Hon. Jacob S. Conklin
Judge Conklin was born in Jackson Township, Champaign County, Ohio, December 4, 1815. His father, Jacob Conklin, was born in Virginia in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry, in 1767. He was of English parentage, his father coming to this country as early as 1765, or perhaps a year or two earlier, locating in Virginia, where the father of Judge Conklin was born. The removal of the family to Ohio was not long after the close of the last war with Great Britain, about 1814, or some thing over sixty-five years ago. He located in Champaign County, Jackson Township, remaining there something over twenty-two years, coming to Sidney in 1836.
The mother of Judge Conklin was of Irish descent. Her maiden name was Barnes, her Christian name Margaret. Her birthplace was in Pennsylvania. She was several years younger than her husband, her birth occurring in the year 1776. Mr. Conklin died in 1837, aged sixty eight. Mrs. Conklin in 1843, aged sixty-seven. His death occurring soon after their removal to Sidney.
Our subject spent his early youth at the family home in Champaign County, and it was there that the foundation of his education was laid. It was during his seventeenth year that he left for Clarke County, where at the county seat, Springfield, he found employment in the outer court of the sanctum judicium; that is to say, in a clerkship in the ofiices of both county recorder and county clerk for over four years, both offices being held by the same person, the Rev. Samuel Haskle. This brings us down to October, 1836, when he came down upon his present locality, planting himself for a life residence in Sidney, Shelby County. At this point we find him commencing the practice of the law with the late Judge Goode.
The reputation be won in the early part of his career gave him the opportunity to extend his practice over a large amount of territory. The judicial district embracing Marion, Mercer, and Allen, including also Auglaize, after its creation into a county in 1848, were regularly visited in connection with court sessions, extending his visits occasionally into Logan, Putnam, Darke, Union, and Champaign, when cases of unusual importance were to be adjudicated. He attended also the first courts that were held in Celina and Wapakoneta.
In 1844, then in his twenty-ninth year, he was elected prosecuting attorney for this county. He however filled but the one term, refusing to be a candidate for re-election. But in 1847 his name was brought forward for representative in the Ohio Legislature from the district composed of the counties of Darke and Shelby. The result was decidedly in his favor, but he did not fill out his term, being brought forward the next year as candidate for State senator for the senatorial district composed of Miami, Darke, and Shelby. In this capacity he served his constituents for a whole term, making in all three years in the two branches of the Legislature.
For six years after his services in the Legislature, Mr. Conklin devoted himself solely to the duties of his profession. But in the year 1856 came on that memorable Presidential contest between the first nominee of the Republican party and the last successful candidate of the Democracy, Col. John C. Fremont and ex-minister James Buchanan. Mr. Conklin was one of the Fremont and Dayton electors. His vote, with the others from Ohio, was cast for the gallant Fremont.
In 1858 he was elected again as prosecuting attorney for this county, serving two years in that capacity, and also one term of court, to fill a vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Edmund Smith, Esq. He was not a candidate for re-election. But in 1864 Judge William Lawrence was elected to Congress, leaving a vacancy on the Common Pleas bench. The eloquent and famous Democratic orator, John Brough, swept by the war feeling into the Republican party, had been placed in the Gubernatorial chair by a majority wholly unprecedented in Ohio. By his appointment Mr. Conklin was placed in the judgeship to fill out Judge Lawrence's term. The following year, however, he succeeded to that office for a full term by a still higher authority, the vote of the people of the judicial subdivision composed. at that time of Shelby, Logan, Hardin, Marion, and Union counties. He declined to run again for the ofllce at the expiration of this term, and returned to the practice of law in Sidney, where had long been his family residence.
In the recent election in this State he allowed his name to come before the electors of Shelby County once more as a candidate for prosecuting attorney, and, though the opposite party has the undisputed political ascendency, he was successful, and was elected by an unexpectedly large majority, indicating the hold he had upon the friendship and favorable regards of the citizens of the county.
Judge Conklin was married in 1841, and has seven children: two sons, J. Wilson and Edward; and five daughters, Clara, Alice, Florence, Minnie, and Etta.
From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883