William T. Spear

William Thomas Spear (June 3, 1834 – December 8, 1913) was a Republican politician in the U.S. State of Ohio who was a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court 1885–1912.

Biography

William T. Spear was born at Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio, attended public schools and learned the printing trade, apprenticing at the Trumbull Whig and Transcript, published at Warren. He returned to Warren. He was a deputy Probate Judge and deputy County Clerk while studying law under Jacob Dolson Cox. He finished his education and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1859.

Spear returned to Warren and was admitted to the bar in 1859. He was associated first with Cox and Robert Ratliff, and later with John C. Hutchins and C. A. Harrington. He spent three years in Louisiana associated with a cotton plantation. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Trumbull County in 1871 and 1873, and City Solicitor of Warren in 1873 and 1875, all the while in practice with C. A. Harrington. Atherton resigned in December that year, and Spear was appointed to fill the seat in the Interim. He won a full five-year term in 1887, and several more, serving until the December 31, 1912.