Thomas Q. Ashburn
Thomas Quin Ashburn (February 9, 1820 – January 17, 1890) was an American judge on the Supreme Court Commission of Ohio from 1876 to 1879, and a member of the Ohio State Senate for twelve days at the end of his life in 1890.
Thomas Q. Ashburn | |
|---|---|
| Supreme Court Commission of Ohio | |
| In office February 2, 1876 – February 2, 1879 | |
| Member of the Ohio Senate from the fourth district | |
| In office January 6, 1890 – January 17, 1890 | |
| Preceded by | F. L. Lindsay |
| Succeeded by | John M. Pattison |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 9, 1820 Walnut Hills, Ohio |
| Died | January 17, 1890 (aged 69) Columbus, Ohio |
| Resting place | Batavia Union Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | six |
| Alma mater | |
Thomas Ashburn was born at East Walnut Hills, Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the oldest of seven children of Richard Ashburn and Mary (Williams) Ashburn.[1] The family soon moved to New Richmond, Clermont County, Ohio, where Thomas grew up.[2]
Ashburn entered Miami University in 1838, and stayed for about eighteen months. He then taught school in New Richmond for two winters and spent his summers at farm labor.[1] In 1841 he entered Jefferson College at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, where he stayed through half his junior year.[1] He then taught school again in Clermont County, and studied law at the Batavia, Ohio office of Shields & Howard, attorneys at that place.[1][2]
Ashburn practiced law at New Richmond until 1846, when he removed to Batavia. He was prosecuting attorney of Clermont County from 1848 to 1852.[1] In 1855, he ran for the Ohio Legislature, but was defeated.[1] From 1861 to 1876, he was judge of Common Pleas for Adams, Brown and Clermont Counties.[3] He ran for the Ohio Supreme Court in 1875, but was defeated 296,944 to 292,328 by Republican George W. McIlvaine.[4]
Ashburn resigned from the Common Pleas Court in 1876, when he was appointed to the Supreme Court Commission of Ohio for a three year term by Governor Rutherford B. Hayes.[5][6]
In February, 1879, after the commission was dissolved, Ashburn entered a partnership with George W. Hulick of Batavia, which continued until his death. In November 1889, he was elected to the Ohio State Senate as a Democrat. The session began January 6, 1890,[7] and a dying Ashburn was carried into the chambers to vote for Calvin S. Brice for United States Senator on January 14 and 15.[2][8] He died January 17, 1890.[2]
Ashburn was married to Sarah W. Penn on December 3, 1846. She died November 10, 1854, survived by four children.[2][9] He remarried to Mary Ellen Griffith, a first cousin of Ulysses S. Grant, on March 27, 1856, and they had two children.[2][9]
Notes
- Biographical Encyclopedia, p. 207.
- Evans, p. 183.
- Evans, p. 182.
- Smith, p. 342.
- Gilkey, p. 478.
- Husted.
- Gilkey, p. 179.
- Taylor and Taylor, p. 111.
- Biographical Encyclopedia, p. 208.
References
- Evans, Nelson Wiley; Stivers, Emmons B (1900). A history of Adams County, Ohio: from its earliest settlement to the present time. West Union, Ohio: E B Stivers.
- Smith, Joseph P, ed. (1898). History of the Republican Party in Ohio. I. Chicago: the Lewis Publishing Company.
- The Biographical Encyclopædia of Ohio of the Nineteenth Century. Cincinnati, Ohio: Galaxy Publishing Company. 1876.
- "Justices of the Supreme Court of Ohio 1787 – Present". Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.
- Gilkey, Elliot Howard, ed. (1901). The Ohio Hundred Year Book: a Hand-book of the Public Men and Public Institutions of Ohio ... State of Ohio.
- Taylor, William Alexander; Taylor, Aubrey Clarence (1899). Ohio statesmen and annals of progress: from the year 1788 to the year 1900 ... State of Ohio.