Sonoma-Santa Clara County CA Archives Biographies.....Lippitt, Edward Spalding 1824 - 
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Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880)

Lippitt, Edward Spalding. The subject of this memoir was born in the town of
Woodstock, Windham county, State of Connecticut, September 17, 1824. His father
was of the stock of the Lippitts of Rhode Island, who were among the earliest
settlers of the Providence plantations. His mother, nee Lois Spalding, was the
daughter of a substantial farmer of Thompson, Connecticut, and on each side the
family was of English extraction. While a child, his parents removed to the town
of Killingly, Connecticut, where they resided upon a farm until 1832, when they
removed to Thompson, Connecticut, where they also resided upon a farm. Edward
was the third son and fifth child in a family of nine children. His early
education was limited to the four months schooling each Winter usually given in
the country of New England to all the children. His reading was confined chiefly
to the theological books of his father, who was also a Methodist local preacher,
consisting of Clarke's Commentaries, Watson's Theological Institutes, Wesley's
Sermons, Dr. Clarke's Life and the Christian Advocate, the organ of the
Methodist Episcopal church, and the old Hartford Times. At the age of sixteen he
attended the Academy at Thompson for part of one year and one Winter. During an
illness of that year he bought a Latin grammar and reader and commenced the
study of Latin by himself. In the Fall of 1842, he entered East Greenwich
Academy, Rhode Island, where he spent one term in study, and taught a district
school four miles south of East Greenwich in the Winter of 1842-3 for four
months, for the sum of thirteen dollars a month and boarded around, still
keeping up with his studies at the academy and reading the most of the Greek
reader that Winter. The Spring and Summer of 1843 he spent chiefly in working at
the carpenter's trade. In the Fall of that year he entered the Freshman class in
Wesleyan University at Middletown, Connecticut. His father being in moderate
circumstances, was unable to assist him to any great extent, and he was forced
to rely upon his own exertions to meet the expenses of his University life. In
this he was greatly assisted by his elder brother. During the first Winter
vacation he taught school four months. Thereafter his whole time was devoted and
demanded to master the rigorous course of study adopted by the University. To
meet his expenses he worked at jobbing in cabinet-making, built the fires and
rung the bell for the University. By thus severely taxing all his powers of body
and mind, he was enabled to graduate with honor in 1847, in the full classical
course of the University. In his class were Senator Cole, of California,
Professor Martin, of the University of the Pacific, Orange Judd, of New York,
Bishop Andrews, of the Methodist Episcopal church, Alexander Wendell, the
naturalist and author, Drs. King and Pillsbury, of the New York Conference, and
others of distinguished merit. In April, 1847, he was elected Principal of the
Collegiate Institute and Gymnasium at Pembroke, New Hampshire, and left college
three months before commencement to enter upon his new duties, returning to
graduate with his class in July, when he was elected President of his class and
presided at the class meetings and exercises of commencement. During the year
1847-8, while teaching, he commenced the study of law, spending his vacations at
Harvard Law School. In the Fall of 1848, he removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, where
he was elected Professor of Mathematics and Natural Science in the Wesleyan
Female College in that city, where he continued until 1852, when he founded the
Scientific and Classical Institute of that city for the instruction of young
men. In 1855, he retired from school-teaching and entered upon the practice of
the law for which he had been preparing himself by assiduous labors for all the
years he had been engaged in teaching and was admitted to the Bar of the State
of Ohio in that year. During the years 1856-7, he was a member of the School
Board of the city of Cincinnati and chairman of committee on text books. During
the next four years he was associated with W. B. Probasco in the law business.
In 1859, he was elected City Solicitor with R. B. Hayes (now President Hayes),
which office he held until the breaking out of the war in 1861. After his entry
upon the practice of the law, he entered also earnestly into politics, making
the canvass of Hamilton county several times, and in 1860 canvassing the
southern part of Ohio for Abraham Lincoln, and was then accounted one of the
most effective speakers among the young men of Ohio. In 1856, he was a delegate
from Cincinnati, First Congressional District, to the National Convention at
Philadelphia, which nominated Filmore for President, and took an active part in
the campaign of that year. In the Spring of 1862, he emigrated to California,
making the trip overland, and was elected Professor of Mathematics at the
University of the Pacific at Santa Clara, remaining there only one year. In
July, 1863, he came to Petaluma to take charge of the public schools of the
city, which he retained for four years, bringing them up to a high state of
excellence. During that time he also, during the absence of Mr. Taylor, preached
for the Congregational church for the year 1863-4, and under his charge that
church edifice was enlarged. The next year he took charge of the Methodist
Episcopal church and began the erection of the present structure, buying their
present location and laying the solid foundation and building the first story of
what was intended to be one of the finest churches in the State. In 1867, he
built the fine buildings on D street, now occupied by the city High School, as a
collegiate institute, but in the Spring of 1870 was obliged by his pecuniary
losses to relinquish the enterprise, losing his whole investment therein. He
then returned to his old profession, the practice of the law, which he has since
pursued with unremitting care and attention. During the ten years that have
intervened, he has built up a lucrative practice and taken rank among the best
lawyers of the district. During the war Mr. Lippitt took an active part for the
Union cause, and by his endeavor and eloquence raised large sums of money for
the sanitary and Christian commissions. He is one of the most eloquent and
popular speakers in the State, and is ever ready to respond in behalf of every
good enterprise. He has been largely sought for to canvass the State in the
interest of political parties, and since 1867 has four times made the canvass of
a large portion of the State. During the issue upon the new Constitution his
eloquent voice was heard in the largest hall in San Francisco, as well as in
remote parts of the State, in behalf of the old Constitution. For six years he
has been the Secretary of the Sonoma and Marin District Agricultural Society,
and by his valuable aid many of the improvements of these years have been made,
upon several occasions delivering the annual address. He is also a life trustee
of the Public Library of Petaluma and chairman of the committee on books, etc.
He is also and has been since its formation a Director of the Mutual Relief
Association of Petaluma, and also is the City Attorney of the city of Petaluma,
which office he has held for the last six years. On November 20, 1848, he was
married to Miss Helen M. Young, of Lebanon, New Hampshire, who died June 27,
1849, in Cincinnati, of cholera. On July 3, 1851, he married Miss Sarah L.
Lewis, of Monroe, Louisiana. They have had nine children, five of whom are
living. Mr. Lippitt is still in the vigor of his manhood and bids fair to add
many other years to his life of usefulness.

Additional Comments:
Petaluma Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY
—OF-
SONOMA COUNTY,
-INCLUDING ITS—
Geology, Topooraphy, Mountains, Valleys and Streams;
—TOGETHER WITH—
A Full and Particular Record of the Spanish Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources; the Names of Original
Spanish and American Pioneers; a full Political History, Comprising the Tabular
Statements of Elections and Office-holders since the Formation of the County;
Separate Histories of each Township, Showing the Advancement of Grape and Grain
 Growing Interests, and Pisciculture;
ALSO, INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE; THE RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG; AND BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
—AND OF ITS—
Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc., Etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO:
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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