HERRICK, JOHN FRENCH (23 Feb. 1836-5 July 1909), volunteer CIVIL WAR Army officer and attorney, was born in Wellington, Lorain County, Ohio, to Ephraim and Chloe Wilcox Herrick. He attended Oberlin College (1856-62), and raised Co. D, 87th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in Lorain County and was appointed captain. Unfortunately, the 87th was captured at Harper's Ferry by Confederate Gen. Thos. J. "Stonewall" Jackson on 15 Sept. 1862, 2 days before the Battle of Antietam. Paroled and out of the war, Herrick returned to Cleveland, studied law at Union and Ohio State law colleges, and graduated in 1863.
In 1863, Herrick was again eligible for military service. He raised a company for the 12TH OHIO VOLUNTEER CAVALRY, placed on detached duty on Johnson's Island during the Nov. 1863 invasion scare at the island's Confederate prison. In the field, Herrick was promoted to lieutenant colonel and commanded the regiment during the last year of the war. Returning to Cleveland at the war's end, he practiced law in partnership with his brother, Gamaliel E. Herrick, until 1892. He was for a time senior partner of the firm of Herrick, Athey & Bliss, but withdrew to practice law alone. He was elected senator to the Ohio state legislature in 1901 and was noted for a bill establishing juvenile courts in Ohio. Herrick spent his last years representing E. Cleveland Street Railroad Co. and Cowell Platform & Coupler Co.
Herrick married Flora Emma Waring on 23 May 1877. They had 8 children: Clay, Flora Scott (Spelman), Pauline, Howard, Marion Gertrude (Temple), Marguerite, Francis W., and Green. He preceded his wife in death and is buried in LAKE VIEW CEMETERY.
Mason, F. H. The Twelfth Ohio Cavalry (1871).