Francis Byron Dewitt, was born March 21, 1849 in Jackson County, Indiana, the son of Francis and Sarah (McLane) Dewitt.
His father was Born June 26, 1819 in Richland County, Ohio. His mother was born January 3, 1821 in Pickaway County, Ohio.
Francis is from the “old stock” of Scottish descent. Francis was the fourth child of ten children. Francis early life was passed on the old homestead, where a good opportunity was afforded for plenty of hard work and a county education.
As a child he was fixed on the notion of beating a drum. In 1860 he came across an old drum for $1.00 in boys work, husking corn. He became friends with an old Mexican War drummer, who gave him some points in this kind of music. In 1861, he could pound the sheep skin so that the neighborhood boys who had military dreams could keep step quite well in their home drill.
Seeing others go off to war, when the Civil War broke out, he was wanting to go along. He enlisted at the age of 12 in Company B. 46th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (now some unofficial records do not show that he served, I have other more accurate records stating that he did serve). Francis was at the Battle of Shiloh, April 6-7, 1862.
On the campaign to Corinth, Mississippi, April 30, 1862, Francis acquired a temporary disability, from which, after the fall of Corinth, he was discharged, August 21, 1862, at Columbus, Ohio. Remaining out of service for about five weeks, he re-enlisted on September 12, 1862, in Company C. 121st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving as a musician. Francis stated that food was always in short supply. That short rations created soldiers to covet the mules ear of corn. Carefully guarded commissary made the musty cracker more appealing.
March 3, 1865, Francis, wondering out to far ahead during the Carolinas Campaign, was captured near Pedee River, South Carolina and he became a prisoner of war. Francis spent time in Salisbury, Danville and Libby Prisons. Upon release, through prisoner exchanges, Francis was released and returned to his Company. On June 19, 1865, Francis was mustered out of service at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, by order of the War Department.
Francis returned to Paulding County in the spring of 1867, worked through the summer and attended school in the winter. His collegiate course was between 1870 – 1872, where he taught school and attended Ohio Wesleyan University, studying law. The summers were spent working as a brick maker in Berlin, Ohio. The beginning of each school year found Francis with a sun burned complexion, calloused hands and a strong determination to acquire knowledge. After graduation in 1875, Francis was admitted to the bar in 1875. He practiced law in Paulding under the direction of Thomas B. Holland. He was starting to gain a reputation as a prudent criminal and civil lawyer.
In the spring, on April 29, 1875 he married a gal by the name of Delila (Dell) Virginia Williams, born in 1854, the daughter of Enoch and Hester (Ballinger) Williams. This marriage produced 6 lovely children. Practicing law, Francis, Dell and children lived in Crane Township on their 700 acre farm. Francis took an interest in agricultural matters, on June 25, 1891, Francis was nominated by the Republican Convention of Paulding County, as the first representative for that county to the Ohio legislature.
Paulding never had the sufficient amount of population, under the Ohio Constitution, to entitle Paulding County to have a separate representative. He was elected to serve from 1892 – 1895 in the House of Representatives. In 1895, Francis was elected to serve as a Republican Congressman to the 54th Congress, serving until 1897. His bid for another term failed. He left Paulding County and moved to Standish, Arenac County, Michigan in 1903, where he practiced law, served as register of deeds.
In 1901, Francis mother, Sarah, passed away on December 21. His father, Francis, passed in 1910 on February 28. They were buried in Beachlow Cemetery, Lewis Center, Delaware County, Ohio. Francis became a farmer in Whitney, Arenac County, Michigan. On March 8, 1914, Francis’ wife, Dell, passed away from cancer in Whitney, Michigan.
On September 26, 1915, in Standish, Michigan, Francis remarries to Virginia Victoria Hawn. She was a widow woman who lost her husband in 1912. She was born September 6, 1872. Francis became an elected member of the Michigan House of Representatives, 1920-1922 and served as a Prosecuting Attorney of Arenac County, Michigan from 1926 until Francis will pass away, March 21, 1929, at age 80. His body was taken to Paulding where he is buried in Live Oak Cemetery, Paulding. His second wife, Virginia, passed away November 25, 1953, and is buried in Woodmere Cemetery, Standish, Arenac County, Michigan, beside her first husband.
Francis was known as a good man with character, well intentions and honest convictions, known as the first representative of Paulding County, as well as our county’s youngest veteran.
Until Next Time
