William Edwin Weygandt
The Gentleman whose name forms the caption of this sketch is not a man who courts publicity, yet it must be a pleasure to him, as is natural, to know how well he stands with his fellow citizens throughout northern Ohio, especially his native county of Wayne. The public is seldom mistaken in its estimation of a man, and had Mr. Weygandt not been most worthy he could not have gained the high position he now holds in public and social life. Having long maintained the same without abatement of his popularity, his standing in the county is perhaps now in excess of what it has ever been. He has by his own persistent and praiseworthy efforts won for himself a name whose luster the future years shall only augment. The term "self-made" may not convey much to some, but when applied to such a man as Mr. Weygandt it has a peculiar force, for he belongs to that interesting class of men, of unquestioned merit and honor, whose life histories show that they have been compelled, very largely, to map out their own career and furnish their own motive force in scaling the heights of success, thereby meriting the applause of their fellows.
W. E. Weygandt is a native of Baughman township, where he first saw the light of day on June 1, 1864, and he is the son of J. K. and Mary Weygandt. The boyhood days of Mr. Weygandt, like those of so many of our successful men of affairs, especially the learned professions, were spent upon the farm, where he worked during the summer months, alternating farming with schooling in the district schools. He was an ambitious lad and applied himself most assiduously to his text books. His principal dependence, as we have before intimated, was very largely upon himself; however, this is not a regrettable fact, for it strengthened his fortitude, courage and self-dependence, and without such attributes no life is a success. Desiring a higher education than the common schools could furnish, he entered the Normal University at Ada, Ohio, where he made a splendid record and from which institution he was graduated on July 23, 1895. He had decided to become a teacher and accordingly entered that profession, which he followed with credit for a period of ten years, during which time he gained an excellent local reputation as an educator, his services having been in great demand, for he had thoroughly equipped himself and seemed to possess all the natural qualifications for the successful teacher. But believing that the law was his proper field of action, he took up its study with A. D. Metz, of Wooster, who was at one time prosecuting attorney of Wayne county and a lawyer of great ability and fame. This was in April, 1894, and having made rapid progress in the same, Mr. Weygandt was admitted to practice at the Ohio bar the following October. He was remarkably successful from the first and soon had a large clientele, figuring conspicuously in many important cases in the local courts from time to time. His ability and public spirit attracted the attention of the leaders of the Democratic party and he was selected as the candidate of this party for prosecuting attorney of Wayne county in 1898. He was elected and filled the office with rare credit and acceptance, proving the wise selection of his constituents. On April 29, 1908, Mr. Weygandt was nominated for the office of judge of the common pleas court of Wayne county and in the ensuing election he was the choice of the voters, defeating his opponent, W. F. Kean, by a majority of two thousand and seven hundred. He assumed the duties of his office on January 1, 1909, and in this responsible position he has again proved in no uncertain manner his eminent fitness for a position demanding ability of high order and an intimate and discriminating acquaintance with the principles of jurisprudence. His decisions have uniformly been characterized by a high sense of justice, guided by a wide knowledge of law and precedent, and his administration of his official duties has been eminently satisfactory to both litigants and attorneys.
In September, 1886, Judge Weygandt was married to Cora Mock, daughter of Samuel Mock, a well-known and highly respected farmer, now retired at the age of eighty-two years. To this union have been born three children, Carl, now a student in Wooster University, Ross and Ola.
As a lawyer Mr. Weygandt ranks deservedly high at the Wayne county bar. His habits of study, research, ability to analyze and comprehend the law, to deduce and apply it, make him an informed, reliable and certain lawyer, and necessarily successful. In his practice before the court he was characterized by fairness in stating the position of an adversary, and strong enough and broad enough to desire no undue advantage. His utterances are experssive of a calm dignity, a tolerant spirit, but a fixed purpose. In his discussion of the law he is terse, clear, precise and incisive, and to the jury he is clear, deliberate, impressive. In his active practice of the law his character for personal and professional integrity was fully recognized and appreciated. He escaped the suspicion of ever having knowingly failed to fulfill all proper obligations of his profession. Combined with the excellent personal and official qualities of the successful attorney and jurist, he is infused with the genius of enterprise and is a man of enlarged public spirit. He always stands ready to identify himself with his fellow citizens in any good work and extends a co-operative hand to advance any measure that will better the condition of things. that will give better government, elevate mankind, insure higher standards of morality and the highest ideals of a refined, ennobling, intellectual culture.
From The History of Wayne County, Ohio, B. E. Bowen & Co., 1910