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 byF. L. Lindsay
Succeeded byJohn M. Pattison
Personal details
Born(1820-02-09)February 9, 1820
Walnut Hills, Ohio
DiedJanuary 17, 1890(1890-01-17) (aged 69)
Columbus, Ohio
Resting placeBatavia Union Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses
  • Sarah W. Penn
  • Mary Ellen Griffith
Childrensix
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

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Biographical Encyclopedia, p. 207.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Evans, p. 183.
  3. ^ Evans, p. 182.
  4. ^ Smith, p. 342.
  5. ^ Gilkey, p. 478.
  6. ^ Husted.
  7. ^ Gilkey, p. 179.
  8. ^ Taylor and Taylor, p. 111.
  9. ^ a b Biographical Encyclopedia, p. 208.

References

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  • 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. Vol. 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.
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Thomas Q. Ashburn at Find a Grave