the story of the defendant that he was innocent he accepted the appointment. The testimony offered by the State was overwhelming against the prisoner, showing that when arrested at his home he had in his possession a portion of the stolen goods; that he was overtaken in the night season by the prosecuting witness and another, in the act of returning the balance of the property to its owner; that he then and there confessed the crime, giving all the details of its commission. With this avalanche of testimony against him the prisoner stood convicted beyond all doubt in the minds of every person in the crowded court room. His counsel alone believed him innocent. When the prisoner's counsel disclosed the line of defense, stating that he expected to show that the real culprit was the prosecuting witness and that the prisoner was wholly innocent of the crime, the statement was received with a smile of incredulity. But the facts and circumstances detailed by the witnesses for the defense, and the cross-examination of the prosecuting witness and his associates, showed how carefully the prisoner's counsel had surveyed the field before entering upon so unusual a defense, and when the case closed there was no room for doubt that the prosecuting witness was the real criminal, and that in order to save himself he had procured his friend, the prisoner, to take charge of the goods and return them at a time appointed, and that the subsequent encounter was in furtherance of such conspiracy, while the oath to the information and the testimony as to the confession were the foulest perjury. At the close of the trial, which lasted nearly a week, the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the theory of the defense. The speech made by Colonel Anderson to the jury was one of exceptional power and eloquence, and has, by common judgment, been admitted to be one of the most notable arguments to a jury ever made in the county.
Mr. Anderson was admitted to practice in the United States courts at Cincinnati in the autumn of 1877, and has conducted a number of interesting cases before these tribunals.
Politically the gentleman is a Republican of the most pronounced type, and for ten years past he has been a very active worker upon the stump, in primaries, conventions and elsewhere. During several campaigns he has stumped Eastern Ohio, during the campaign of 1880 performed the same office in Western Pennsylvania.
During the canvass preceding the Chicago convention, the people of Cambridge and Guernsey county were divided in their preference between Blaine and Sherman. Colonel Anderson championed Blaine, and some of the leading men of the county represented the Sherman interest in the county convention called to name delegates to the State convention to be held at Columbus. The majority of the delegates seemed to favor Sherman, but Colonel Anderson, by a happy speech at a critical moment, turned the tide and a Blaine delegation was elected. At Columbus, upon a renewal of the contest, Colonel Anderson was defeated by his partner, Colonel Taylor, who was named as a Sherman delegate to Chicago by a majority of but one vote.
On the 9th of May, 1881, Governor Foster appointed Mr. Anderson as aide de camp upon his staff, with the rank of colonel, and re-appointed him upon the reorganization of the staff in 1882. In the summer of 1881 he was attached to the staff of Adjutant General Samuel B. Smith during the annual tour of inspection.
Colonel Anderson joined the Methodist Episcopal church in Cambridge in 1874, and has been a member of the official board of that body for several years. In January, 1879, he married Miss Laura B. Augustine, a native of Pennsylvania, a lady of rare culture and refinement — a graduate of Beaver college, Pennsylvania, and is now the father of one child.