George Bliss (Congressman)

George Bliss (January 1, 1813 – October 24, 1868) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio for two non-consecutive terms in the 1850s and 1860s.

George Bliss
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio
In office March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855
Preceded by	David K. Cartter
Succeeded by	Benjamin F. Leiter
Constituency	18th district
In office March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865
Preceded by	Harrison G. O. Blake
Succeeded by	Martin Welker
Constituency	14th district
Personal details
Born	(1813-01-01)January 1, 1813 Jericho, Vermont, U.S.
Died	October 24, 1868(1868-10-24) (aged 55) Wooster, Ohio, U.S.
Resting place	Oak Hill Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Sarah J. Fish
Children	5
Alma mater	Granville College

Early life

George Bliss was born on January 1, 1813, in Jericho, Vermont. He graduated from Granville College. He moved to Ohio in 1832 or 1833. He studied law with David Kellogg Cartter. He was admitted to the bar in 1841 and became Cartter's law partner in Akron, Ohio.^[1][2][3]

Career

Bliss was Mayor of Akron in 1850.^[2] In 1850, Governor Reuben Wood appointed Bliss as presiding judge of the eighth judicial district, replacing Benjamin Wade and continued in that role until the office was discontinued after a constitutional change.^[1][3]

Bliss was elected to the Thirty-third Congress (March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855) as a Democrat, defeating Free Soiler Darius Lyman. Bliss subsequently withdrew his nomination for re-election in 1855.^[1][3] He continued practising law in Wooster, Ohio. He formed a partnership with John McSweeney.^[1][3] In 1858, he was principal counsel and attorney in the Oberlin–Wellington Rescue case, assisting George Belden of Canton, the United States District Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, in the prosecution. Both conspirators were found guilty by the jury in the court of judge Hiram V. Willson, and punished.^[4]

Bliss was elected to the Thirty-eighth congress (March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865) and was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1864. He was a delegate to the Union National Convention at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1866.^[1][3]

Death

Bliss married Sarah J. Fish of Williamstown, New York, and they had one daughter and four sons. After Bliss died, his family moved to Brooklyn, New York.^[2][3]

Bliss died in Wooster on October 24, 1868. He was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.^[1][3]