Representative Francis Byron De Witt

Francis Byron De Witt (March 11, 1849 – March 21, 1929) was a U.S. Representative from Ohio who served one term in Congress from 1895 to 1897. A member of the Republican Party, he participated in the legislative process during a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his Ohio constituents and contributing to the broader democratic process at the close of the nineteenth century.

De Witt was born in Jackson County, Indiana, on March 11, 1849. In 1854 he moved with his parents to a farm in Delaware County, Ohio, where he was raised. His early life was shaped by the upheaval of the Civil War. At the age of twelve, he enlisted in the Forty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After being mustered out for temporary disability, he reenlisted in 1862 in the One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served until the close of the war. During his military service he was captured and held as a prisoner of war in several Confederate prisons, including Salisbury, Danville, and Libby Prisons, experiences that marked his youth and likely influenced his later public service.

Following the war, De Witt pursued his education in Ohio. He attended the common schools and high school in Galena, Ohio, and continued his studies at the National Normal School in Lebanon, Ohio. He also studied at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, reflecting a sustained commitment to formal education after his wartime service. This educational foundation prepared him for careers in both teaching and the law, as well as for subsequent roles in public office.

In 1872 De Witt moved to Paulding, Ohio, where he initially worked as a schoolteacher. While teaching, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1875. He then commenced the practice of law in Paulding, building a professional career in the legal field. De Witt practiced law there until 1891, when he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, engaging in farming near Paulding. His combined experience as a teacher, lawyer, and farmer provided him with a broad understanding of the concerns of his community and the state.

De Witt entered state politics as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, serving from 1892 to 1895. His legislative work at the state level preceded his election to national office. In 1894 he was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fourth Congress, representing Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1895, to March 3, 1897. During this single term in Congress, he served as part of the Republican majority in an era marked by debates over economic policy, tariffs, and the aftermath of the Panic of 1893. He sought reelection in 1896 but was unsuccessful, bringing his federal legislative service to a close after one term.

After leaving Congress, De Witt returned to private life in Ohio and resumed agricultural pursuits near Paulding. He remained engaged in his community until the early twentieth century, when he relocated to Michigan. In 1903 he moved to Standish, Michigan, where he resumed the practice of law. His legal expertise and prior legislative experience soon led to additional public responsibilities in his adopted state.

In Michigan, De Witt continued his public service in both administrative and legislative roles. He served as register of deeds, a position that involved oversight of land and property records, and later was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, serving from 1920 to 1922. His career culminated in local prosecutorial office: he was elected prosecuting attorney of Arenac County, Michigan, in 1926, and was reelected in 1928. He held this office until his death in Standish, Arenac County, Michigan, on March 21, 1929. Francis Byron De Witt was interred in Live Oak Cemetery in Paulding, Ohio, returning in burial to the community where he had long lived and first established his professional and political career.