US Con Wade, Benjamin Franklin - U.S. Senator, OH

Benjamin Franklin Wade
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Born: October 27, 1800

Birthplace: Feeding Hills, Massachusetts

Father: James Wade 1750 – 1826

(Buried: Andover Union Township Cemetery, Andover, Ohio)​

Mother: Mary Upham 1761 – 1826

(Buried: Andover Union Township Cemetery, Andover, Ohio)​

Wife: Caroline Marie Rosecrans 1805 – 1889

(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Jefferson, Ohio)​

Children:

Major General James Franklin Wade 1843 – 1921​

(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Jefferson, Ohio)​

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Henry Parsons Wade 1844 – 1915​

(Buried: Oakdale Cemetery, Jefferson, Ohio)​

Political Party: Whig Party and Republican Party

Education:

1823 – 1825: Studied medicine in Albany, New York​

Occupation before War:

1828 – 1835: Attorney in Jefferson, Ohio​

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1835 – 1837: Ashtabula County, Ohio Prosecuting Attorney​

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1837 – 1838: Ohio State Senator​

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1838 – 1841: Attorney in Jefferson, Ohio​

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1841 – 1842: Ohio State Senator​

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1842 – 1847: Attorney in Jefferson, Ohio​

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1847 – 1851: Judge of Third Judicial Court of Ohio​

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1851 – 1869: United States Senator from Ohio​

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1857 – 1861: Member of Senate Territories Committee​

Civil War Career:

1861: Almost captured after witnessing union defeat at First Bull Run​

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1861 – 1862: Chairman of Joint Committee on Conduct of War

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1861 – 1867: Chairman of Senate Territories Committee​

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Known to have been highly critical of President Abraham Lincoln​

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1862: Leader in the Passage of Homestead Act of 1862​

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1862: Leader in the Passage of Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862​

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1863: Co–Sponsor of The Wade–Davis Bill​

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Proposed two of the cavalry regiments should be African American​

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1865 – 1867: Member of Senate Foreign Relations Committee​

Occupation after War:

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Leader in the passage of the fourteenth Amendment​

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1867 – 1869: President Pro Tempore of United States Senate​

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1868: Helped conduct impeachment trial of President Johnson.​

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1868: Voted for the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson​

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1868: Unsuccessful candidate for renomination to U.S. Senate​

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1868: Unsuccessful candidate Republican Vice President nomination​

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1869 – 1878: Attorney in Jefferson, Ohio​

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Government Director of Union Pacific Railroad​

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1871: Member of Santo Domingo Commission​

Died: March 2, 1878

Place of Death: Jefferson, Ohio

Age at time of Death: 77 years old

Burial Place: Oakdale Cemetery, Jefferson, Ohio

 

[Pollaco]

Something that I did not realize about Wade is that he came very close to being President for nine months. Had the impeachment of Andrew Johnson led to a conviction. Wade, was President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate at the time and would have been next in line to fill out the remaining term of President Johnson.

 

[Pollaco]

The Senate seat that he filled in 1851 had belonged to Thomas Ewing Sr. The foster father and father-in-law of Gen. William T. Sherman. And the father of 2 other Civil War generals,, Hugh and Charles Ewing. Ewing had been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Thomas Corwin's resignation in 1850.

 

[Pollaco]

Wade was present and witnessed the 1st Battle of Manassas and was almost captured like Congressman Alfred Ely was.