Hugh L. Nichols

Hugh Llewellyn Nichols (March 25, 1865 – December 29, 1942) was an American politician who served as the 32nd lieutenant governor of Ohio from 1911 to 1913 and as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio from 1913 to 1920.

Biography

Hugh L. Nichols was born on March 25, 1865, in New Richmond, Clermont to Perry Jackson and Jeannette Gilmore Nichols. He was educated in public schools in Batavia, Ohio, and attended the Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, where he was a member of the Chi Phi fraternity. He also attended the Cincinnati Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1886.

In 1887, Nichols married Louise Dean Stirling of Batavia, Ohio. In the 1898 election, he was nominated by the Democrats for a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court, but lost to Republican William T. Spear. He was a delegate to the 1900 Democratic National Convention and served as Chairman of the Democratic State Executive Committee, where he managed the successful campaign of Governor Harmon.

After his defeat in 1920, Nichols founded the Cincinnati firm Nichols, Wood, Marx and Ginter, where he was senior partner until his death.