William Yates Gholson | |
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 | |
| Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court | |
| In office November 8, 1859 – December 1, 1863 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Rockwell Swan |
| Succeeded by | Horace Wilder |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1807-12-25)December 25, 1807 Southampton County, Virginia |
| Died | September 21, 1870(1870-09-21) (aged 62) Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Resting place | Spring Grove Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
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| Children | four |
| Alma mater | Princeton University |
William Yates Gholson (December 25, 1807 – September 21, 1870) was aRepublican politician in the U.S. State ofOhio who was anOhio Supreme Court judge from 1859 to 1863.
William Yates Gholson was born at his father's plantation on Christmas Day in 1807 inSouthampton County, Virginia.[1] His father wasThomas Gholson, a member of theUnited States House of Representatives from 1808 to 1816.[2]
Gholson studied with judgeCreed Taylor athis proprietary Virginia law school, then moved toPrinceton, New Jersey and graduated fromPrinceton University and its law school in 1825.
Gholson married Martha Anne Jane Taylor in Virginia, who had two children and died in 1831. He married Elvira Wright in 1839, who also had two children.[1]
Gholson soon moved toMississippi and established a legal practice. He also helped found theUniversity of Mississippi and was an original member of its board of trustees.[1] Seeing the growing internal slave trade as cotton and other plantations were established in Mississippi following the invention and widespread adoption of thecotton gin, Gholson developed strong anti-slavery views.
This caused Gholson to move toCincinnati, Ohio.[2] There, he formed a law practice withJames P. Holcombe andSalmon P. Chase.[1] In 1854, Gholson was elected Judge of the Superior Court in Cincinnati.[2]
In 1859, he was nominated by the State Republican Convention for the State Supreme Court, and defeated DemocratHenry C. Whitman.[3] Because one existing judge resigned immediately after the election, Gholson was appointed to fill the term in November of that year. He resigned his seat late in 1863, and was replaced byHorace Wilder. He returned to Cincinnati, resumed law practice, and authored several books about legal topics.[1]
Gholson died September 21, 1870, in Cincinnati.[2] He was buried atSpring Grove Cemetery.[1]
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Associate Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court 1859–1863 | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
