Legislator Details


Francis Byron Dewitt
AKA:
Number of sessions served 1
Gender: Male
Age at election: 71

Vital Records Information:

Birth
Date: 3/11/1849
City:
County: Jackson, Indiana
Country: USA
 
Death
Date: 3/21/1929
City: Standish
County:
Country: US
Type of Burial: interment
Burial
Date:
City: Paulding, Ohio
County:
Country: US
Cemetery: Live Oak

Marital Information:

Number of Children: 0


Background

Religion:
Military Service:
Occupation: Lawyer and farmer.
Race:

Education:
Educated in district schools in Galena, Ohio, the National Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio and Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio.

Biographical Sketch:
Dewitt served as representative from the Iosco district (comprised of Alcona, Iosco, Arenac, and Ogemaw counties) fr0m 1921-22. He was born in Indiana and moved to Delaware County with his parents in 1854. After the Civil War, he practiced law for 17 years in Ohio. He also served in the Ohio State Legislature and was elected as a Republican representative to teh 54th Congress (March 4, 1895 - March 3, 1897.) Unsuccessful in his bid for reelection in 1896, De Witt briefly returned to farming in Paulding, Ohio before moving to Standish, Michigan in 1902. De Witt was elected prosecuting attorney of Arenac County, Michigan, in 1926. He was reelected in 1928 and served until his death in Standish, Michigan, on March 21, 1929.

Notable Facts:
At age 12, he enlisted in the 46th Ohio Infantry and served in the 46th and the 121st Ohio Infantry until the close of the Civil War in 1865. He was imprisoned in Confederate Prisons at Salisbury,N.C. Danville, VA and Libby in Richmond, VA.


Sessions Served:

Chamber: House
Party: Republican
Committees Served On: Federal Relations , Liquor Traffic , Michigan Soldiers' Home , Military Affairs
Postions Held:

City of Residence: Standish
County of Residence Iosco
District: Iosco
District Description: Comprising the counties of Alcona, Arenac, Iosco and Ogemaw

Date Elected: 11/2/1920
Date Sworn In: 1/5/1921
Date Left Office:

Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Departed

Maritial Status: Married
Notes:

Bibliography:

Michigan Biographies; vol. 1, p. 238. CongBio, Electronic ed.