Governor of Ohio, U.S. Congressman, Attorney. The son of Irish immigrants, he was born in the White Clay Hundred (in Newark), New Castle County, Delaware, to William and Isabella Medill. Growing up on the family farm, he graduated from the Newark Academy (now University of Delaware) in 1825. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced as an attorney in Delaware, in 1830. He moved to Lancaster, Ohio in 1832 and resumed his legal profession until he became a member of the Ohio Legislature from 1835 to 1838. Elected as a Democrat to represent Ohio's 9th District in the United States House of Representatives, he served from 1839 to 1843. As Congressman, he strongly opposed the United States Bank. An unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1842, he resumed his practice of law until 1845 when he briefly became Assistant Post Master General of Ohio. He resigned to accept an appointment by President James K. Polk as Commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1845 to 1850. Medill was also a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1850 and the president of the Ohio State Constitutional Convention of 1850. He was elected as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio in 1852 under Governor Reuben Wood and became Acting Governor of Ohio on July 13, 1853 when Wood resigned to become the U.S. Consul to Chile. He was elected in his own right a few months later and served as Ohio's 22nd Governor from 1853 to 1856. He was unsuccessful for reelection in 1855 and was later appointed by President James Buchanan as the first Comptroller of the United States Treasury in 1857. He served in that capacity for the remainder of the President's term until 1861. Medill died in Lancaster in 1865 when he was 63 years old.
Governor of Ohio, U.S. Congressman, Attorney. The son of Irish immigrants, he was born in the White Clay Hundred (in Newark), New Castle County, Delaware, to William and Isabella Medill. Growing up on the family farm, he graduated from the Newark Academy (now University of Delaware) in 1825. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced as an attorney in Delaware, in 1830. He moved to Lancaster, Ohio in 1832 and resumed his legal profession until he became a member of the Ohio Legislature from 1835 to 1838. Elected as a Democrat to represent Ohio's 9th District in the United States House of Representatives, he served from 1839 to 1843. As Congressman, he strongly opposed the United States Bank. An unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1842, he resumed his practice of law until 1845 when he briefly became Assistant Post Master General of Ohio. He resigned to accept an appointment by President James K. Polk as Commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1845 to 1850. Medill was also a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1850 and the president of the Ohio State Constitutional Convention of 1850. He was elected as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio in 1852 under Governor Reuben Wood and became Acting Governor of Ohio on July 13, 1853 when Wood resigned to become the U.S. Consul to Chile. He was elected in his own right a few months later and served as Ohio's 22nd Governor from 1853 to 1856. He was unsuccessful for reelection in 1855 and was later appointed by President James Buchanan as the first Comptroller of the United States Treasury in 1857. He served in that capacity for the remainder of the President's term until 1861. Medill died in Lancaster in 1865 when he was 63 years old.
Bio by: K Guy
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