Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 07.pdf/312

A Sketch of the Supreme Court of Ohio. quiry for a while in this manner, it was decided that Judge M. should go in and conduct an oral examination of the class, which was accordingly done, and a very nice examination in elementary law followed, and the class was duly admitted to the bar. The qualities that enter into and form the character of an able- and upright judge,

Judge Mcllvaine pos sessed in an eminent degree. Thomas Q. Ashburn was born Feb ruary 9, 1820, in Hamilton County, Ohio. He received his education at Miami University, and Jefferson Col lege, Penn., teaching school in his younger days. He was ad mitted to the bar in 1 876, settling at Batavia, Ohio, for the practice of his pro fession. He was ap pointed a member of the first Supreme Court Commission in 1876 by Governor THADDEIS A. Hayes, serving in that capacity for a period of three years. Judge Ashburn also occupied the position of Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, being selected first in 1861, again in 1866 and 1871. He was also elected a member of the State Senate, dying during his term, January 17, 1890. He was an unpretentious man, his principal fault being to underrate his own ability. About twenty years of his life were spent in judicial position. William H. West was born February 9, 1824, in Millsborough, Washington County, Pennsylvania. His paternal an-

cestors settled with Penn's colony on the Delaware, in 1682, and their descendants are now scattered to all parts of the country. Judge West's father Samuel West was born near Brownsville, Pennsylvania, in 1785. About the close of the century, his family removed to Jefferson County, Ohio, and in tht churchyard of Island Creek, above Stubenville, the paternal and maternal grand parents both sleep. Judge West's father afterwards returned to his native village Millsborough, Penn. In 1830 he moved with his family to Knox County, Ohio, where he settled on a farm, southeast of Mt. Vernon. Here itwas that Judge West spent the years of his early childhood. In 1840 he became a pupil in the primary department of the Martinsburg Acad emy, a newly es tablished institution of learning. In 1844 he entered Jefferson College, Pennsyl MINSHALL. vania, and graduated in 1846. Immedi ately after graduating he went, with Dr. Breckinridge, to Kentucky, and taught school near Lexington, that State, for one year. He then became associated with the Rev. G. W. Zahnizer, his friend and classmate, and together they assumed control of the High School for boys in the city of Lexington. He was invited to accept a tutorship in Jefferson College, and returned there in 1849, remaining until the fall of 1849, when he was made adjunct professor in HampdenSydney College, Virginia. He became weary of teaching, however, and resigned