Miami County, Ohio Genealogical Researchers -- Sponsored by the Computerized Heritage Association


    JUDGE NATE IDDINGS
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    Judge Nate Iddings. The historic spirit, faithful to the record, the discerning judgment, unmoved by prejudice, and uncolored by undue enthusiasm, are as essential in giving the life of the individual person as in writing the history of a nation. Each one of us is "the heir of all the ages, in the foremost files of time." We build upon the solid foundation laid by the strenuous efforts of the fathers who have gone before us. Nothing is more fitting, and, indeed, more important, than that we should familiarize ourselves with their work and personality; for it is they who have lifted us up to the lofty positions from which we are working out our own separate careers. "Lest we forget," it is important that we gather up the fleeting memories of the past and give them permanent record in well-chosen biography. The State of Ohio has been the scene of events of vast importance, and the home of some of the most illustrious men of the nation. Her sons have shed luster upon her name in every profession and calling, and especially is this true of the members of the bench and bar. Wherever they have dispersed they have been a power for ideal citizenship and good government. Their achievements constitute an inheritance, upon which the present generation has entered and the advantages secured from so very great a bequest depends largely upon the fidelity with which is conducted the study of the lives of those who have transmitted so precious a legacy. Typical of these men who collectively have written this magnificent record for their State and incidentally inscribed their own names on the pages of fame is that dean of the Miami county bar, judge Nate Iddings. The judicial labors of judge Iddings have not only won for him the fullest recognition by the bar and public, but for forty-five years his reputation as a court reporter has extended far beyond the confines of his own state, in fact it may be said that he was the first to learn and make practical use of short-hand, in the State of Ohio. Judge Iddings was born at Pleasant Hill, in Miami county, Ohio, on the 17th day of March, 1841, on a tract of land with a trail leading through it that lead to Dayton, in a log house that his father built. Game and song birds abounded in the woods and wolves prowled around the house at night. He attended the country schools and later the Quaker College, from which he graduated with the class of 1856, he being the only survivor of that class at present. At the age of sixteen he entered upon life's duties as a school teacher at which he made a signal success, by reason of the fact that he banished flogging from the school. He then attended the school at College Hill and from there went into Henry Snow's office at Cincinnati as a student, and from there to the office of Alexander Long, who was a member of Congress at that time. On the twenty-first day of April, 1862, he attended the supreme court at the examination of the law class, and passed with the class and was admitted to the bar as an attorney at law, the examination being oral. While studying law at Cincinnati, Judge Iddings met Benjamin Pittman, who had located at Cincinnati to introduce shorthand to this country, a system which had been invented by his brother, Isaac Pittman, a young Englishman who came to America to introduce the Pittman system of short-hand writing. Mr. Pittman and Judge Iddings became fast friends, and Mr. Pittman induced Judge Iddings to take up short-hand and to adopt it as a profession, which he did and after several months' hard work, became very proficient, and was able to write 200 words a minute. His first experience as a court reporter was at the Mitchell murder trial at Troy, Ohio, with judge Williams on the bench. The trial lasted two weeks and Mitchell was found guilty of murder in the first degree, and sentenced to be hanged. Later his attorneys made an effort to have the sentence commuted to life imprisonment. The governor sent for Judge Iddings to bring his notes to Columbus to him, which he did. There being no typewriters in use at that time, it was necessary for Judge Iddings to read the report of the entire trial from his short-hand manuscript, which took about one week. However, after hearing the evidence the governor refused to interfere and Mitchell was hanged. This was the first trial ever reported by shorthand in Miami county and one of the first in the Middle West. This lead him to adopt the vocation of court reporter which he followed during the next forty-five years in many of the states of the Middle West. Judge Iddings first political speech to be reported was that of Senator Allen G. Thurman. He also annotated the speeches of such famous men as Stephen A. Douglas, judge West, Major Blackburn, C. W. Anderson, Governor Foster, and he was reporter at the convention at Chicago that nominated William Jennings Bryan as the candidate for President on the Democratic ticket, and Judge Iddings reported his famous "Crown of Gold" speech. In 1884 he also reported the famous liquor speech of Governor Hoadly. In November, 1890, he reported the speech of Senator