USA > Ohio > Bench and bar of Ohio; a compendium of history and biography, Vol. II > Part 15
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went on the stump an advocate of Greeley's election. His success as a speaker, as well as his success at the Bar, attracted to him great attention, and in October, 1876, he was nominated by the Democratic party for judge of the Court of Common Pleas, in Hamilton county. At the election he received the majority of the votes, but the election was contested and the Senate of the State, at that time Republican, voted to oust himn. In the following April he was nominated and elected judge of the Superior Court of Cincinnati, and was re-elected in 1883 by an increased majority. In March, 1887, when ex-Gov- ernor Hoadly retired from the firm of Hoadly, Johnson & Colston to enter the practice of the law in New York, Judge Harmon resigned his judicial position and became the head of the firm of Harmon, Colston, Goldsmith & Hoadly. This firm has always had a large practice, representing many of the most important corporations in the community, and is looked upon as one of the leading firms in this part of the country. After re-entering the practice of the law Judge Harmon refused to have his name used in connection with any public office although he took part in a number of political campaigns, using his influence to secure the nomination of proper candidates. He was a great admirer of Grover Cleveland and one of his warmest supporters in Ohio, and a strong advocate of his renomination in 1892. His prominent position at the Bar, his well-known integrity of character and his pre-eminence in his party, together with this earnest advocacy of the policy and principles of President Cleveland, caused his nomination to the attorney-generalship of the United States in June, 1895, to be regarded as an eminently fit appointment. He moved with his family to Washington and at once became a great favorite both in official and social circles of the life at the capital. He served through- out the remainder of President Cleveland's administration with great credit to himself and to the administration. He returned in March, 1897, to Cincin- nati, where he resumed the practice of the law with his old firm. As a judge Harmon was extremely popular. He was regarded as a lawyer of excellent legal equipment and strong common sense. He was kind and considerate in his treatment of attorneys and very fair in his conduct of causes. He was much opposed to legal trickery or chicanery and insisted upon maintaining a high standard of dignity and professional courtesy in his court-room. He is a large, strongly built man, above six feet in stature, fond of athletic sports, of splendid physique and just entering the prime of life, and, in the opinion of those who know him, a man likely and fit to obtain the greatest prominence that membership at the Bar can afford any man.
SAMUEL F. HUNT, Cincinnati. Judge Samuel Furman Hunt was born at Springdale, in Hamilton county, Ohio. His father was Dr. John Randolph Hunt, who had been a student of Nassau Hall, and was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York in the class of 1825. Dr. Hunt's father was Oliver Hunt, of Cherry Hill, near Princeton, New Jersey,
Lammet Sunt
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who first entered the service in the New Jersey troop as a " minute man." in March, 1777. He participated in the battles of Long Island, Princeton, Mon- mouth and Springfield, and was placed on the rolls of the government in recog- nition of his services in the war for independence. Dr. Hunt lived until August 1, 1863. A handsome window, representing Christ as the Great Healer, has been placed by the son in honor of the father in the Presbyterian Church of Springdale, the old church of the Northwest Territory. Judge Hunt's mother was Amanda Baird, born in Monmouth county, New Jersey, a lineal descendant of an old colonial family of high degree. She died November 23, 1892, and a lasting tribute to her memory erected by her son stands in the cemetery of Springdale on the site of the old church erected in 1802. The son entered Miami University in 1860. He, upon the beginning of his college career, took an active part in the debates and the literary exercises of Miami Union Hall. In his sophomore year he was elected fifth sessional speaker, class president in his junior year, to sign the diplomas of the graduating mem- bers, and class orator in his senior year, these being the recognized honors of the literary societies of the University at that time. Throughout his college career he was the president of his class, and for four successive years was chosen by the whole body of students as the orator on Washington's birth- day. His college course was completed at Union College, of which Dr. Eliphalet Nott was then president, and received the bachelor's and master's degrees from that institution. He also received the bachelor's degree with the class of 1864 of Miami University. Since that time he has received the degrees of A. M., LL. D. and L. H. D. from that