William J. Gilmore
Encyclopedia
William James Gilmore was a Democratic jurist in the U.S. State
of Ohio
who was an Ohio Supreme Court Judge during 1875-1880.
William J. Gilmore was born in Bedford County, Virginia
, son of Dr. Eli Gilmore and Clarissa Mosby Clayton, sister of a prominent Mississippi
judge, later a member of the Confederate Congress
, Alexander Mosby Clayton
. The family moved to Israel Township, Preble County, Ohio
in 1825, where the father became a prominent physician. Here William was educated at a log schoolhouse, at Hopewell Academy
, and at Westfield Academy
.
He began study of law in 1844 in the office of Thomas Millikin in Hamilton, Ohio
, and continued with J.S. and A. J. Hawkins in Eaton, Ohio
. He supported himself with school teaching, farm labor and clerking. He was admitted to the bar
on December 8, 1847, and he worked and lived in Eaton.
Gilmore was Prosecuting Attorney of Preble County
for two terms, and was elected to the Common Pleas bench
in 1857. He was successively re-elected, and served until 1874. He was appointed a trustee of Miami University
in 1871, and was a trustee of the Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society
.
In 1874, Gilmore was selected at the state Democratic Party convention to run for a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court, and later that year defeated Republican incumbent Luther Day for a five year term. He was seated February 1875 and was defeated in the 1879 election by Republican William Wartenbee Johnson
.
In 1880, after his term expired, Gilmore entered private practice in Columbus, Ohio
. He was elected president of the Ohio Bar association
in 1885, and was delegate to the American Bar Association
in 1894. He died in Columbus August 9, 1896.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
who was an Ohio Supreme Court Judge during 1875-1880.
William J. Gilmore was born in Bedford County, Virginia
Bedford County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 60,371 people, 23,838 households, and 18,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 26,841 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile...
, son of Dr. Eli Gilmore and Clarissa Mosby Clayton, sister of a prominent Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
judge, later a member of the Confederate Congress
Provisional Confederate Congress
The Provisional Confederate Congress, for a time the legislative branch of the Confederate States of America, was the body which drafted the Confederate Constitution, elected Jefferson Davis President of the Confederacy, and designed the first Confederate flag...
, Alexander Mosby Clayton
Alexander Mosby Clayton
Alexander Mosby Clayton was a prominent Confederate politician. He was born in Campbell County, Virginia and later moved to Arkansas where he served on the Territorial Supreme Court in 1832. He then moved to Mississippi where he served as a state court judge from 1842 to 1852. In 1853 he served as...
. The family moved to Israel Township, Preble County, Ohio
Israel Township, Preble County, Ohio
Israel Township is one of the twelve townships of Preble County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,273 people in the township, 1,031 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
in 1825, where the father became a prominent physician. Here William was educated at a log schoolhouse, at Hopewell Academy
Hopewell Academy
Hopewell Academy is a very small, private, coeducational college preparatory school located in Cary, North Carolina.The school's mission statement is:"to provide a challenging and supportive environment for students with diverse learning styles...
, and at Westfield Academy
Westfield (village), New York
Westfield is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. USA. The population was 3,481 at the 2010 census.The Village of Westfield lies within the Town of Westfield in the northern part of the county...
.
He began study of law in 1844 in the office of Thomas Millikin in Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton is a city in Butler County, southwestern Ohio, United States. The population was 62,447 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Butler County. The city is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area....
, and continued with J.S. and A. J. Hawkins in Eaton, Ohio
Eaton, Ohio
Eaton is a city in and the county seat of Preble County, Ohio, United States. The population was 8,407 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. He supported himself with school teaching, farm labor and clerking. He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
on December 8, 1847, and he worked and lived in Eaton.
Gilmore was Prosecuting Attorney of Preble County
Preble County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 42,337 people, 16,001 households, and 12,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 100 people per square mile . There were 17,186 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
for two terms, and was elected to the Common Pleas bench
Ohio Courts of Common Pleas
The Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of the state court system of Ohio.The courts of common pleas are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state. They are the only trial courts created by the Ohio Constitution . The duties of the courts are outlined in Article IV, Section...
in 1857. He was successively re-elected, and served until 1874. He was appointed a trustee of Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in 1871, and was a trustee of the Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society
Ohio Historical Society
The Ohio Historical Society is a non-profit organization incorporated in 1885 as The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society "to promote a knowledge of archaeology and history, especially in Ohio"...
.
In 1874, Gilmore was selected at the state Democratic Party convention to run for a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court, and later that year defeated Republican incumbent Luther Day for a five year term. He was seated February 1875 and was defeated in the 1879 election by Republican William Wartenbee Johnson
William Wartenbee Johnson
William Wartenbee Johnson was a Republican politician in the U.S. State of Ohio who was an Ohio Supreme Court Judge 1880–1886.-Biography:...
.
In 1880, after his term expired, Gilmore entered private practice in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. He was elected president of the Ohio Bar association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1885, and was delegate to the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
in 1894. He died in Columbus August 9, 1896.