Isaac Gass
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.