James Latimer Price
The roster of distinguished jurists who have brought honor to the bench and bar of Ohio contains no better known name than that of James Latimer Price, formerly judge of the Third Judicial Circuit, and now judge of the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio. Judge Price was born at New Hagerstown, Carroll County, Ohio, March 27,1840, and is a son of Benjamin and Nancy (Douglas) Price. The family came to Ohio from Pennsylvania in 1810, and the children were reared on the home farm, which, in our subject's boyhood, still offered many hard struggles before Nature was finally subjugated. Although his mind was set on other things and his ambitions reached far beyond the tilling of the soil. Judge Price has always recognized the value of that early training. During the winter months he attended the country schools, and later took a full course at the New Hagerstown Academy, where he was graduated in 1859. He entered immediately upon the study of the law under Gen. E.R. Eckley, at Carrolton, where he remained until April 1865, removing then to Van Wert. There he entered into law partnership with Judge Ira D. Clark, which continued for three years. Ira P. Shissler then became a member of the firm and the business was thereafter continued for some 10 years.
In 1883 Judge Price came to Lima and entered into partnership with Judge George W. Overmeyer, which continued until 1887. Since that time Judge Price, when not on the bench, has practiced alone. His first official position was that of prosecuting attorney for Carroll County, in 1862; after removing to Van Wert County, he was elected to the office of prosecuting attorney three consecutive terms, serving in all six years --from 1868 to 1874. In November 1894, he was elected judge of the Third Judicial Circuit for a term of six years, being elected in one of the greatest Democratic strongholds of the State. his election was not in the nature of a Republican triumph, of which party he has long been an active member,but was essentially a tribute to the man.
Judge Price was married on January 1, 1862, to Martha Guiney, of New Hagerstown, Ohio, who died in August 1866. He was married second, on March 8,1868, to Elizabeth Marshall, of Van Wert, Ohio, a member of a well-known family in the State. His one son, Charles F., is a journalist, who was formerly city editr of the Lima Daily Times and correspondent of the Cincinnati Enquirer, and has also been connected with the Lima Gazette. Judge Price is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Fraternally he is a Mason and a member of Shawnee Commandery, No. 14, Knights Templar.
Judge Price was elected a member of the Supreme Court Bench in the fall of 1901 and entered upon the duties of his office in February 1902. As a lawyer he early took a place among the leading practioners at the local bar, his gifts as an orator and his capacity for close and logical reasoning making him an effective advocate. When called from private practice to assume more onerous duties, his course was marked by the sound judgment required in a jurist, and during the long period in which he has presided as judge he has proven himself to be one of the ablest men who ever administered justice in a State, which points with justifiable pride to its untarnished bench. The people have testified to their confidence by frequent reelections; he has been honored in every possible way by the bench and bar, and no man stands higher in personal integrity.
From History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 2, Edited & Compiled by Charles C. Miller, Ph. D.; Richmond & Arnold, Publishers, Chicago, 1906