BOYHOOD AND EDUCATION.
_Birthplace--University--Springs--Kossuth's Allusion--Early
Instructors--Sent East--College Life--Began the Study of Law--At
Harvard Law School--Story, Greenleaf, Webster, Agassiz, and
Longfellow--Admission to the Bar._
The town of Delaware, the county seat of the county of Delaware, is
located near the center of Ohio, twenty-five miles northwest of
Columbus. It is a prosperous place of seven thousand people, the most of
whom live in comfortable-looking, newly-built homes, and has been
hitherto chiefly known for its University and its Springs. The Ohio
Wesleyan University is the most flourishing literary institution of the
great Methodist denomination in the West. The White Sulphur Spring is a
fountain of healing and happiness to the whole region around, and is
regarded with added interest since Kossuth came to drink of its waters,
and, in reply to a welcoming address, eloquently said, that "out of the
Delaware Springs of American sympathy he would fill a cup of health for
his bleeding Hungary."
Three squares from these Springs, near the center of the town, and in a
two-story brick house on William street, Rutherford Birchard Hayes was
born. This has long been Delaware's pride, and will be its fame. The
income of his widowed mother, who was bereft of her husband four mouths
before her son's birth, was derived from the rent of a good farm lying
two miles north of Delaware, on the east side of the Whetstone. This
income, used with frugality, enabled her to commence the education of
her children. They were sent first to the ordinary schools of the town.
The first teacher who enlisted the affections of her since distinguished
pupil was Mrs. Joan Murray, a most worthy woman, whose funeral Governor
Hayes quite recently attended. He began the study of the Latin and Greek
languages with Judge Sherman Finch, a good classical scholar and a good
lawyer, of Delaware, who had been at one time a tutor in Yale College.
Judge Finch heard the recitations of his pupil in his office at
intervals of leisure from the duties of his profession. The pupil taught
his sister each day what his instructor taught him.
Through the agency of his uncle, Sardis Birchard, his guardian, who at
this time took charge of his education, Rutherford was sent to an
academy at Norwalk, Ohio. Here he remained one year under the
instruction of the Rev. Mr. Chapman, a Methodist clergyman of scholarly
attainments. In the fall of 1837, to complete his preparation for
college, he was sent to quite a noted school at Middletown, Connecticut,
kept by Isaac Webb. Mr. Webb, being a graduate of Yale, made a specialty
of preparing students for admission to Yale College. His scholars came
from every part of the United States. In one year, his Ohio pupil's
preparatory course was completed. The character established by him at
this school is made known in the concluding portion of a commendatory
letter addressed by Isaac Webb, his instructor, to Mrs. Sophia Hayes,
which reads:
"The conduct of your son has hitherto done 'honor to his mother,' and
has secured our sincere respect and esteem. I hope and trust that he
will continue to be a great source of happiness to you."
The first prize for proficiency in Latin, Greek, and Arithmetic was
awarded at this academy to "R. B. Hayes."
In the fall of 1838, at the age of sixteen, young Hayes entered Kenyon
College, Ohio, after passing satisfactorily the usual examination for
admission. This institution is situated forty miles north of Columbus,
in the village of Gambier, which is celebrated for the secluded beauty
of its lawns and groves. The College was founded by Bishop Chase, with
funds collected by him in England, the principal donors being Lord
Gambier and Lord Kenyon. The institution was long under the fostering
care of Bishop McIlvaine of blessed memory.
Young Hayes excelled as a debater in the literary societies and in all
the college studies; but his tastes especially ran to logic, mental and
moral philosophy, and mathematics. In the words of a college mate, now a
very distinguished lawyer, he was remarkable in college for "great
common sense in his personal conduct; never uttered a profane word;
behaved always like a considerate, mature man." In the language of
another able member of the legal profession, who followed after him at
Kenyon: "Hayes had left a memory which was a fascination, a glowing
memory; he was popular, magnanimous, manly; was a noble, chivalrous
fellow, of great promise."
On the general points of character, conduct, and scholarship, it is
conclusive to say that, when graduation-day came, Rutherford B. Hayes
was found to have been awarded the valedictory, which was the highest
honor the faculty could bestow upon a member of his class. Although the
youngest in years, he was found the oldest in knowledge. In three
journals published in August, 1842, the month and year of his
graduation, we find exceptionally warm commendations of his valedictory
oration. The Mt. Vernon _Democratic Banner_ said: "All who heard this
oration pronounced it the best, in every point of view, ever delivered
on the hill at Gambier."
