History of Walnut Hills, (Hamilton County) Ohio United States of America

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Thomas Quin Ashburn, Attorney-at-Law, Judge of the Common Pleas Court of the First Subdivision of the Fifth Judicial District of Ohio, was born at East Walnut Hills, Hamilton county, Ohio, February 9th, 1820. He was the oldest child in a family of seven children whose parents were Richard Ashburn and Mary (Williams) Ashburn. His father, a native of Lancashire, England, came to America when but nine years of age in company with his father's family. At the termination of the voyage, during which his mother had died, he moved with his people to Cincinnati, Ohio, about the year 1797. He has followed through life, at the outset, the trade of brick-mason, and at a later period agricultural pursuits. His grandfather settled in New Richmond, Clermont county, Ohio, at a later date than 1797, and there laid out the town of Susanna, thus named in honor of his wife, and was one of the original proprietors of New Richmond. He resided there until his demise. His mother, a native of Hamilton county, Ohio, was a daughter of Thomas Williams, an early settler of this section of the State. His boyhood was passed in laboring on the paternal farm, while his early education, up to the age of eighteen, was limited in degree and kind. He was about this time afflicted so severely by rheumatism, that for two years he was entirely incapacitated for manual labor, and consequently turned his attention toward increasing his store of learning. In 1838 he entered Miami University, and there pursued a course of study for about eighteen months. In 1839 he temporarily adopted the vocation of educator in a school at New Richmond, Clermont county, where he taught during two winters, occupying his leisure time through the summer by farming labors. In 1841 he became an inmate of Jefferson College, Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, where he remained for three terms, completing half the junior year. He then returned to Clermont county, and again engaged in teaching school for two terms, at a salary of twelve dollars per month. While thus employed he commenced the study of law, under the guidance of Shields & Howard, prominent attorneys of Batavia, and eventually was admitted to the bar. In May, 1846, he removed to Batavia, and entered upon the career which has since been uniformly attended with fair success. From 1848 to 1852 he was Prosecuting Attorney of Clermont county, having been twice elected to fill this important office, and in 1855 was a candidate for the Legislature, but on account of the "Know-Nothing" opposition failed to secure an election. In the fail of 1861 he was elected Judge of the Common Pleas Court of the First Subdivision of the Fifth Judicial District of Ohio, and has since filled this office continuously. In 1875 he was a candidate on the Democratic ticket for Judge of the Supreme Court, but was defeated through the minority of his party. He is in the vigor of life mentally and physically, of studious, industrious habits. He investigates with care, arriving at his conclusions with a commendable degree of accuracy. In manners modest and retiring, with sufficient executive ability and administrative force to do that which his judgment tells him is right, he is endowed with a firm will, yet so tempered with justice as to yield ready attention to the demands of right and the opinions of others. If, by inadvertence or otherwise, he should happen to injure another or wound his feelings, a sense of justice prompts him to seek the first opportunity to make reparation. He loves his profession, finding its principles and precepts not only honorable in themselves, but calculated to ennoble the man by teaching him a delicate sense of conscious honor in thought and action. His career at the bar as a practitioner was attended with success, and as Common Pleas Judge has given fair satisfaction to the bar and the people. An independent actor in the world's life-battle, he believes in that democracy which teaches that one man, however humble his station in life, is just as good as the most exalted in station, whilst he acts honorably and to the best of his judgment his part. He does not belong to any man or church, but religiously is in sympathy with the Methodist Church. In the righteousness of God's providences he has unquestioning faith. Whilst his life has been checkered by many and great sorrows, he acts in the belief that a God of infinite love has sent them to him in infinite mercy. Politically his views harmonize with the principles and measures of the Democratic party, and his first vote for President was cast for James K. Polk. He has always been an unflinching Democrat of the Jackson school, and to all movements based on his political creed he has given his ardent and unqualified support. Whilst in the discharge of his official judicial duties, his conduct and judgments have been free from political bias. He was married December 3d, 1846, to Sarah W. Penn, a native of Clermont county, who died November 30th, 1854, leaving four children, two of whom are living; the oldest, A. W. Ashburn, is a practising physician now in Batavia. He was again married March 27th, 1856, to Mary Ellen Griffith, also a native of Clermont county, by whom he has two children living. His term of office will expire in February, 1877, at which time he expects to resume the practice of the law.

From: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Ohio of the Nineteenth Century. Columbus, OH, USA: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1876.

History of Walnut Hills, (Hamilton County) Ohio

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