List of Presidents of the Ohio Senate
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The President of the Ohio State Senate is the leader of the Ohio State Senate. Under Ohio's first constitution, in effect from 1803 to 1851, the presiding officer of the Senate was called the speaker. Starting in 1851, when the second constitution took effect, a new office of lieutenant governor was created. The new position of lieutenant governor carried with it the office of president of the senate, and was nominally the presiding officer of the senate. During this time, the actual legislative leader of the senate majority was the president pro tempore of the Ohio Senate. In the 1970s, another change was made, which made the office of lieutenant governor elected jointly with the governor. At this time, the duty of presiding over the senate was removed from the lieutenant governor's portfolio and the majority party of the senate began electing its own president starting in 1979.
[edit] Speakers of the Ohio Senate, 1803-1851
| Term | President | Party | Home County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1803-4 Dec 1803 | Nathaniel Massie | Democratic-Republican | Ross County, Ohio |
| 5 Dec 1803-1 Dec 1805 | Daniel Symmes | Hamilton County, Ohio | |
| 2 Dec 1805-30 Nov 1806 | James Pritchard | Jefferson County, Ohio | |
| 1 Dec 1806-3 Dec 1809 | Thomas Kirker | Adams County, Ohio | |
| 4 Dec 1809-2 Dec 1810 | Duncan McArthur | Democratic | Ross County, Ohio |
| 3 Dec 1810-5 Dec 1813 | Thomas Kirker (2nd) | Adams County, Ohio | |
| 6 Dec 1813-4 Dec 1814 | Othneil Looker | Hamilton County, Ohio | |
| 5 Dec 1814-3 Dec 1815 | Thomas Kirker (3rd) | Adams County, Ohio | |
| 4 Dec 1815-1 Dec 1816 | Peter Hitchcock | Geauga County, Ohio | |
| 2 Dec 1816-6 Dec 1818 | Abraham Shepherd | Adams County, Ohio | |
| 7 Dec 1818-5 Dec 1819 | Robert Lucas | Pike County, Ohio | |
| 6 Dec 1819-3 Dec 1826 | Allen Trimble | Highland County, Ohio | |
| 4 Dec 1826-2 Dec 1826 | Abraham Shepherd (2nd) | Adams County, Ohio | |
| 3 Dec 1827-6 Dec 1829 | Samuel Wheeler | Geauga County, Ohio | |
| 7 Dec 1829-5 Dec 1830 | Robert Lucas (2nd) | Pike County, Ohio | |
| 6 Dec 1830-4 Dec 1831 | Samuel R. Miller | Hamilton County, Ohio | |
| 5 Dec 1831-2 Dec 1832 | William Doherty | Franklin County, Ohio | |
| 3 Dec 1832-1 Dec 1833 | Samuel R. Miller (2nd) | Hamilton County, Ohio | |
| 2 Dec 1833-30 Nov 1834 | David T. Disney | Democratic | Hamilton County, Ohio |
| 1 Dec 1834-6 Dec 1835 | Peter Hitchcock | Geauga County, Ohio | |
| 7 Dec 1835-3 Dec 1837 | Elijah Vance | Butler County, Ohio | |
| 4 Dec 1837-2 Dec 1838 | George J. Smith | Warren County, Ohio | |
| 3 Dec 1838-1 Dec 1839 | William Hawkins | Morgan County, Ohio | |
| 2 Dec 1839-5 Dec 1841 | William McLaughlin | Richland County, Ohio | |
| 6 Dec 1841-3 Dec 1843 | James J. Finan | Hamilton County, Ohio | |
| 4 Dec 1843-1 Dec 1844 | Thomas W. Bartley | Democratic | Richland County, Ohio |
| 2 Dec 1844-30 Nov 1845 | David Chambers | Muskingum County, Ohio | |
| 1 Dec 1845-6 Dec 1846 | Seabury Ford | Geauga County, Ohio | |
| 7 Dec 1846-5 Dec 1847 | Edson B. Olds | Democratic | Pickaway County, Ohio |
| 6 Dec 1847-3 Dec 1848 | Charles B. Goddard | Muskingum County, Ohio | |
| 4 Dec 1848-2 Dec 1849 | Brewster Randall | Ashtabula County, Ohio | |
| 3 Dec 1849-1 Dec 1850 | Harrison G. O. Blake | Republican | Medina County, Ohio |
| 2 Dec 1850-4 Jan 1852 | Charles C. Converse | Muskingum County, Ohio |
[edit] Presidents Pro Tempore of the Ohio Senate, 1852-1978
(At this time, the nominal presiding officer of the senate was the Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.)
