Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 07.pdf/258

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A Sketch of the Supreme Court of Ohio. tion with the older and distinguished lawyers of Cincinnati and the Bar of the whole Miami Circuit. Notwithstanding the embarrass ments resulting from his modesty and dif fidence, and the learning and eloquence of his competitors, his knowledge of the law and his sound judgment made him a suc cessful practitioner. In 1807 he was ap pointed prosecuting attorney for the county

of Warren, a position he held for ten years, when he was succeed ed by his pupil, Tho mas Corwin. The dil igence, integrity and ability with which he discharged the duties of this office made him widely known and universally re spected. In 1817 he was elected by the Legislature President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the term of seven years, and at the close of his term was re-elected. He con tinued on the Com mon Pleas bench un til 1829, when he was elected by the Leg JOHN H. islature a Judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio. His duties as Supreme Judge were onerous; he was compelled to attend courts in distant parts of the State, and to ride on horseback from county to county. At the end of his term, in 1836, he retired to his farm near Lebanon, where he resided until his death. After his retirement from the bench he permitted his name to be placed on the Whig electoral ticket, in 1836, and again in 1849, and having been elected both times, he twice cast an electoral vote for his friend, General Harrison.

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He was a benevolent and kind-hearted man, and, though an able lawyer and judge, the crowning glory of his life was his spot less purity, his scrupulous honesty and his unsullied integrity. He died on his farm, near Lebanon, May 23, 1855. EBENEZER Lane was a native of Massa chusetts. In 1830 he was appointed judge of the Supreme Court, and re-appointed byGovernor Bartley in December, 1837. He resigned as Chief Justice in February, 1845. He had held other official posi tions previously, — prosecuting attorney of Huron County, judge of Common Pleas Court of the second circuit. For ten years after leav ing the Supreme bench he was closely allied with railroad interests as counsel. In 1859 he went abroad, as he himself expressed it, " to see new forms of life, manners, natural ob jects, and works of antiquity." He visit DOYLE. ed many foreign countries, returning in 1860. Judge Lane was a great reader and scholar, as his opinions appearing in the reports will bear witness, being noted for their clearness and brevity. He pos sessed one of the finest private libraries in the State. He died June 12, 1866, at San dusky, Ohio. Frederick Grimke was born September 1, 179 1, in South Carolina. Graduated at Yale College, in 18 10. He came to Ohio very young, settling in Chillicothe in 1820, and commenced the practice of law. For