Salmon Portland Chase (United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division)
Originally named Madison, or C Street, the third street west of Sheridan in Edgewater was officially renamed Chase Street in 1903. It was named after Supreme Court Justice Salomon P. Chase.
Born in New Hampshire in 1808, Chase would later move to Cincinnati, Ohio where he practiced law. Known for his fervent anti-slavery views, he rose to national prominence after arguing before the Supreme Court in Jones v. Van Zandt.
In 1849, Chase was elected to represent Ohio in the United States Senate where he continued to be a champion of abolitionist causes. While serving his second term as a U.S. Senator, Chase was named Secretary of the Treasury by Abraham Lincoln. As Secretary, Chase was a key figure in establishing our national banking system after the National Banking Acts of 1863 and 1864 which established the Federal Government’s authority over issuing national bank charters and helping to establish a more uniform banking system in the US. Chase also had a hand in the creation and design of both our paper currency and coins.
In 1864, Chase was nominated and confirmed as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. One of his first acts as Chief Justice was to admit John Rock External to the bar of the Supreme Court. External was an African American man born to “free” parents. He would go on to present many oral arguments to the Supreme Court, the first African American to do so. External even presided over the impeachment of Andrew Johnson.
Chase would go on to run for the office of President of the United States of America in 1868 and 1872. Both bids failed. He died in New York in 1873 and was buried in Washington D.C. but was later moved to Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinatti Ohio.
Thanks for these interesting pieces!