Azariah W. Doan

As printed in 1882

HON. AZARIAH W. DOAN, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the Second Judicial District, and of the Third Subdivision, including the counties of Clinton, Warren, Greene and Clark, was born in Wilmington, December 17, 1824. His father was Jonathan Doan, a native of North Carolina, and a blacksmith by trade. He came to Ohio in 1804, locating in what is now Union Township, of Clinton County, where he was engaged in agriculture for many years, owning at one time nearly 400 acres of land. He died in July. 1874. Judge Doan’s mother was Phebe Wall, a native of Pennsylvania, who accompanied her parents to Ohio in 1808. She departed this life in November, 1809. When young, Judge Doan attended the Wilmington Seminary, taught by David S. Burson, of New York, and noted for his masterly attainments in the language of ancient Greece. In 1852, Judge Doan was appointed Deputy Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas serving in that capacity one year. During this time, he studied law with Frank, and was admitted to practice in June, 1853. He has been in almost constant practice from that time to the present. In April, 1861, Judge Doan assisted Judge R. B. Harlan in raising Company B, Twelfth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was the first company offered to the State in reply to President Lincoln’s call for 75,000 men. Judge Doan was made First Lieutenant, and served as such during the three months’ service. When the company was re-organized for a three years’ campaign, Lieut. Doan was made Captain of the company, and in 1862, was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Seventy-ninth Regiment, serving in the latter position till the close of the rebellion. Judge Doan was subsequently commissioned Colonel and Brigadier General by brevet, for meritorious conduct on the battlefield at Averysborourg, North Carolina. During the prevalence of this conflict, Col. Doan took charge of two regiments and made a vigorous assault on the enemy’s right, capturing, in a remarkably short time, the batteries of artillery on that wing of the confederate forces. In July, 1865, he was honorably discharged, and returned to Wilmington, resuming his law practice. In the fall of the same year, he was nominated in the primary convention of the Republican party, and subsequently elected by the people, to represent this district in the State Senate, for a term of two years. In April, 1875, he was elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, by a special act of the Legislature, and was triumphantly re-elected in 1879, for a second term (five years), commencing May 3, 1880. Judge Doan was married, October 21, 1847, to Amanda M. Stratton, also a native of Wilmington. Five children were born to them, one surviving— Corwin F. W., a merchant at Doans, Texas. Mrs. Doan died, of cholera, August 6, 1854. This fatal disease also carried off the greater number of the children. Judge Doan was again married, in June, 1856, to Martha G. Hale, a native of Pennsylvania. Six children were the fruits of this alliance. Five are living — Willie, Joe, Alice, Walker and Fanny. Charles is deceased. Judge Doan is a member of Wilmington Lodge, No. 52 (Masonic); also of the Chapter. He was formally a member of the Grand Army of the Republic Post, which is now disbanded. Judge Doan’s parents were members of the Society of Friends, and he grew up in the teachings of that church. “ Col. Doan,” as he is familiarly known to the “ boys in blue,” was an intrepid and gallant soldier, and his war record is as bright and clear as the noon-day sun. During his war service, he participated in twenty-three battles and skirmishes. He first served in West Virginia, under Gen. Rosecrans, afterward in the Army of the Cumberland, and subsequently in the Twentieth Army Corps, “ when Sherman marched down to the sea.” The high standard attained during his military career has been modestly but successfully sustained in his subsequent responsible service in official and private life. Tried by many tests, he has never been found wanting. As a practitioner, no man ever prosecuted more vigorously what he considered right, although he always discouraged litigation, when a fair settlement could be made. On the bench. Judge Doan has always observed the strictest impartiality in his rulings, his strongest desire being to satisfy the contesting parties of the fairness of his decisions. Judge Doan is possessed of a keen sense of honor, persevering energy, sterling integrity, and purity of character — qualities that have won for him the respect and esteem of the citizens of Clinton County and Southern Ohio.

As printed in The history of Clinton County, Ohio : containing a history of the county : its townships, cities, towns ... etc. : general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.