Wyliss Silliman
was the first presiding common pleas judge to sit in Adams County after the State was organized. He occupied the bench from April 15, 1803, to June, 1804. He was born in Stratford, Connecticut, October 8, 1777, and died in Zanesville, Ohio, November 13, 1842. His wife was Dora Webster Cass, daughter of Major Cass, and sister of Gen. William Lewis Cass. He was married to her July 14, 1802. When a young man, he removed to western Virginia, and, in 1800, edited a paper there, and was a strong Federalist in the contest between Jefferson and Adams.
The struggle was too much for him, and he moved to Washington County, Ohio. He was a member of the first Legislature of Ohio from Washington County. In that body he was elected presiding judge of the second circuit, composed of Adams, Scioto, Ross, Franklin, Fairfield, and Gallia. It was too humdrum a place for him, and he resigned in 1804, and located at Zanesville, and was the first lawyer there, and in the next year, Silliman, Cass, and Herrick were the only resident lawyers. In 1805, he was appointed register of the Zanesville land office, and held that until 1811. In 1811 he was in the commission to select the State Capital.
In 1824 he was a candidate for United States Senator, and re ceived 44 votes, to 58 for General W. H. Harrison, who was elected. In 1825 he was in the State Senate, from Muskingum County, and served one term. In 1826 he was again a candidate for United States Senator, and received 45 votes, to 54 for Benjamin Ruggles, who was elected. He was a member of the House from Muskingum County in 1828 and 1829. From 1832 to 1834 he was solicitor of the Treasury, appointed by President Jackson.
He was a great natural orator, but his early education was defective. His legal attainments were not of a high order. He was a great reader, and read everything which came in his way. He was of no use in a case until it came to be argued. He did not examine witnesses or prepare pleadings, but advocacy was his forte. He was indifferent to his personal appearance, and looked as though his clothes had been pitched on him. He was as sportive and playful as a boy. In all criminal cases, in breach of promise or seduction cases, he was uniformly retained, but it was in the great criminal cases where his power as an advocate was demonstrated. He was stout and well formed, above medium height. He had two sons, who came to the bar, and he had a son-in-law, C. C. Gilbert, a lawyer in Zanesville. He was one of the distinguished figures of his time.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900