John A. Corwin

John A. Corwin (October 10, 1818 – August 11, 1863) was an American Democratic politician and jurist from Ohio. He was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court and ran unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives.

Biography Corwin was born in Urbana, Ohio, on October 26, 1818. His parents were Moses B. and Margaret Corwin. Moses Corwin first began practicing law in Champaign County and was the cousin of Thomas Corwin, Governor, Senator and Secretary of the Treasury.

After he finished school, Corwin ran a newspaper called the Rattler in about 1837 and studied law under his father. He was admitted to the bar at age 21 and established a law practice with his father in Urbana. They had clients throughout central Ohio, and John A. became a highly regarded criminal defense attorney. He started like his famous relatives as a Whig but switched to the Democratic Party in about 1840. Moses won in the solidly Whig district. In 1850, John A. challenged Whig Benjamin Stanton in the same district and again lost convincingly.

In 1851, Ohio adopted a new constitution that made seats on the Ohio Supreme Court elective. The first election was in October 1851. Corwin was nominated by the Democrats, and the Democrats won all five seats. The new court was seated February 9, 1852, and the judges drew lots for a length of their first term, so re-elections would be staggered. Corwin drew a four-year term. In 1854, he challenged George E. Pugh for the Democratic nomination for United States Senate but lost. He did not serve his whole term but resigned on October 28, 1854.

Corwin suffered from tuberculosis for six months before he died at his Urbana home on August 11, 1863.

Corwin married Mary Vance, and they had one son.