This 19th-century politician served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio and was a strong advocate for the abolition of slavery. He also played a key role in the formation of the Republican Party.
George Bliss was born on January 1, 1813, in Jericho, Vermont, to a family of modest means. He graduated from Granville College, after which he moved to Ohio in 1832 or 1833 to pursue his passion for law. Under the guidance of David Kellogg Cartter, a prominent lawyer of the time, Bliss studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1841.
Bliss's early career was marked by his partnership with Cartter in Akron, Ohio, where he established himself as a shrewd and astute lawyer. His reputation soon earned him the position of Mayor of Akron in 1850. The same year, Governor Reuben Wood appointed Bliss as presiding judge of the eighth judicial district, replacing Benjamin Wade, a position he held until the office was discontinued after a constitutional change.
Bliss's political career was marked by two non-consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives. He was first elected to the Thirty-third Congress in 1853, defeating Darius Lyman, a Free Soiler. However, he withdrew his nomination for reelection in 1855. Bliss was re-elected to the Thirty-eighth Congress in 1863, but was unsuccessful in his bid for re-election in 1864.
In 1858, Bliss played a pivotal role in the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue case, one of the most significant cases of his career. As principal counsel and attorney, he assisted George Belden, the United States District Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, in the prosecution of two abolitionists accused of helping a slave escape. Both defendants were found guilty, and Bliss's involvement in the case earned him widespread recognition and acclaim.
George Bliss married Sarah J. Fish of Williamstown, New York, and the couple had one daughter and four sons. After Bliss's death on October 24, 1868, his family moved to Brooklyn, New York. He was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Wooster, Ohio.
Bliss was a delegate to the Union National Convention at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1866, a testament to his reputation as a respected politician and jurist of his time.
George Bliss's life and career were shaped by the tumultuous years of the mid-19th century, marked by the struggle for abolition, the Civil War, and the Reconstruction era. His involvement in the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue case and his advocacy for the abolition of slavery cemented his place in American history as a champion of social justice and equality.
Overall, George Bliss's life and legacy serve as a testament to his unwavering commitment to social justice, equality, and the rule of law, making him an enduring figure in American history.
Born in 1858
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