Gustavus Swan
Encyclopedia
Gustavus Swan (July 15, 1787 – February 6, 1860) was a lawyer and banker from the U. S. State of Ohio
who was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court in 1829-1830.
in 1787 to John and Sarah Swan. He attended local schools and private academies in the area, trading bookkeeping for tuition and board. He worked as an assistant in a bank while studying law at night. In 1810, he moved to Ohio
.
Swan lived in Marietta
for a year and worked in a law office before being admitted to the bar
in 1811. He moved to Franklinton
, in hopes it would become the state capital. In 1814, he moved to Columbus
. He also served in the Fourth Brigade of the Second Division of the Ohio Militia during the War of 1812
.
Swan was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives
in 1812 and 1817 for one year terms. In between, he had a law practice, doing title work on claims in the Virginia Military District
. He also was Franklin County
prosecuting attorney 1821-1823.
On October 1, 1823, Ohio Governor Jeremiah Morrow
appointed Swan as president judge of the Court of Common Pleas
for the sixth circuit, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of the sitting judge. He was appointed to a full seven-year term in February, 1824 by the legislature.
Swan resigned from the sixth circuit on July 9, 1829, when Governor Allen Trimble
appointed him to fill the vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court caused by the death of Charles Robert Sherman
. He served until February, 1830, when the legislature appointed a permanent replacement. He then continued in private practice in Columbus until 1844, when he retired from law.
May 21, 1840, Governor Wilson Shannon
appointed Swan a Canal
Fund Commissioner. He was re-appointed in 1842.
1823-1842, Swan served as president of the Franklin Bank of Columbus. In 1845, the General Assembly appointed him to the Board of Control of the Bank of Ohio. He was appointed the first president of the State Bank of Ohio, and held that position until 1854.
Swan married Amelia Aldrich in Hillsboro, New Hampshire in 1819. They had four children. Swan died in Columbus February 6, 1860.
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 appointed to fill a vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court in 1829-1830.
Biography
Swan was born in Sharon, New HampshireSharon, New Hampshire
Sharon is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 352 at the 2010 census.-History:Settled in 1738, Sharon was originally a part of Peterborough...
in 1787 to John and Sarah Swan. He attended local schools and private academies in the area, trading bookkeeping for tuition and board. He worked as an assistant in a bank while studying law at night. In 1810, he moved to 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...
.
Swan lived in Marietta
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
for a year and worked in a law office before being 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...
in 1811. He moved to Franklinton
Franklinton, Columbus, Ohio
Franklinton is a neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio. Lucas Sullivant, a Virginia born land surveyor, established Franklinton in 1797. It is bordered by the Scioto River on the north and east, Harmon Avenue on the east, Stimmel Road and Greenlawn Avenue on the south, and Interstate 70 on the west...
, in hopes it would become the state capital. In 1814, he moved to Columbus
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...
. He also served in the Fourth Brigade of the Second Division of the Ohio Militia during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
Swan was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
in 1812 and 1817 for one year terms. In between, he had a law practice, doing title work on claims in the Virginia Military District
Virginia Military District
The Virginia Military District was an approximately 4.2 million acre area of land in what is now the state of Ohio that was reserved by Virginia to use as payment for veterans of the American Revolutionary War....
. He also was Franklin County
Franklin County, Ohio
Franklin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. In 2010 the population was 1,163,414, making it the second largest county in Ohio and the 34th largest county in population in the United States. Franklin County is also the largest in the eight-county Columbus, Ohio...
prosecuting attorney 1821-1823.
On October 1, 1823, Ohio Governor Jeremiah Morrow
Jeremiah Morrow
Jeremiah Morrow was a Democratic-Republican Party politician from Ohio. He served as the ninth Governor of Ohio, and the last Democratic-Republican to do so....
appointed Swan as president judge of the Court of Common Pleas
Ohio Courts of Common Pleas
The Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of the state court system of Ohio.The courts of common pleas are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state. They are the only trial courts created by the Ohio Constitution . The duties of the courts are outlined in Article IV, Section...
for the sixth circuit, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of the sitting judge. He was appointed to a full seven-year term in February, 1824 by the legislature.
Swan resigned from the sixth circuit on July 9, 1829, when Governor Allen Trimble
Allen Trimble
right|350px|From a Freeman Thorpe painting in StatehouseAllen Trimble was a Federalist politician from Ohio. He served as the eighth and tenth Governor of Ohio....
appointed him to fill the vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court caused by the death of Charles Robert Sherman
Charles Robert Sherman
Charles Robert Sherman was an American lawyer and public servant.Sherman was born in Norwalk, Connecticut and educated at the local school. He later studied law in the office of a Mr. Chapman in Newtown and was admitted to the bar in 1809...
. He served until February, 1830, when the legislature appointed a permanent replacement. He then continued in private practice in Columbus until 1844, when he retired from law.
May 21, 1840, Governor Wilson Shannon
Wilson Shannon
Wilson Shannon was a Democratic politician from Ohio and Kansas. He served as the 14th and 16th Governor of Ohio, and was the first governor of Ohio born in the state...
appointed Swan a Canal
Historic Ohio Canals
Following is a list of historic canals that were once used for transportation in Ohio.* Hocking Canal - Branch of Ohio and Erie Canal* Miami and Erie Canal* Ohio and Erie Canal* Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal* Sandy and Beaver Canal* Wabash and Erie Canal...
Fund Commissioner. He was re-appointed in 1842.
1823-1842, Swan served as president of the Franklin Bank of Columbus. In 1845, the General Assembly appointed him to the Board of Control of the Bank of Ohio. He was appointed the first president of the State Bank of Ohio, and held that position until 1854.
Swan married Amelia Aldrich in Hillsboro, New Hampshire in 1819. They had four children. Swan died in Columbus February 6, 1860.