Marcus  B.  Chadwick

          Marcus B. Chadwick, a native of Hamilton County, Ohio, was born April 12, 1820, son of  Samuel R. and  Jerusha (Hofling) Chadwick, natives of New Jersey, and of English descent, who, in 1819, emigrated to Ohio, where they resided until their death. Our subject received a good education, having attended the Miami University at Oxford, Ohio.  He completed the regular course of the Sophomore class of that institution, but failing health caused him to cease his literary studies, and he returned to the home of his parents and engaged in a general merchandise store with his father.  Mr. Chadwick was married April 12, 1842, to  Miss Mary Ann Neff,  a native of Preble County, Ohio, and whose death occurred March 19, 1843.  After the death of his wife, Mr. Chadwick began the study of law with  Mr. Lewis D. Campbell, of Hamilton, Ohio.  He is a graduate of the Cincinnati Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1847.  To this profession he gave his attention until i860, and was reasonably successful. In 1849, he was elected by the Whigs, to the Prosecutorship of Preble County, Ohio.  He represented his Congressional district in the Whig National Convention at Baltimore, in June, 1852, which nominated General Winfield Scott, for the presidency.  November 11, 1847, he was united in marriage to  Mary E. Rossman, born October 22, 1821, by whom he became the father of eight children, viz. : an infant son, unnamed (deceased),  Mary J. (deceased),  Edward H.,  Charles C.,  Frank, (deceased),  Marcus M. (deceased),  Horace M. and  Albert R.  In May, 1864, Mr. Chadwick removed to Hanover Township, Shelby County, and has since resided there.  September 19, 1871, the death of his second wife occurred.  His third marriage was solemnized September 4, 1876, to  Mrs. Mariah L. Pottenger, a native of Delaware.  To this marriage one child,  Lurton, was born June 21, 1877, and died September 5, 1886.  Mr. Chadwick was elected to the office of Trustee of Hanover Township, at the elections of 1872, 1874 and 1876, by the Republicans of that precinct.  Of this political organization, he has always been a staunch and ardent supporter, since its emerging from the Whig, and was twice, its candidate for the office of Representative in the State Legislature, in 1868 and 1884.  He now owns a farm of ninety-two acres in Hanover Township, which is in a good state of cultivation.  Since his residence in this county, Mr. Chadwick has been recognized as a gentleman, of a leading disposition in enterprises tending to the public good, and is now held in high esteem by his large circle of friends.
History of Shelby County, Indiana, "Hanover [Township] Sketches," pages 629-630, Brant and Fuller, 1887.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming



The  Daily  Republican
 Wednesday Evening, July 23, 1884
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OUR  CANDIDATES
Sketches of the Men Nominated on the People's Ticket
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FOR  REPRESENTATIVE
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          Mr. M. B. Chadwick, candidate for Representative in the Legislature, was born April 12, 1820 in Hamilton county, Ohio.  When sixteen years of age he entered Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, but after two and a half years of study was obliged to leave the institution on account of failing health.  After some years he began the study of law and graduated at the Law College in Cincinnati.  In 1847 he was admitted to the bar at Eaton, in Preble county, Ohio, and in 1849 was elected Prosecuting attorney for that county, serving one term.  Health failing again, Mr. Chadwick purchased a farm and has ever since devoted himself to the cultivation of the soil as a means of support.  In 1864, he removed to this county, where he has since lived.  In 1870 he was elected trustee of Hanover township, was re-elected in 1872 and for the third term in 1874.  In 1868, Mr. Chadwick was the Republican candidate for Representative against the late  Isaac Odell, and though defeated made a good race, reducing the usual majority.  He is again the candidate for Representative and no man in the county is better qualified to fill such a trust satisfactorily.  Though a farmer of many years' experience and familiar with the needs of that class, he has the additional advantage of being a good lawyer.  Hence he is peculiarly fitted to legislate wisely for an agricultural population like that of Shelby county.  The farmers of Shelby county could send no one of their fellow-citizens to the Capitol who would better understand their desire and how to act for their benefit.  Mr. Chadwick is a good speaker, well posted in the history of the county, and its political parties for half a century.  He was a Henry Clay Whig in the days of that great old party, when the tariff was the principal issue, and now that the question has again appeared in politics, Mr. Chadwick will be able to tell the farmers of Shelby county all about it.  He has been educated to believe in protective tariff, and as a farmer himself has made a study of the tariff in its relations to the agricultural class.  Mr. Chadwick is a man of purest personal character, and universally esteemed.  He is liberal in his views, charitable towards the opinions of others, always courteous towards political opponents, and a first-class citizen in all respects.  The people of Shelby county would make a mistake if they failed to avail themselves of his services in the Legislature.  He is just the kind of man needed at this juncture, and Shelby county has long felt the need of some member in the Legislature who was competent for more than to answer to his name when the roll was called.  By sending Mr. Chadwick to the Legislature we will have a member who can exercise influence and do much towards securing such legislation as farmers demand.
Other biographies in this series (see date above) are:
John Clark, Treasurer
Ithamer Spurlin, sheriff
James E. Smith, Commissioner
Andrew Cherry, Comm.
William Henry Barlow, Comm.
William R. Norris, Surveyor
Henry Powell, Coroner
Contributed by Barb Huff

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