W. C. P. Brenkenridge, of Kentucky, at a banquet given by the Thurman Club on the retirement of Senator Thurman from active life. He likewise reported other speeches and toasts at the banquet including that of President Cleveland. There were 1,044 guests at the tables, each of the guests paying $10 a plate. Among the notable men present were many of State and National reputation. In 1895 at the International Association of Reporters held at Cincinnati he reached the top of the ladder in his profession by writing 250 words a minute, for a period of five minutes, this being the best record that had ever been made at that time. He also won first prize for neatness of manuscript. He was later chosen to report, the proceedings of the annual conference, in Dayton, of the German Reform Church. These later proceedings were compiled in a small book, of which 125,000 were sold at the conference at twenty-five cents each. In 1881 he reported the conference of the United Brethren church in Iowa. Many events and speeches which have been reported by judge Iddings have been preserved as valuable records for future generations. Judge Iddings has been present and gave addresses at every convention of the National Association of Stenographers since its organization. Judge Iddings also reported the speeches of President Harding when he was campaigning for senator. In 1869 Mr. Iddings took up his residence in Bradford where in later years he devoted himself to the practice of law and the handling of his large realty interests, for success has come to him not only in his profession as a court reporter and as a lawyer but in his business dealings and real estate investments. For many years he has been attorney for the, Pennsylvania railroad and has rendered signal service to Miami county in a number of ways, more especially in securing the railroad yards, division round house, Young Men's Christian Association railroad building and headquarters of this division of the Pennsylvania for Bradford. Not only has Judge Iddings prominent clients as an attorney, but he has a number of important business relations as well as a number of a civic character, and he is secretary of the Bradford Building and Loan Association. During the World war period he was a most liberal contributor to all war movements, and was associate member of the draft board for his locality. In 1886 at Covington, Ohio, Judge Iddings was made a Mason. Later he helped organize the lodge at Pleasant Hill and is a charter member of the Bradford, Ohio, lodge. In 1913 he erected the building now known as the Masonic Temple, in Bradford, Ohio, the rooms of this building being occupied by the lodge free of rent. Not only can it be said of Judge Iddings that he is the dean of court reporters of the state of Ohio, and dean of the bench and bar in Miami county, and a prominent pioneer citizen, but he is a descendant of an old pioneer family who trace their genealogy back to Joseph Iddings, who came to America in 1796. judge Iddings is the son of Davis and Sarah (Hill) Iddings, the latter a daughter of the first white settler of Newton township, Miami county, and the former a lifelong pioneer farmer of this locality. In this family were four children: Dr. A. H., who is deceased; J. D., a veteran of the Civil war; Maria, the wife of John J. Jay, and Judge Nate. While Judge Iddings still retains his law office in Bradford and continues his practice in Miami county he built one of the most beautiful homes in Dayton, Ohio, where he now resides. On the thirteenth day of May, 1868, at Covington, Ohio, Judge Iddings was united in marriage with Miss Nancy Patty, a daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Hill) Patty, well known residents of Miami County, Ohio. To this union was born one son, Frank, who resides in Dayton, Ohio, and who married Miss Lillian Miles, of Pleasant Hill. They are the parents of two Children: Mildred and Sarah Nancy. In conclusion we may add that by a force of unusual circumstances and the illness of Judge Wright, who was unable to occupy the bench, that Judge Iddings filled the position as judge of the court of common pleas of Miami county. But it has been as an attorney and a counselor that he has endeared himself to the hearts of the people. Many have been the cases which, through his good advice and counsel, have been settled out of court. He has always been frank and generous ; his sympathies are quick and warm, and he possesses a lively sense of humor, and delights in its innocent and kindly exercise. His charities have been extensive and unostentatious, his affections deep and true. In the midst of all the many tasks with which his broad and willing shoulders have been burdened, Judge Iddings' feelings and affections have taken him to his home and the intercourse of his own family for rest and relaxation. Here he experiences more real happiness than he could extract ou t of any other form of occupation and every hour of which he has felt free to dispose to his own pleastire has thus been spent among those he loves best. Thus he is rounding out his life, and to his splendid record of public service, good citizenship a nd business success, he is adding the highest praise of a true and worthy manhood.

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