Robert B. Warden
Encyclopedia
Robert Bruce Warden was a Democratic Party jurist in the U. S. State of Ohio
who sat on the Ohio Supreme Court for a short time 1854–1855. He also authored biographies of Salmon P. Chase
and Stephen A. Douglas
.
, Nelson County
, Kentucky
. At about age three, his family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
, where he was educated at the Athenaeum, a Roman Catholic college in the city.
Warden started study of law under Judge Reed in 1840, and later under Judge Walker
. At age 17 he was deputy clerk of the Hamilton County
Court of Common Pleas
, and two years later clerk, until age 21, when he was admitted to the bar
. In 1850, the Ohio Legislature elected him President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and under a new state constitution, he was elected to the same by the public in 1851. He resigned that position April 1852, and was named reporter of the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio that year.
In December, 1854, John A. Corwin resigned as judge on the Ohio Supreme Court, and Governor Medill
named Warden to fill the seat. He served until February, 1855, when Joseph Rockwell Swan
's term began. He ran for a different seat on the court later in 1855, but lost to his Republican opponent.
Warden returned to private practice in Ohio, where one author characterized him : "He was a man of exceptional ability, but did not possess the power to use it to the best advantage." Another noted : "He was well known as an elegant and forceful speaker, both before the courts and in political campaigns. In politics he was too independent and fearless to permit the 'machine' to influence his course, and this quality denied him the close affiliation with either of the great political parties."
In January, 1873, Warden moved to Washington, D. C., where he was employed at the request of Salmon P. Chase
to write a biography of him. Chase died soon thereafter, and the book was published in 1874. Warden had also written a campaign book for Stephen A. Douglas
, and other non-fiction works. He wrote the drama Arvoirlich (1857), also known as Was it Fate?.
Judge Warden practiced in Washington before the Supreme Court, and the Court of Claims, and at the State and Treasury Departments. In 1877, he was appointed a member and attorney for the Board of Health of the District of Columbia.
Warden married Catherine R. Kerdolff when he was nineteen years old. She died in Washington in 1884, and Warden died in Washington in 1888. He was survived by two daughters, and one adopted niece.
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 sat on the Ohio Supreme Court for a short time 1854–1855. He also authored biographies of Salmon P. Chase
Salmon P. Chase
Salmon Portland Chase was an American politician and jurist who served as U.S. Senator from Ohio and the 23rd Governor of Ohio; as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Abraham Lincoln; and as the sixth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.Chase was one of the most prominent members...
and Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
.
Biography
Robert B. Warden was born at BardstownBardstown, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
, Nelson County
Nelson County, Kentucky
Nelson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 43,437. Its county seat is Bardstown. The county is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. At about age three, his family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, where he was educated at the Athenaeum, a Roman Catholic college in the city.
Warden started study of law under Judge Reed in 1840, and later under Judge Walker
Timothy Walker (judge)
Timothy Walker was an American lawyer who founded the Cincinnati Law School and was its first Dean.-Biography:...
. At age 17 he was deputy clerk of the Hamilton County
Hamilton County, Ohio
As of 2000, there were 845,303 people, 346,790 households, and 212,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,075 people per square mile . There were 373,393 housing units at an average density of 917 per square mile...
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...
, and two years later clerk, until age 21, when he 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...
. In 1850, the Ohio Legislature elected him President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and under a new state constitution, he was elected to the same by the public in 1851. He resigned that position April 1852, and was named reporter of the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio that year.
In December, 1854, John A. Corwin resigned as judge on the Ohio Supreme Court, and Governor Medill
William Medill
William Medill was a Democratic politician from Ohio. He served as the 22nd Governor of Ohio.Born in New Castle County, Delaware, Medill was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, where he served from 1835–1838, serving as Speaker of the House from 1836-1837...
named Warden to fill the seat. He served until February, 1855, when Joseph Rockwell Swan
Joseph Rockwell Swan
Joseph Rockwell Swan was a Republican politician in the U.S. State of Ohio who was a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court 1855–1860.-Biography:...
's term began. He ran for a different seat on the court later in 1855, but lost to his Republican opponent.
Warden returned to private practice in Ohio, where one author characterized him : "He was a man of exceptional ability, but did not possess the power to use it to the best advantage." Another noted : "He was well known as an elegant and forceful speaker, both before the courts and in political campaigns. In politics he was too independent and fearless to permit the 'machine' to influence his course, and this quality denied him the close affiliation with either of the great political parties."
In January, 1873, Warden moved to Washington, D. C., where he was employed at the request of Salmon P. Chase
Salmon P. Chase
Salmon Portland Chase was an American politician and jurist who served as U.S. Senator from Ohio and the 23rd Governor of Ohio; as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Abraham Lincoln; and as the sixth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.Chase was one of the most prominent members...
to write a biography of him. Chase died soon thereafter, and the book was published in 1874. Warden had also written a campaign book for Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
, and other non-fiction works. He wrote the drama Arvoirlich (1857), also known as Was it Fate?.
Judge Warden practiced in Washington before the Supreme Court, and the Court of Claims, and at the State and Treasury Departments. In 1877, he was appointed a member and attorney for the Board of Health of the District of Columbia.
Warden married Catherine R. Kerdolff when he was nineteen years old. She died in Washington in 1884, and Warden died in Washington in 1888. He was survived by two daughters, and one adopted niece.