institution. His reputation as the "silver tongued orator " began in college. At that time as in subsequent years his addresses were of remarkable eloquence and glowing with patriotic feeling and sentiment. In a review of the exhibitions of the Miami Union Literary Societies, printed April 6, 1862, the Oxford Citizen calls special attention to the closing speech of the evening, which was made by Mr. Hunt, in which it said : "The gentleman's exordium was dignified and appropriate," and " his peroration was pathetically beautiful." The same paper, speaking in the year 1864 of the address by Mr. Hunt, said : " Mr. Hunt has erected a mausoleum more fitting than marble to the fame and memory of Miami Union's dead sol- diers. The society whose rolls they grace may gaze with pride upon his handi- work, and their friends, with tears more grateful than thanks, attest the beauty of his tribute. It should be hung on the walls of Miami Union Hall as a memorial of the fallen but honored brothers. As for the rest of his address, it was as forcible as elegant, abounding in good advice and in elegant language." The young student was a sincere believer in the war for the Union, and many of his public addresses at that time were made at meetings whose purpose was to stimulate enlistments in the volunteer soldiery of the period. He was particularly active in the organization of the 83d Ohio Regiment. In April, 1862, he visited the battle field of Shiloh to look after the wounded and dying, and his faithful services at that time received the commendations of the officers and soldiers, as well as the agents of the Sanitary Commission. In
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March, 1865, he was with the army of the James, and entered Richmond with the advance of General Weitzel's command, being one of the first to enter that city, and among the group of officers that first saluted the flag of the Union as she was raised over the capital. After the completion of his college course he began the study of the law with the late Justice Stanley Matthews, and in the Cincinnati Law School, where he graduated with the degree of L L. B. in 1867. In the same year he made a tour of Europe, to the Holy Land, Arabia and Egypt, from which distant points he wrote a number of letters to the Cin- cinnati Enquirer and the Presbyter. These letters were received with general favor, and were copied into a great many papers. In May, 1868, upon his return from abroad, he took up the practice of the profession of law in the office of Henry Stanbery, who had just resigned the position of attorney-gen- eral of the United States to take part in the defense of President Johnson in the impeachment proceedings before the United States Senate. In October, 1869, Judge Hunt was elected by Hamilton county to the State Senate, and was made at once president pro tempore of that body and acting lieutenant- governor. He is the youngest man who has ever held that position in this State. He served on the judiciary committee and the committee on municipal corporations, committee on common schools, and several other committees of minor importance. Among the measures introduced by him were a large num- ber affecting the interests of Cincinnati, notably that establishing the Univer- sity of Cincinnati, and those establishing the park commission and the platting commission. In 1870 he acted as chairman of the Democratic Convention for the second Congressional District, at which time he was tendered the nomina- tion for Congress, which he declined. In 1871 he accepted the nomination of lieutenant-governor at the hands of the Democratic party, and by reason of the illness of the candidate for governor, General George W. McCook, he was obliged to bear the principal burden of the canvass of this State for the party. In 1873 he acted as chairman of the convention which nominated William Allen for governor, and subsequently as chairman of the convention nomi- nating Thomas Ewing for governor. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention elected in 1873, which framed a new Constitution for Ohio, and was most largely instrumental in having the veto power incorporated in the Con- stitution adopted by that body to be proposed to the people. In 1878 he was appointed by Governor Bishop to be judge-advocate-general of Ohio with the rank of brigadier general. During his services in this position he prepared a review of the courts-martial, which has been regarded as the highest authority, and in his published report he gave a complete history of the State militia. In 1878 he was nominated as a candidate for the judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Hamilton county, and in 1880 was unanimously nominated for Congress by the Democracy of the First Congressional District. At both elections he ran far ahead of his ticket, but was unsuccessful. In 1887 he was tendered the nomination for circuit judge in the First Judicial Circuit; but this nomination he declined. In that year he was chairman of the Democratic State convention which assembled at Dayton, which nominated Thomas E.
