Joseph Sater
Joseph Sater was born at the old home in Crosby township, November 20, 1824; spent his earlier years in the pursuits of the farm, and attending the district schools until the winter of 1844-5, when he was a student at Cary's academy, at College hill. Returning to the farm, he was married, as noted below, in 1849, to Miss Eliza A. Hedges, of Colerain township, and occupied his present place, adjoining his brother Thomas' farm, about one and one-half miles northeast of New Haven, where he has since resided, engaged in the peaceful pursuits of the successful farmer. In 1857 he was elected township trustee, and served three terms, and is now serving his twenty-fifth year as a member of the school board. In 1859, and in 1870, he was chosen real estate assessor for the township; in 1860 he was elected township treasurer, and served about eleven years, when he was elected county commissioner and declined to serve longer. In 1863 and 1867 he was nominated for the legistature on the Democratic ticket, the first nomination being unanimous, and the second practically so, and was defeated with his ticket his party being then greatly in the minority. He was chosen twice to the commissionership, in 1871 and again in 1874, both times on minority tickets, being nominated by the Democrats the first time, and running independently the second time, but taken up by the Republicans. He was first elected when the majority of the Republican ticket was more than seventeen hundred, and Mr. Sater's majority was two thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, a vote ahead of his ticket of more than four thousand five hundred. At the second election he ran as an independent candidate, when he defeated the regular Democratic nominee by about six hundred, the Republican ticket being also defeated by four thousand seven hundred votes a gain for him of about five thousand three hundred. He was a very active, energetic, and fearless member of the board. As a result of some of the inquiries and agitations started by him while in this office the law for the board of control was procured from the State legislature. He would recognize no legislation by the board which was transacted in beer saloons or anywhere else than in the rightful place of meeting, and at last succeeded in breaking up the practice of signing bills or records that were not regularly before the board in its own room in the court house. Repeatedly he filed his protest against the payment of illegal claims, and generally succeeded in checking or preventing payments. Several resolutions were introduced by him, and carried, to lop off superfluous officials, and otherwise economize the expenditure of the public funds. The signal impression produced by his service during the first term, upon the tax-payers and voters of the county, is shown by the triumphant success of his second canvass for the same office, made in opposition to a regular nominee. At the close of his second term, November 30, 1877, after serving six years and one month, a complimentary dinner was tendered at the St. Nicholas in Cincinnati, to "Honest Joe Sater," as his friends were wont to call him. It was attended by many county officers and other prominent personages, and. presided over by Governor-elect R. M. Bishop, who said, in his introductory remarks:
I feel highly complimented in being called on to preside on the present occasion. which is intended by the friends of Mr. Sater as a compliment to a man who has filled a position for the past six years, not only with credit to himself, but with credit to the county which he has had the honor to represent.
Upon the same occasion, Thomas B. Paxton, county solicitor, expressed the opinion "that Mr. Sater had saved this county one hundred thousand dollars per year, to the great disgust of certain small contractors." Many complimentary remarks were also made by Governor Thomas L. Young and others, in letters conveying regrets. B. F. Brannen, for example, in a letter, said he had "for the period of three years occasion to closely watch the manner in which Mr. Sater performed the duties of his office. In all that time there could not be discovered the slightest divergence from the strict and just path of duty. His course was invariably marked by an austere devotion to the economic interests of Hamilton county, and his record was found true and clean - a record that will stand on the pages of the history of Hamilton county bright and shining as 'the old silver dollar of the fathers' fresh from the mint, stamped with the figure of that noble bird which is the emblem of the Republic, symbolizing a character that at life's end will soar to the skies and beyond to receive the just reward due to the faithful public servant." Murat Halstead, esq., editor of the Commercial, said in excusing his absence, "I would with sincerity join in the recognition proposed of the faithful and valuable public service of Mr. Joseph Sater, whose name is identified in this community with vigilance and integrity in the discharge of the duties of a position of responsibility." Judge M. F. Force (letter) said, "Mr. Sater has well earned the compliment by his valuable public service." Richard Smith said, "I have no doubt that Mr. Sater feels much better to-night to go out of that very responsible office which he has very faithfully filled, with the reputation which he has, than with a half-million of dollars stolen. Money will perish. His reputation for honesty will never perish. It will live when the grass shall grow green over his grave." I. J. Miller said, he "had not only been an honest officer, but a capable one. He had shown himself better acquainted with the laws governing his office than any member of the bar of Hamilton county." Judge Longworth said, "It was better to have written on Mr. Sater's record, as it was now written, than on the tomb, the tribute to his honesty and capability."
Mr. Sater was, by the joint action of the judges of the common pleas and superior courts of Hamilton county, in April, 1881, appointed one of three jury commissioners to select a list of six thousand names from which the juries for said courts will be drawn. Mr. Sater has also settled a large number of estates with a fidelity and accuracy that have justified the confidence reposed in him by widows and orphans. He has not thought it necessary to belong to any religious or secret order, but has always liberally contributed to the support of different religious organizations.
Eliza A. (Hedges) was second daughter of Anthony Ludlow and Hannah A. (Johnson) Hedges, of Colerain township. The Hedges and Johnson families of the next previous generation came together from New Jersey (Hedges in 1805, Johnson in 1809), at a very early day, and settled in Colerain, near the site of the famous ancient work at Dunlap's Station, which is now in possession of the Johnson descendants. Hannah A. Johnson was born January 12, 1805, and is still living on the old place, as Mrs. Marsh, she having been a second time married. Mr. Hedges died in September, 1831. Upon this farm was born Eliza Ann, January 11, 1826. Her formal education was received solely in the public schools, and she remained at home with her parents until her marriage to Mr. Sater, March 29, 1849. Since that time she has shared the toils and struggles, the joys and sorrows of her husband, with little personal history apart from his. They have had four children, of whom one survives. The record is as follows:
Hannah Jane, born March 30, 1850; died July 28th, of the same year.
William, born January 5, 1852; died April 1, 1856.
George Ludlow, born August 20, 1853; died December 22, 1853.
May Eliza, born December 30, 1856; married July 29, 1874, to John Lowry Wakefield, of the old pioneer family of that name in Crosby township; resides with her husband at her father's home. They have two children.
Mr. Sater is not only the most prominent man of his township, but one of the leading and substantial citizens of the county. He enjoys the esteem and respect of al the better elements to be found in both political parties of the present day. His integrity, honesty, and wise counsels have secured for him a reputation which few men are permitted to enjoy. His home is one of the finest in the township. Hospitable, generous, respected by all, he is a living example of what honesty and fair-dealing will earn for a man who possesses all these qualities, as does honest Jo Sater.
From History of Hamilton county, Ohio, Henry & Kate Ford, L. A. Williams & Co., Publishers, 1881