John A. Shauck was born on a farm near Johnsville, Richland County, Ohio, March 26, 1841; descendant from German stock; ancestors on his father's side emigrating from the fatherland and settling in America before the American Revolution. He obtained his early education in a private school and the public schools of Johnsville. In 1866 he graduated in the classical course from Otterbein University, Westerville, Ohio. He attended the law school of the University of Michigan, graduating from the same in 1867. He entered upon the general practice of the law at Dayton, Ohio, continuing the same until 1884 when he was elected upon the Republican ticket to the Second Circuit Court. He was re-elected Judge of the Circuit Court in 1889. At the Republican convention held in Columbus, June, 1894, Judge Shauck was nominated for the office of Supreme Judge. He was elected in the following fall and took his seat February 9, 1895, to serve for a full term of six years. Judge Shauck was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio in 1900, during which year he was re-elected for the full term of six years ending February 9, 1907. He will be Chief Justice for the second term beginning February 9, 1906.

42-B. A.

James L. Price is a native of Carroll County, where he was born near the village of New Hagerstown. He is the son of Benjamin and Nancy Price, who lived to a ripe old age..

His early years were spent on the farm. After the advantages of the common schools he acquired a thorough academic education, and while preparing for the study of the law, taught one term of common school in Harrison County, near Adena, and a second term at New Hagerstown, after which his law studies were pursued in the office of Eckley & Shober, at Carrollton, O. Mr. Price was admitted to the bar at Cadiz, and opened an office in Carrollton, where he prac ticed his profession until the spring of 1865. He was elected and served one term as Prosecuting Attorney and at its close moved to Van Wert, a thriving county seat in the then new northwestern section of Ohio, where he formed a partnership with Judge I. D. Clark, which relation continued for about two years.

In 1868 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Van Wert County, and served three terms in succession. In the rising northwest, which was then in its transient stage, he acquired a large practice, extending into the surrounding counties. Seeing the rapid growth of Lima, its fine railroad facilities, and its promise of a great business future, Mr. Price removed to that city in the year 1833, where he has since resided.

In 1894 the Republicans of the Third Judicial circuit ventured to nominate a candidate for judge of the circuit court, and while it was then and always since has been, strongly Democratic, they succeeded in electing Judge Price by over 3,900 plurality.

The six years' service on the circuit bench was a large contributing factor in his nomination for Judge of the Supreme Court. He was elected on the Republican state ticket in November, 1901, and took his seat in the court February 9, 1902, succeeding Thad. A. Minshall, Esq., whose term expired on that day.

Judge William B. Crew was born at Chesterfield, Morgan County, Ohio, April 1, 1852; educated in public schools and at Westtown College, Penna. (a college under the management of the Society of Friends); admitted to the bar by Supreme Court of Ohio, 1873; graduated from the Ohio State and Union Law College, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1874; elected Prosecuting Attorney of Morgan County, 1876; elected member of Ohio legislature, 1889; elected Judge of Court of Common Pleas for the 1st Subdivision of the 8th judicial district of Ohio 1891; re-elected 1896 and again re-elected 1901; nominated for Judge of Supreme Court of Ohio by Republican state convention held at Cleveland in May, 1902; appointed by Republican state convention held at Cleveland in May, 1902; appointed by Governor Nash July 19, 1902, to fill vacancy on Supreme Court bench caused by death of Judge Marshall J. Williams. He was elected both for the long and short terms, in November, 1902, and will complete his present term of servicein February, 1909.

Augustus Neander Summers was born in Shelby, Richland County, Ohio, June 13, 1856. He is one of nine children born to the Rev. Daniel Summers and Louisa Hine, his wife. He graduated from Wittenberg College, at Springfield, in 1879; was admitted to the bar in 1881; elected city solicitor of Springfield in 1885, and re-elected in 1887 and 1889; was elected one of the judges of the Circuit Court for the Second Circuit, in 1894, and re-elected in 1900; was elected one of the judges of the Supreme Court in 1903 and entered upon the discharge of the duties of the office February 9, 1904. Judge Summers was married to Miss Nellie Thomas, daughter of the Hon. John H. Thomas, of Springfield, in 1887. They have three children, two sons and a daughter.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE SUPREME COURT.

PRELIMINARY ORGANIZATION.

THE JUDGES OF THE TERRITORIAL COURTS OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. (1787-1802.)

TH

HE first judicial system to be inaugurated in that part of the United States which is now known as the State of Ohio was that put in operation by the "Ordinance of 1787" by which the "territory northwest of the River Ohio" was set apart as a separate governmental unit, and a form of local government provided for it by the Congress. By a reference to Section 4 of the ordinance, which is printed in Part One of this volume, it will be seen that it was provided. that there should be "appointed a court, to consist of three judges, any two of whom to form a court, who shall have a common law jurisdiction, and reside in the district, and have therein a freehold estate, in five hundred acres of land, while in the exercise of their offices; and their commission shall continue in force during good behavior." These judges, with the governor, were to select from the civil and criminal laws of the original states such laws as they deemed suitable for the territory, and were given the power to promulgate such laws, and to enforce them, until they should be amended or repealed by a general assembly to be later organized according to the provisions of the ordinance under which they were appointed.

In accordance with this provision of the Ordinance, Congress did, on the 16th day of October, 1787, elect as judges for the Northwest Territory: Samuel Holden Parsons, John Armstrong, and James Mitchell Varnum.

In the place or Mr. Armstrong, who declined the appointment, Congress appointed on the 19th day of February, 1788, Mr. John Cleves Symmes.

The first Territorial Judges (in 1787-8) were therefore, Samuel Holden Parsons, James Mitchell Varnum, John Cleves Symmes.

The salaries of the judges were fixed by Congress in an act bearing the date October 8, 1787, at $800 per annum.

President George Washington, in a message to the Senate of the United States, bearing the date of New York, August 18, 1789, nominates