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Powell for governor. In 1889 he presented the name of Governor Campbell to the Democratic State convention at Dayton as a candidate for governor. In January, 1890, he was appointed judge of the Superior Court of Cincinnati by Governor Campbell to fill the position left vacant by Judge William H. Taft until the succeeding April election, at which time he was elected by a large majority for the period of three years, the unexpired term of Judge Taft. In April, 1893, he was again elected for the full term of five years to succeed himself. Judge Hunt's prominence at the Bar of this State and of the United States was shown by the fact that in 1892 he was elected president of the Ohio State Bar Association, and in 1893, vice-president of the American Bar Association, and was also appointed a member of the committee on legal reform, in place of John F. Dillon, who had been elected president. In 1874
he became a trustee of the Miami University, appointed by Governor Noyes, and unanimously confirmed by the Senate. At the end of nine years he was re-appointed by Governor Foster for the full term ending January 1, 1890, at which time he was appointed by Governor Campbell for an additional term of nine years. In 1874 he was also appointed director of the University of Cin- cinnati by the common council, and continued a member of that body by re-appointments by the Superior Court until his accession to the Bench of the Superior Court, at which time he retired from the board. From 1878 to 1890 he acted as chairman of the University Board and also as president of the Society of Alumni of Miami University during the years of 1887 and 1888, being the orator of the society in 1889. He is also a member of the Ohio commandery of the military order of the Loyal Legion and of the society of the Sons of the Revolution, and governor of the society of the Colonial Wars in the State of Ohio. During an unusually active life in the pursuit of his profession, Judge Hunt has given great attention to general literature, and particularly to the history of his own State. He has been in great demand throughout the State as an orator on literary subjects, particularly at various institutions of learn- ing. Among his literary addresses of especial note are those delivered at Kenyon College, Marietta College, Georgetown College, University of Cincin- nati, the Northwestern Normal College, the University of Michigan, the Central University of Kentucky, the Ohio State University, the University of Virginia, at Williams College, and Adelbert College before the annual con- vention of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. Among the most important of his historical addresses are those as follows: Miami Valley, on the site of Fort Hamilton ; the Treaty of Greenville, on the site of Fort Greenville; the campaign of Anthony Wayne, on the site of Fort Defiance; the campaign of Scott and Taylor, before the National Association of the Veteran Soldiers and Sailors of the Mexican War, of which Judge Hunt is an honorary member ; the dedication of the soldiers' monuments at Findlay, at West Union, and at Athens, Ohio; the centennial of the Republic, at Sandusky ; the reception of General Grant, at Cincinnati ; the unveiling of the monument to Garfield, ai Music Hall, Cincinnati ; the semi-centennial of the Young Men's Mercantile Library, of Cincinnati; the Life of Charles McMicken, the founder of the
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University of Cincinnati, before the municipal authorities, at Pike's Opera House ; the laying of the foundation stone of the Glendale Lyceum ; the cen- tennial of the adoption of the ordinance of 1787, at Springdale; the centen- nial of the settlement of Ohio, at Marietta; the reinterment of the dead who fell under St. Clair, at the centennial of Fort Recovery ; the American Flag, before the Ohio commandery of the military order of the Loyal Legion, at Cincinnati ; the Ohio Day at the Columbian Exposition, at Chicago, and Abraham Lincoln, on February 15, 1894, before the people of Dayton, Ohio. He also delivered the centennial oration on "The Battle of the Fallen Timbers," on the battle ground, August 20, 1894 ; the oration on the laying of the corner-stone of the new edifice of the University of Cincinnati, Septem- ber 23, 1894; the oration of the semi-centennial of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity of the United States, at New York, December 15, 1894, and pre- sided over the seventeenth annual meeting of the American Bar Association, at Saratoga Springs, August 23-25, 1894. Judge Hunt has received the academic degrees of A. B., A. M., L. H. D. and LL. D. from different colleges. His orations have been remarkable for their literary style, which is of the highest polish and excellence, betraying a thorough knowledge and familiarity with classic models and with the best literature of all times and languages. He is gifted with unusual facility of expression, which enables him to present the most dry and