The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-06-13
A SURE RIsE e.
Judge Harmon, Of Cincinnati, for Attor.
ney-General. --The Appointment, which

Was Wholly Unexpected, Accepted.
CINCINNATI, June s.-Judge Judson
Harmon, of this city, was Friday APP
pointed attorney general of the United
States by President Cleveland. He will
succeed Hon. Richard Olney, of Massa.
chusetts, who becomes secretary Of
state, vice Walter @. Gresham, deceas-
ed. The appointment took Cincinnati
wholly by surprise. No one was look
ing for IL Not even Judge Harmon
himself had any idea that his name
was being considered for the position
until Thursday forenoon, when he re-
ceived telegram from the president
asking him If he would accept the po-
sition. Judge Harmon said nothing of
this message to any one with the ex-
ception of his wife and law partners
nor of his acceptance, which was wired
to the president at 2:15 p. m.
While the appointment was a great
surprise it was a most pleasing and
agreeable one. Judge Judson Harmon
was seen by reporter at his office in
the st. Paul building. The talk was
very brief one, as the Judge was then
hurrying to get away to Columbus.
He said, however, that there was but
little to say, as he had received no off,
cial or other information from Wash
ington that he had been appointed.
Judge Harmon has been a warm per-
sonal friend of President Cleveland
ever since Mr.. Cleveland's first election
to the presidency. Notwithstanding
this friendship" said Judge Harmon,
II had no intimation that my name
was even being considered by the presi-
dent until Friday morning, when l
received telegram from the
president asking me to accept the
appointment of attorney general.
/ at once consulted with my
wife, and with the members of my
firm, talking with Mr. Colston, in New
York, by telephone. They all insisted
on me accepting the position, and 2:15
o'clock l telegraphed the president
that l would accept was as much
surprised at the request of the presi-
dent as any man could be. for had
never thought of my name being
mentioned in any way in con-
nection with the appointment. have
received no notice of my appoint
ment other than given by you, and
the friends who have heard it and
telephoned their congratulations.
am compelled to go to Columbus FRI
day night, and will leave over the Big
Four at 6:3O o'clock to attend to some
legal business. l will return Saturday
night or Sunday morning, but have no
idea when l will go to Washington.
Of course, am proud of the appoint
ment, and more especially so as it came
to me unsolicited. No, l will not sever
my connection with the law firm of
Harmon, Colston, Goldsmith & Hoadly,
but expect to keep up active relations
with it as far as possible"
Judson Harmon was born in Anderson town.
ship, Hamilton county, O., February 3, 1s46
His father is Rev. B. F. Harmon, a venerable
Baptist minister, a native of New York, who
now lives on East Walnut Hills. His
mother was Mrs Julia (Brunson) Harmon,
also native of New York. His family
on his fathers side Is an old colonial
one. having settled in Massachusetts, in
1886. whence some Of them went as pioneers Of
northern Connecticut, settling at Suffield in
1860, where many of their descendants still
live. The grandfather of Judsop settled in
Jefferson county, N. Y. at the close of the rev.
olution, in which, as we'll as in the preceding
wars the family took an active part The
one in New York.
Mr.. Harmon's education was obtained at
Dennison university, Baptist institution To-
Gated at Granville. o. He graduated there in
the class Of 1865 ana three years later graduated
at the Cincinnati Law school. Soon after he
formed law partnership with r. Il. Durrell,
which was continued until 1876 when ne was
chosen judge on the common pleas bench.
He held court but three or four
months, when he was defeated in
contest before the Ohio senate
by Judge Joseph Cox. He resumed the prac-
tice of law, forming q partnership with Judge
o. n. Maxwell. The partnership was con-
tinued until Judge Harmon was elected one of
the Judges of the superior court of Cincinnati,
in April 1873 He was reelected to the same
place in 1SS3 and served until March 1887,
when, on the removal Of Gov. Hoadley and his
partner, Edgar NJ Johnson, to New York, he
resigned the iudgship to become a partner in
the law firm of Harmon, Colston. Gold
smith s. Hoadly, the successors of the old firm
OF Hoadly, johnson & Colston On June 1, 1870,
Judge Harmon was married to Miss Olive
Scobey. daughter of Dr. w. H. Scoby, OF Ham
ilton. o. Their home is on Kemper lane,
Walnut Hills. and they have three children.
all daughters The eldest is married and Is
now Mrs Edward Wright, and living in Phila-
delphia
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