PORTRAIT AND
BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM
pg 303, 304
FRANCIS M. HAGAN is not only one of the foremost lawyers of Clark County, but he is intimately associated with its business interests and civic life as President of the Springfield Board of Trade. He is a fine representative of Ohio’s native-born citizens, his birth taking place in this county, in Mad River Township, June 10, 1844, he being a descendant of two of the early pioneers of this part of the State. Hugh HAGAN, his father was born in Northumberland, County, Pa., in 1803, and was a son of Denny HAGAN, who was born in the North of Ireland, and was of Scotch antecedents. He was reared and married in the land of his birth, and in 1801 emigrated to this country, and settling in Northumberland County, utilized his excellent education in teaching school and in surveying. He remained in Pennsylvania until 1815, and then came with teams to Ohio, and cast in his lot with the early pioneers of Clark County, and here his well-spent and honorable life was brought to a close. Mrs. HAGAN was born in Ireland, and died in this country at the home of her son Hugh, and now lies beside her husband in Muddy Run Cemetery. They reared four children—John, Hugh, James and Margaret.
Hugh HAGAN was a lad of twelve years when his parents removed to this county, and he was bred to manhood under the primitive conditions of pioneer life, and in his turn took up the work of a pioneer. When a young man he taught school until he had saved enough money to give him a good start in life, and he then bought a tract of timber land near Enon, and in the log house that he built there the subject of this sketch was born. There were no railways here for many years, and he used to team to Cincinnati, seventy-five miles distant. The country was then in a wild condition, and deer and other kinds of game were plenty for some years. He did his share in developing the county by clearing a tract of land and improving it into a fine farm, as he was an able practical agriculturist, and prosecuted his calling with characteristic energy that brought success. He resided on his homestead until his death, in 1879, rounded out a long well-spent life that had passed its seventy-sixth milestone. Of a clear, discerning mind and of a forceful character, well-endowed with truthfulness, self-reliance and competence, he was a fine type of the men, who, hardened by the struggle that has founded our National character, were instrumental in hewing out the foundations of a commonwealth from the primeval wilderness. The maiden name of his wife was Ann FURAY. She was a native of this State, born in Ross County, and a daughter of pioneer parents, Peter and Marianne (DUPLISSY) FURAY. Her father was a native of Philadelphia and her mother of Canada, coming of French antecedents. Both grandparents lived to the venerable age of ninety years. The mother is now a welcome inmate of the household of her son, our subject. She has reared four children to lives of usefulness and honor, namely: Francis M., James A., Edward O. and Laura A.
The early youth of our subject was passed on the home farm, assisting in its labors and varying the monotony of his work by attendance at the district school, where he laid the basis of a sound education. Eager for more learning, and being without the means to gratify his ambition, at the age of seventeen he commenced teaching to gain the wherewithal, and taught in the common and select schools, and even after he entered Antioch College, he did not drop that vocation, but continued to teach whenever college was not in session. His constant application to his studies and to teaching impaired his health, and he was obliged to leave college with his course uncompleted, to his great regret. In 1869, he began the study of law in the office of E. S. WALLACE, but his devotion to his books caused his health to give out once more, and he was compelled to lay aside his studies for awhile. After that he traveled in different parts of the United States two years, and with reinvigorated powers resumed his legal studies, and was admitted to the bar before the Supreme Bench at Columbus, and immediately entered upon the practice of his profession in this city, and has been thus actively engaged here since, with the exception of the time that he was Postmaster of the Springfield post-office. During these years of hard and unremitting labor he has risen to eminence in his profession, and his brilliant talents and legal acumen have brought him a large clientage, to whose interests he is conscientiously devoted. He was appointed Postmaster in 1887, and served in that capacity with credit until April, 1890. The grandfather of our subject voted for Thomas JEFFERSON for President, the father of our subject, was a sound Democrat and supported Gen JACKSON, and their descendant of to-day seems to have inherited their political views, presumably somewhat modified by the exigencies of the times, and is a leader of the Democracy in this part of his native State, casting his first Presidential vote for SEYMOUR. His fellow-citizens admiring his intellectual force, his aptitude for affairs, his executive ability and his personal character (which is above reproach) have honored themselves and him by calling him to public life. He has been twice elected City Solicitor, first as an independent candidate, and the second time on the regular Democratic ticket, his great popularity being attested by the fact of his being called to fill that important position by the suffrage of a people largely Republican, as this city is one of the strongholds of that party. He showed that he was deserving of the great compliment that he then received by his careful and impartial administration of the affairs of that office. He is an active member of the Associated Charities society, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the City Hospital. He is President of the Springfield Board of Trade, which under his able leadership is a powerful influence in advancing the business, manufacturing, commercial and general financial interests of the city, and he and his associates, besides thus promoting the growth of the city, are forwarding its welfare in other directions.
By his marriage in 1881, to Miss Justina F. BEVITT, an amiable and cultured young lady, of fine character and attributes, Mr. HAGAN has been enabled to establish a pleasant and attractive home, to whose comforts he can retreat from the cares of business. Mrs. HAGAN is a native of St. Charles, Mo., and a daughter of the well-known Dr. BEVITT of that city. Three children have come to fill the wedded life of our subject and his amiable wife—Francis M., Hugh and an infant.
transcribed by Deborah Brownfield Stanley