matter-of-fact proposition in beautiful and captivating form ; as a result, this power, together with his excellent judgment and his knowledge of the law, has made him very effective in the practice of his profession. During the years preceding his elevation to the Bench his practice was very large, embracing every class of litigation, and requiring the most arduous and unceasing labor. He was particularly popular as a consulting lawyer among the farming population and his neighbors in the various parts of the country lying outside of the city, a fact which showed in a very marked degree the high reputation he had for integrity and uprightness. Upon the Bench he has been distinguished not only for a careful and conscientious performance of his duties, but also for the dignity of his court and the uniform courtesy shown by him to all the members of the Bar, both young and old, as well as to all others who came into contact with him in his court-room. In the trial of a case he is usually very quick in rendering his decisions, particularly upon points of practice, and his thorough familiarity with the details of the law in this regard has made these decisions carry great weight. On more important matters arising before him as judge he has delivered a number of carefully prepared opinions, showing deep thought, earnest consideration and painstak- ing study of the law. Several of these decisions are noteworthy as being on questions of unusual interest to the community at large. All are remarkable for their literary excellence as well as for their merits, by reason of the ques- tions of law which are decided. His associates on the Bench of the Superior Court during the time of his service have been Judges Edward F. Noyes, F. W. Moore, J. R. Sayler, Rufus B. Smith and William H. Jackson. Among the important decisions in which Judge Hunt has rendered opinions are the
The Century Publishing & Engraving Cơ. Chicago.
Chas it Stephens
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following: The Cincinnati Inclined Plane Railway Company vs. The City and Suburban Telegraph Association involving the Trolley System ; Scott's Sons vs. Raine, Auditor (O. L. T., March 16, 1891), involving the powers of the City Board of Equalization.
CHARLES H. STEPHENS, Cincinnati. Mr. Stephens was born in Cincin- nati October 2, 1841. He was a son of J. H. K. and Elizabeth Stephens. His grandfather, Henry Stephens, was in the early part of his life a lieutenant in the navy, commissioned by President Madison, and later in life became a distinguished member of the Bar in the State of Indiana. As a result, the subject of this sketch was urged from his early years to adopt the profession of the law. He received his education in the public schools of Cincinnati, gradu- ated at the Hughes High School in June, 1858, and a few years later from the Law School of the Cincinnati College. He began the study of the law in November, 1858, in the office of Lincoln, Smith & Warnock, and was admit- ted to the Bar in 1864. Shortly after that date he became a member of the firm and was associated with Mr. Timothy D. Lincoln from that time until the death of Mr. Lincoln, in April, 1890, a period, including his years of study, of more than thirty years. The firm after the death of Mr. James Warnock became Lincoln, Smith & Stephens, and later, Lincoln, Stephens & Lincoln. Upon the death of Mr. T. D. Lincoln the firm name was changed to Stephens, Lincoln & Smith, Mr. Stephens' associates being Mr. John Ledyard Lincoln, the son of his former partner, and Mr. Samuel W. Smith, Jr. The firm had for many years a large practice in admiralty and insurance, subjects to which the firm had given great attention. As a result, Mr. Stephens became the legitimate successor to a practice involving questions of maritime law and practice in proceedings in admiralty, in which branch of the law he became especially proficient. His law practice, however, has not by any means been confined to the admiralty, but has been of a general character, subjects of com- mercial banking and insurance law being prominent. Their business has always been large in extent and in the main successful in results. The law library of Mr. T. D. Lincoln was one of the largest in the West, and by reason of the especial facilities that such a library afforded to the members of the firm, and the individual energy and thoroughness of the subject of this sketch, Mr. Stephens has always been remarkable for his knowledge of adjudicated cases as well as for his general grasp of the law. He is untiring in the prepa- ration of his cases and forcible in their presentation to court and jury. When once convinced that the position he has taken is correct he is most determined in maintaining it, and most effectual in convincing others of its correctness. His persistent and conscientious adherence to a position once taken, together with his well-known thoroughness and ability as a lawyer, have frequently gained victories under adverse circumstances. Mr. Stephens has always been ready to give a part of his time to the public service. IIe served three terms,
