Isaac Gass, Troy Township
Isaac Gass was born October 24, 1819 in Troy Township, Richland County, Ohio. He was the son of William Gass second marriage to Rebecca Meridith. Isaac Gass married Amelia B. Coats May 11, 1848 in Richland County, Ohio. His obituary, published in a Richland County newspaper gives the details of his life.
In our last issue we
mentioned that Mayor Gass was
lying very low with hemorrhage of the lungs, and that his death
might be expected at any moment. It is now our painful duty to
announce on Wednesday, the 20th inst., at 4 p.m., he passed
quietly away in the 52d (sic) year of his age. On Friday
afternoon at 2 o'clock, he was followed to the grave by a large
concourse of citizens, preceded by the German and English Odd
Fellows of Mansfield, while the business houses generally closed
their doors in honor of his office. The deceased was the son of Wm.
and Rebecca Gass, and was born Oct. 24, 1819 in
Troy Township, Richland County, Ohio. He came to Mansfield when
he was about twenty four years of age, and commenced the study of
law with Judge James Stewart.
He was admitted to the bar in 1847, and commenced the practice of
law in this city, where he has resided ever since. In 1848 he
married Miss Amelia B. Coates.
In 1854 he was elected Mayor of Mansfield. In the fall of 1861 he
organized the 64th O.V.I., and on organization of the regiement
received a commission as Lieutenant Colonel. Shortly after being
mustered into service he was relieved from duty with his regiment
and assigned to duty on the staff of gen. Thos.
J. Ward, as Inspector General, and with that
division participated in the last part of the battle of Shiloh,
in the exposure of which campaign he contracted a disease which
forced his resignation in the following summer. In 1863 he was
elected to the State Senate. At the death of Judge Worden in 1869
he was appointed Assessor of Internal Revenue, which he held
until the office was abolished. In 1874 he was elected Justice of
the Peace, and in 1875 Mayor of the city of Mansfield, both of
which offices he held at the time of his death. Col. Gass was a
man of no ordinary character. Without the advantage of early
culture, except such as our rural schools afforded, he became so
proficient in intellectual acquirments as to merit distinction at
the bar; and ever, as long as health permitted, held a prominent
position there. Such was his sincerity, fidelity, energy, grasp
of thought, and soundness of judgment, that few were capable of
surpassing him. When quite a young man he was Mayor of the city,
and being elected this year was in the very acceptable discharge
of its duties till within six days of his decease. At this time,
too, his success in this office was the more marked from the
perculiar condition, and confusion of parties. Yet so faithful
and untiring was he in performing his duties that no party has
had the least reason to complain. Col. Gass
was a man of great refinement of manner. In whatever
circumstances he was placed, or wherever one might meet him, he
was always the perfect gentleman, and in manner both dignified
and courteous. The deceased was also a man of great tenderness of
feeling --genial, humane, and generous to a fault. Even when in
such agony as would have kept most men in bed, he would rise and
hasten to his office, lest some poor unfortunate should lie in
prison an hour longer than was necessary. It has been remarked
that probably no man in Mansfield had more friends than Mayor
Gass. And now an affectionate husband, a tender father, a kind
neighbor, and worthy citizen, loved and respected by all and
greatly missed by all, has been taken from us by the hand of
death; has fallen another victim of the late civil war, for he
too loved his country and gave himself for it. At a called
meeting of the City Council, held on Thursday evening, Oct. 21,
1875, to take action in regard to the death of Mayor
Gass, Mr. Schantz offered the following
resolutions which were unaminously adopted:
Whereas, It has been ordained, by an overruling and all-wise
Providence, that we should lose by death the Hon. Isaac Gass,
Mayor of our city: therefore, be it
Resolved, That in him our city has lost an efficient and
trustworthy officer, and that while we as the representatives of
the people of this city mourn our loss, we deeply sympathize with
his many personal friends, and particularly with the members of
his own family, in this their great beravement and irreparable
loss.
Resolved, That in his fidelity and devotion to the trusts of the
city, in the capacity of Mayor, he left an honrable and
ineffaceable impression on the pages of our city records.
Resolved, That the Council, together with the city officers,
will, in a body, accompany the remains of the deceased to their
last resting place.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be printed in each of
the city papers, and a copy sent to the family of deceased uner
the seal of the city.
Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon the journals of
the Council.
Passed Oct. 21, 1875
Jacob Straub
Prest. City Council.
1. Obituary,
Mansfield Newspaper, 1875.
2. Marriage, Volume 5, Page 101, Richland County
Courthouse.