James L. Torbert

As printed in 1881

JAMES L. TORBERT,- deceased. The late Judge James L. Torbert was the eldest son of Lamb and Eliza Slack Torbert, of Bucks Co., Penn., where he was born in 1796, on the 22d of February (Washington’s birthday); he was the recipient of a liberal classical education, Princeton being his Alma Mater; coming to this State in 1818, he was, for several years, engaged in educational duties, in an academy at Lebanon. Ohio, assisting in the intellectual training and development of a number of young, men, who have since achieved distinction, among? whom mav be mentioned, the distinguished astronomer, Gen. O. M. Mitchell, the founder of the Cincinnati Observatory, and author of several astronomical works and text books. Judge Torbert made his advent in Spring - field in 1824. and being a fine linguist, devoted himself, during the first few years of his residence here, to giving instruction in the languages; having been admitted to the bar in the meantime, he became associated with Gen. Sampson Mason in a law copartnership; lie was the successor of Joseph II. Swan, as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the Twelfth Judicial District, and filled most satisfactorily and ably, for several year's, the office of Judge of Probate for Clark County. While Judge Torbert was a man of superior scholarly attainments and great literary tastes, he was modest, unobtrusive, and retiring; and with a remarkable gentleness and amiability of disposition, he united animmovablc firmness mid fidelity to his convictions, which were sincere and earnest on all subjects', whether religious, political, or domestic; he was found at an early date, battling with voice and pen. against oppression, especially as he believed it to exist in the institution of slavery, and at this period to take so advanced a position, indicated the possession of a rare order of courage. But the stem logic of events has demonstrated the correctness of his views and position on this important question. On the 31st of July, 1821, he married Hannah C., daughter of Dr. John C. Winans, of Lebanon, Warren Co., Ohio, to whom were born eight children, of whom two sons and three daughters survived their father; his death occurred very suddenly, on the 15th of May..1859, on board the steamboat Temmsch. on the Mississippi River, near New Madrid, en route from New Orleans, whither, accompanied by his wife, he had gone to bring home their eldest son, who had been for some time ill in that city. The occasion of his funeral elicited marks of the highest esteem and sincerest affection from the whole community, and especially his late associates of the bar. That noble man. Gen. Sampson Mason, his quandam law partner, who has long since joined him on the other side, and who was well known to bestow none but sincerest praise, said of him on the occasion of the meeting of the Springfield bar, to pass resolutions of condolence and respect, that J. L. Torbert was 14 one whom no mode of praise could flatter/’ Springfield’s past can boast no better,, truer, or pure men than Judge James L. Torbert.

As printed in The history of Clark County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest te (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.