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six years in all, as a member of the board of education of Cincinnati, at the end of which he declined a reappointment. He was a member of the board of aldermen for four years and was its president for two successive terms, being so at the time that body passed out of existence. For more than twenty- five years he has been a trustee of the Hughes Fund and a member of the Union Board of High Schools, being now trustee of the Hughes Fund. In 1873 Mr. Stephens married Miss Alice Bard, daughter of Sylvester W. and Louisa Mayhew Bard. His family now consists of three sons. Mr. Stephens' residence is in Avondale, recently annexed to the city of Cincinnati. The fol- lowing is an estimate of Mr. Stephens from the pen of a distinguished associ- ate at the Bar:
" I have known Mr. Stephens for twenty-five years. His general char- acteristics are bright, industrious, energetic and a clear-headed lawyer. When I first knew him he was a junior partner with the late T. D. Lincoln and Judge Fayette Smith, and the firm was Lincoln, Smith & Stephens, and having one of the largest practices in the city. Mr. Lincoln was a man of great experi- ence and very great knowledge, and had one of the largest private law libra- ries in the West ; and it was under such training as this that Mr. Stephens came to the maturity of his powers, and he has become successor to the large practice and industrious habits of his former partners. In the trial of a case Mr. Stephens is quick, energetic and sometimes impulsive, but never malicious, and always ready to meet an opponent of yesterday with a smile and a friendly grasp of the hand. He prepares his cases with great care, both as to matters of law as well as fact, and tries them with equal care and assiduity. His addresses to the court and jury are clear and terse, and without indulging in rhetoric or flights of oratory he manages to impress both with his ideas, so that he has met with a great degree of success at the Bar. He stands high in the opinion of his fellow members of the Bar, and his integrity has never in the slightest degree been called in question."
GEORGE W. CORMANY, Cincinnati. George W. Cormany is the eldest son of William and Margaret Cormany and was born January 19, 1836, on the " Brotherton Farm," owned by his father, which was situated near Cham- bersburg, Franklin county, Pennsylvania. He came to this State while a boy with his parents, and located at Lancaster, in Fairfield county. His education was received in the common schools of this city, where he made an excellent record as a student. Before he attained his majority he was employed as amanuensis by the late Governor Medill, who was then living in Washington, D. C. As a result he came into contact with some of the ablest lawyers of his own State as well as the prominent men of the National Capital. In 1855 he attended a course in the R. M. Bartlett Commercial College, where he graduated in June, 1856. Subsequently he returned to Lancaster and began the study of law in the office of Medill & Whitman, and was admitted to the Bar at the September term of the District Court. In the next year he removed to Mount Carroll, Carroll county, Illinois, and practiced law there until the
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war broke out. Immediately upon the outbreak of the war he returned to Ohio and enlisted for three years' service as a private in Company B of the well-known Guthrie Grays, of Cincinnati, afterwards known as the Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He passed rapidly through all the non-commissioned grades, and for distinguished bravery and good conduct at the battle of Stone River his name was placed on the roll of honor. He was commissioned a sec- ond lieutenant and assigned to Company G of the same regiment on February 19, 1863. He later became first lieutenant of the same company, which he commanded at the expiration of the term of his service. He received wounds both at the battle of Stone River on January 2, 1863, and again at the battle of Chicamauga on September 26, 1863. He was tendered a captain's commis- sion in Hancock's corps in August, 1864, which he declined. Subsequently he received the brevet of major for meritorious service. After leaving the army he resumed the practice of law in Cincinnati. Mr. Cormany was elected mag- istrate and served his term of three years, at the expiration of which he returned to the general practice, with which he has had reasonable success. On October 10, 1867, he married Miss Nettie E. Creswick, of Cleveland, Ohio, and in 1874 he took up his residence in Hartwell, Hamilton county, having acquired the residence of the late Judge Cilley, known as Rensselaer Park, where he has resided ever since. He is the father of six children-three boys and three girls, all of whom are living, one of his sons, Charles C. Cor- many, being associated with him in the practice of the law.
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