For Reference: Noble County was formed in 1851

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Sharon Wick

<BACK TO BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX> DR. JOHN FINLEY HON. L. W. FINLEY JAMES S. FOREMAN, son of Hiram and Margaret Foreman, was born near Senecaville, Guernsey County, Ohio, Oct. 2, 1835.  He received a common school education, and in early life taught school.  He read law under the preceptorship of Judge Evans, of Cambridge, and was admitted to the bar September 8, 1863.  October 6, 1874, he was admitted to practice in the United States Circuit Court.  He removed to Caldwell in the fall of 1864, and practiced here until his decease.  He died of paralysis, March 22, 1880.  He first practiced in partnership with Hon. W. H. Frazier, and, after the latter was elected judge, formed a partnership with D. S. Spriggs, which continued until his death.  Mr. Foreman was considered one of the best lawyers in the county.  He served two terms as prosecuting attorney, but never held any other office of prominence.  He took an active part in politics, and was a good stump-speaker.  He married Anna M. Summers, of Noble County, in 1859, and was the father of six children, who are living. CHRYSOSTOM FOSTER, the present mayor of Caldwell, is among the oldest residents of the town, having come here in 1862.  He was born in Washington, Pa., Jan. 2, 1840.  When five years old his parents came to Wheeling and in 1853 to Belmont County, Ohio.  In 1859 the family removed to Batesville.  The elder Foster was a shoemaker; he died at Quaker City in 1858, leaving five children: Charlotte, Hannah,, Chrysostom, Mary M., and D. A.  The latter went into the service in 1861, in the Thirtieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served through the war.  He died in 1874 from disease caused by a wound received from the bursting of a torpedo at Fort McAllister in 1864.      After coming to Caldwell, Mr. Foster was for a time the clerk in the office of the county treasurer; in 1865 he was elected county treasurer and by re-election held the office until 1870.  Since that time he has been in the mercantile and livery business in Caldwell.  He is a prominent Republican.  In 1861 he married Cynthia J., daughter of Abraham Simmons, at that time one of the leading citizens of Noble County.  Five children have been born of this union, three boys and two girls. HENRY FRAZIER, a brother of Hon. W. H. Frazier, was born in Trumbull County, O., Sept. 9, 1824.  He received a collegiate education; read law with Evans & Scott, Cambridge, O., was admitted to the bar in the fall of 1851, and began practice at Sarahsville.  He died in August of the following year.  He was a young man possessed of a high order of talent, and had he lived would doubtless have made his mark in his profession.  The local paper spoke of him in the highest terms, and the bar passed eulogistic resolutions after his death. WILLIAM HUGH FRAZIER, the fourth son and seventh child of George and Bethiah (Randall) Frazier, was born in Hubbard, Trumbull County, Ohio, March 11, 1826.  His father was a native of Kent County, Maryland; came to Ohio with his parents in 1802; married a native of Washington County, Pa., and reared eight children.  Hannah (Ripley), Henry, William H., Sarah R. (Watt), George, Israel, Andrew, Asa, of whom four are still living; Sarah, George, William H., and Andrew.  The father died in Guernsey County in 1852.  He was a man of great natural ability and force of character.  While in Trumbull County he served as a magistrate, and was regarded by his neighbors as a man of sound sense and good judgment.    The subject of this notice was reared on a farm and attended school in his native town until twelve years of age, when he accompanied his parents to Guernsey County.  Here he continued attending the common schools in winter and working on the farm in summer, until he became of age.  He then entered Madison College at Antrim, Guernsey County, spending his vacations at home in farm-work and study; but finding his health impaired, and believing that he would not be able to continue his labors as a farmer, he decided to begin the study of the law.  At this time an older brother, Henry, was pursuing a course of study for that profession, and William placed himself under his tutelage, continuing until twenty-six years of age, when he was admitted to the bar at Coshocton, May 17, 1852.  Immediately after his admission he began the practice of his profession with his brother Henry at Sarahsville, then the county-seat of Noble County.  In the following August his brother died.  William H. continued in practice at Sarahsville until 1858, when he removed to Caldwell, the new county seat.  In March, 1865 he formed a partnership with James S. Foreman, which continued one year, after which he practice alone.  In 1855 he was elected prosecuting attorney for the county, and by successive re-elections was continued in the office for ten years.  He was twice chosen to this office without opposition.  In October, 1871, he was appointed by Governor Hayes to fill the unexpired term of Hon. Moses M. Granger as judge of the court of common pleas, and that the annual election held the same month he was elected to the same office for the term of five years.  Subsequently he was twice re-elected as judge of the court of common pleas in the eighth judicial district, no other candidate being put in nomination against him.  September 8, 1884, after having been nominated for circuit judge, he tendered his resignation as common pleas judge, having served in that office thirteen  years lacking one month.  At the annual election in October, 1884, he was elected one of the judges of the circuit court* for seventh circuit, and in the allotment of terms he was allotted the term of four years.      Possessed of a keen, analytical mind, discriminating, careful and thoughtful; honest of purpose and sound in judgment; of extensive general information and thorough knowledge of the law, aided by a ready and retentive memory, in his long and unbroken service upon the bench, Judge Frazier has been distinguished for his love of justice, his fidelity to the law, and the equity and candor of his decisions.  His unassuming manners and agreeable social qualities render him deservedly popular with men of every party and every condition in life.  He is a Republican, both in the political and in the literal signification of the word, and has risen to his present position solely through his own merits, his perseverance, energy and industry.  He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years.       As a citizen of Noble County, Judge Frazier has been prominent in every movement calculated to advance the interests of this town and county.  With others he founded the first bank in the county, became its first president and still retains that position; he was also one of the incorporators and first directors of the Cleveland and Marietta Railway, and gave largely of his time and money to promote the building of the road.      Judge Frazier was married November 30, 1854, to Minerva E. Staats, of Noble County, who is still living.  They have three sons and four daughters, Jennie (Lloyd), Anna (Neuhart), William A., George E., Mary E., Louis B. and Minnie M.  The married daughters reside in Los Angeles, Cal. --------------------------- *The circuit court was organized under an amendment to the constitution adopted in 1883, and in accordance with the provisions of certain legislative acts. HON. WILLIAM H. FRAZIER is so well and favorably known to all the citizens of Noble County, that an extended sketch of his life and public services is unnecessary in this chapter.  Suffice it to say that no abler lawyer or more honored citizen has ever lived in the county; that his talents entitle his name to a prominent place among the distinguished representatives of the legal profession in Ohio; and that his eminent merits as a jurist have received popular recognition in his election to the honorable position which he now so ably fills.

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