Judge Benjamin F. Freshwater
Judge Benjamin F. Freshwater was born November 24, 1852, on the "Hinton Farm" in Delaware Township, and grew to manhood on his father's farm in Berlin Township. He is the son of Captain Archibald Freshwater, an honored veteran of the Civil war. The subject of this sketch received his early education in the public schools. At the age of nineteen he entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, where he completed the classical course, and was graduated in the year 1877. He began the study of law in the office of Carper and Van Deman, teaching school at times to help defray expenses. He was admitted to the Bar on the second day of June, 1880, by the Supreme Court of Ohio, and on the first day of July, 1880, began the practice of his profession, having formed a partnership with F. B. DeWitt, of Paulding County, Ohio. The style of the firm being DeWitt and Freshwater. In the year 1881 the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Freshwater continuing the practice in Paulding County until the year 1885, when he returned to his old home and he opened an office in Delaware in the autumn of that year.
Mr. Freshwater is a Republican in politics, and he was chosen secretary of the Republican Central Committee in which he served the party for two years. He was nominated for probate judge by the Republican party in the year 1893, and was elected and entered upon the duties of his office February 9, 1894. He was re-nominated and re-elected in the year 1896, and served out his full term. After his retirement from office he entered into a partnership for the practice of law, with Hon. F. M. Marriott, the style of the firm being Marriott & Freshwater. This firm continued in the practice until February, 1902, when Judge Wickham retired from the Common Pleas bench, at which time a new partnership was formed and Judge Wickham was taken into the firm, the style of the new firm being Marriott, Freshwater and Wickham. This partnership continued until December, 1906, when Judge Wickham retired from the firm to accept the Common Pleas Court judgship, to which he had been elected in November, 1906, since which time Marriott and Freshwater have continued the practice under the style of the old firm of Marriott & Freshwater.
Mr. Freshwater belongs to the following named fraternal organizations, viz.: Hiram Lodge, F. & A. M.; Lenape Lodge. No. 28, K. of P., and Delaware Lodge. B. P. O. E. He is one of the Alumni Trustees of the Ohio Wesleyan University, and is one of the directors of The Delaware Savings Bank Company, and is the attorney for the People's Building and Loan Company, and is now in the midst of an active and lucrative practice of his profession.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908