George Rex (Ohio)
Encyclopedia
George Rex was a Democratic politician in Wooster
in the U.S. State
of Ohio
who was in the Ohio Senate
and was an Ohio Supreme Court Judge 1874-1877.
to Jacob and Catherine Rex, members of the Methodist Church who emigrated from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
and settled in Canton in 1815. As a boy, he attended the Lutheran Seminary in Canton for one and one half years, when that school moved to Columbus, Ohio
and became Capital University
. He studied there for two more years, and returned home the winter of 1833-1834 without graduating. He taught school in Canton, studied law, and was admitted to the bar
October 10, 1842.
Rex moved to Wooster, Ohio
February 9, 1843, where he practiced law. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Wayne County
in 1847 and re-elected in 1849. He was elected to represent the 28th district in the Ohio Senate in 1851, and served in the 50th General Assembly in 1852 and 1853. In 1859 and 1861, he was again elected Prosecuting Attorney of Wayne County, and appointed to fill a vacancy in that position in 1864. In 1867, he again was elected to the Ohio Senate for the 58th General Assembly of 1868-1869.
On September 11, 1874, Governor Allen
appointed Rex to the Ohio Supreme Court, to fill a vacancy when Walter F. Stone
resigned. He ran for the remainder of the term that autumn, and defeated Republican William Wartenbee Johnson
. His term on the bench expired February 9, 1877. Rex refused re-nomination in the fall of 1876, and returned to Wooster and his private practice.
Rex was married to Ella J. McCurdy of Wooster on May 24, 1853. They raised one child, a daughter. Rex was a Freemason. He was a member of the Ebenezer Lodge and the Wooster Chapter of the Ancient Order of Freemasonry. He was also Deputy Grand Master and Grand High Priest of the Mason's Grand Chapter of the State of Ohio.
George Rex died at Wooster on March 27, 1879. He was buried at Kime's Corner Cemetery, a family cemetery in Congress Township, Wayne County, Ohio
.
Wooster, Ohio
Wooster is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Wayne County. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio approximately SSW of Cleveland and SW of Akron. Wooster is noted as the location of The College of Wooster...
in the U.S. State
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 in the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
and was an Ohio Supreme Court Judge 1874-1877.
Biography
George Rex was born in Canton, OhioCanton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
to Jacob and Catherine Rex, members of the Methodist Church who emigrated from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 235,406.-History:...
and settled in Canton in 1815. As a boy, he attended the Lutheran Seminary in Canton for one and one half years, when that school moved to 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...
and became Capital University
Capital University
Capital University is a private liberal arts university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Bexley, Ohio, founded in 1830. In addition to its rigorous liberal arts program, the university also offers a reputable adult degree program in Columbus, Ohio. It is one of the oldest...
. He studied there for two more years, and returned home the winter of 1833-1834 without graduating. He taught school in Canton, studied law, and 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...
October 10, 1842.
Rex moved to Wooster, Ohio
Wooster, Ohio
Wooster is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Wayne County. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio approximately SSW of Cleveland and SW of Akron. Wooster is noted as the location of The College of Wooster...
February 9, 1843, where he practiced law. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Wayne County
Wayne County, Ohio
Wayne County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States, and is named for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. As of the 2010 census, the population was 114,520. Its county seat is Wooster....
in 1847 and re-elected in 1849. He was elected to represent the 28th district in the Ohio Senate in 1851, and served in the 50th General Assembly in 1852 and 1853. In 1859 and 1861, he was again elected Prosecuting Attorney of Wayne County, and appointed to fill a vacancy in that position in 1864. In 1867, he again was elected to the Ohio Senate for the 58th General Assembly of 1868-1869.
On September 11, 1874, Governor Allen
William Allen (governor)
William Allen was an Democratic Representative, Senator and 31st Governor of Ohio. He moved to the U.S. state of Ohio after his parents died, residing in Chillicothe, Ohio....
appointed Rex to the Ohio Supreme Court, to fill a vacancy when Walter F. Stone
Walter F. Stone
Walter Freeman Stone was a Republican politician who was an Ohio Supreme Court Judge 1873-1874.Walter Stone was born at Wooster, Ohio. His father died when he was young, but left adequate means that Stone received an education. He studied law in Pittsburg, where he studied under Walter H...
resigned. He ran for the remainder of the term that autumn, and defeated 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:...
. His term on the bench expired February 9, 1877. Rex refused re-nomination in the fall of 1876, and returned to Wooster and his private practice.
Rex was married to Ella J. McCurdy of Wooster on May 24, 1853. They raised one child, a daughter. Rex was a Freemason. He was a member of the Ebenezer Lodge and the Wooster Chapter of the Ancient Order of Freemasonry. He was also Deputy Grand Master and Grand High Priest of the Mason's Grand Chapter of the State of Ohio.
George Rex died at Wooster on March 27, 1879. He was buried at Kime's Corner Cemetery, a family cemetery in Congress Township, Wayne County, Ohio
Congress Township, Wayne County, Ohio
Congress Township is one of the sixteen townships of Wayne County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 4,435 people in the township, 2,681 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
.