In the class with Governor Hayes were Lorin Andrews, afterward President
of the College, who fell in the war for the Union, and the Hon. Guy M.
Bryan, late member of Congress, and present speaker of the Texas House
of Representatives, who, although engaged in the rebellion, has paid a
manly tribute to his College classmate since the presidential
nomination.
In other college classes at the same time were Stanley Matthews, now one
of the ablest lawyers in the United States; Hon. Joseph McCorkle and
Hon. R. E. Trowbridge, afterward members of Congress from California and
Michigan respectively; and Christopher P. Wolcott, who subsequently
filled with high distinction the office of attorney-general of Ohio, and
was also assistant secretary of war.
Kenyon College and its graduates bestowed additional honors upon the
valedictorian of the class of 1842. In 1845, he was invited back by the
faculty to take the second degree, and deliver what is known as the
Master's oration. He was invited also by the alumni to deliver the
annual address before them, both in 1851 and in 1853. All these honors
he modestly declined.
Soon after graduating, Mr. Hayes began the study of the law in the
office of Thomas Sparrow, of Columbus. Mr. Sparrow was a lawyer of high
standing, whose integrity was proverbial. Although a Democrat in
politics, he was regarded by his political adversaries as the purest of
pure men. This worthy instructor certifies to the "great diligence" and
"good moral character" of his student on the latter's departure to
attend a course of law lectures at Harvard. A taste for the legal
profession had been very early developed by young Hayes. The proceedings
of courts had possessed to him in boyhood peculiar interest.
Judge Ebenezer Lane, long a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, an
intimate associate of Sardis Birchard, the patron uncle, had early
turned the thoughts of the guardian of the nephew in the direction of
the law.
Rutherford B. Hayes entered the law school of Harvard University, August
22, 1843, and finished the course of lectures, January 8, 1845. The law
institution was at this time under the charge of Mr. Justice Story,
whose eminence as a jurist is only surpassed by that of his bosom
friend, the great Chief Justice, John Marshall. He enjoyed the
friendship and counsel of Story, and also that of Prof. Simon Greenleaf,
who bears testimony to his diligence, exemplary conduct, and demeanor.
He kept a minute record, still preserved, of all the trials and
proceedings of the moot courts, presided over by Professors Greenleaf
and Story, and pages of authorities are cited where "R. B. Hayes"
appears as counsel for the fictitious plaintiff or defendant. It might
have been safely assumed that a young man of his quick perceptions while
in the atmosphere of Boston would make the most of his opportunities and
advantages. He attended the lectures of Prof. Longfellow on the
literature of foreign languages. He profited by the lecture-room talks
of the great scientist, Agassiz, upon the grand theme of nature.
Watching his opportunities, he heard Webster deliver his model arguments
before juries, and his great political speeches in Faneuil Hall. He
visited John Quincy Adams at his home in Quincy, with a party of his
fellow-students, who, when he learned that some of his visitors were
from Ohio, read to them a part of an address Mr. Adams was about to
deliver on the laying of the corner-stone of the Observatory on Mt.
Adams, near Cincinnati.
He renewed and prosecuted with ardor the study of the French and German
languages, both of which he now translates with ease, and speaks the
former with reasonable fluency.
Leaving with regret the classic shades of Cambridge, and parting from
fellow-students such as George Hoadly, Manning F. Force, and the since
famous orator, J. B. L. Curry, of Alabama, he returned to Ohio an
educated young man. He was fitted for the battle of life which he has
since so courageously fought, so far as America can afford facilities
for procuring a complete, symmetrical education. Impatient to begin the
struggle in his profession, he proceeded to Marietta, where the
ambulatory Supreme Court of Ohio was then sitting, and having passed
before an examining committee, composed of Messrs. Hart, Gardiner, Buel,
and Robinson, was duly admitted to practice in the courts of the State
as attorney and counsellor at law. The certificate of admission, which
is dated March 10, 1845, has so good a name attached to it as that of
Thomas W. Ewart, clerk. The Plymouth of the West had therefore the honor
of welcoming to the bar the rising son of the West.