NOBLE COUNTY OHIO - BIO:  FRAZIER, William Hugh
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>From the 
The Ohio Biographies Project
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~usbios/Ohio/mnpg.html
a part of
The U.S. Biographies Project
http://members.tripod.com/~debmurray/usbios/usbiog.html

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 judgement.

The subject of this notice was reared on a farm and attended school in hs
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 the 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 year 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 practiced 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 at
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 keen, analytical mind, discriminating, careful and thoughtful;
honest of purpose and sound in judgement; 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 his 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.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago
1887 The Legal Profession

Transcribed by Deb Murray <debmurray@worldnet.att.net>