| Term | President Pro Tempore | Party | Home County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan 1852-1 Jan 1854 | Joel W. Wilson George Rex |
Sandusky County, Ohio Wayne County, Ohio |
|
| 2 Jan 1854-6 Jan 1856 | Robert J. Atkinson | Carroll County, Ohio | |
| 7 Jan 1856-3 Jan 1858 | Robert W. Taylor | Trumbull County, Ohio | |
| 4 Jan 1858-1 Jan 1860 | Edward M. Phelps | Defiance County, Ohio | |
| 2 Jan 1860-5 Jan 1862 | Richard A. Harrison | Madison County, Ohio | |
| 6 Jan 1862-3 Jan 1864 | James Monroe | Republican | Lorain County, Ohio |
| 4 Jan 1864-31 Dec 1865 | Samuel Humphreyville | Medina County, Ohio | |
| 1 Jan 1866-5 Jan 1868 | H. S. Martin | Stark County, Ohio | |
| 6 Jan 1868-2 Jan 1870 | Thomas J. Godfrey | Mercer County, Ohio | |
| 3 Jan 1870-31 Dec 1871 | Samuel F. Hunt | Hamilton County, Ohio | |
| 1 Jan 1872-4 Jan 1874 | Allen T. Brinsmade | Cuyahoga County, Ohio | |
| 5 Jan 1874-2 Jan 1876 | Emory D. Potter | Lucas County, Ohio | |
| 3 Jan 1876-6 Jan 1878 | H. W. Curtiss | Cuyahoga County, Ohio | |
| 7 Jan 1878-3 Jan 1880 | James W. Owens | Licking County, Ohio | |
| 4 Jan 1880-1 Jan 1882 | Reese G. Richards | Jefferson County, Ohio | |
| 2 Jan 1882-6 Jan 1884 | R. A. Horr | Lorain County, Ohio | |
| 7 Jan 1884-3 Jan 1886 | Elmer White | Defiance County, Ohio | |
| 4 Jan 1886-1 Jan 1888 | John O'Neill Silas A. Conrad |
Democratic |
Muskingum County, Ohio Stark County, Ohio |
| 2 Jan 1888-5 Jan 1890 | Theodore F. Davis | Washington County, Ohio | |
| 6 Jan 1890-3 Jan 1892 | Perry M. Adams | Seneca County, Ohio | |
| 4 Jan 1892-2 Jan 1894 | Elbert L. Lampson | Ashtabula County, Ohio | |
| 3 Jan 1894-5 Jan 1896 | Thomas H. McConica | Republican | Hancock County, Ohio |
| 6 Jan 1896-2 Jan 1898 | John C. Hutsinpiller | Republican | Gallia County, Ohio |
| 3 Jan 1898-31 Dec 1899 | Thaddeus E. Cromley | Democratic | Pickaway County, Ohio |
| 1 Jan 1900-5 Jan 1902 | Oscar Sheppard | Republican | Preble County, Ohio |
| 6 Jan 1902-3 Jan 1904 | Frank B. Archer | Republican | Belmont County, Ohio |
| 4 Jan 1904-31 Dec 1905 | G. H. Chamberlain | Republican | Lorain County, Ohio |
| 1 Jan 1906-3 Jan 1909 | James M. Williams | Democratic | Cuyahoga County, Ohio |
| 4 Jan 1909-1 Jan 1911 | Nation O. Mather | Republican | Summit County, Ohio |
| 2 Jan 1911-3 Jan 1915 | William Green | Democratic | Coshocton County, Ohio |
| 4 Jan 1915-31 Dec 1916 | C. J. Howard | Republican | Belmont County, Ohio |
| 1 Jan 1917-5 Jan 1919 | J. H. Miller | Democratic | Licking County, Ohio |
| 6 Jan 1919-31 Dec 1922 | Frank E. Whitemore | Republican | Summit County, Ohio |
| 1 Jan 1923-4 Jan 1925 | George E. Kryder | Republican | Henry County, Ohio |
| 5 Jan 1925-2 Jan 1927 | Joseph R. Gardner | Republican | Hamilton County, Ohio |
| 3 Jan 1927-6 Jan 1929 | Chester C. Bolton | Republican | Cuyahoga County, Ohio |
| 7 Jan 1929-4 Jan 1931 | Allan G. Aigler | Republican | Sandusky County, Ohio |
| 5 Jan 1931-1 Jan 1933 | Earl R. Lewis | Republican | Belmont County, Ohio |
| 2 Jan 1933-6 Jan 1935 | D. H. DeArmond | Democratic | Hamilton County, Ohio |
| 7 Jan 1935-3 Jan 1937 | Paul P. Yoder | Democratic | Montgomery County, Ohio |
| 4 Jan 1937-1 Jan 1939 | Keith Lawrence | Democratic | Cuyahoga County, Ohio |
| 2 Jan 1939-2 Jan 1949 | Frank E. Whitemore (2nd) | Republican | Summit County, Ohio |
| 3 Jan 1949-31 Dec 1950 | Margaret A. Mahoney | Democratic | Cuyahoga County, Ohio |
| 1 Jan 1951-4 Jan 1953 | Roscoe R. Walcutt | Republican | Franklin County, Ohio |
| 5 Jan 1953-4 Jan 1959 | C. Stanley Mechem | Republican | Athens County, Ohio |
| 5 Jan 1959-1 Jan 1961 | Frank W. King | Democratic | Lucas County, Ohio |
| 2 Jan 1961-3 Jan 1965 | C. Stanley Mechem (2nd) | Republican | Athens County, Ohio |
| 4 Jan 1965-5 Jan 1975 | Thodore M. Gray | Republican | Miami County, Ohio |
| 6 Jan 1975-1 Jan 1979 | Oliver R. Ocasek | Democratic | Summit County, Ohio |
[edit] Presidents of the Ohio Senate, 1979-present
| Term | President | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan 1979-4 Jan 1981 | Oliver R. Ocasek | Democratic | Summit County, Ohio |
| 5 Jan 1981-2 Jan 1983 | Paul E. Gillmor | Republican | Ottawa County, Ohio |
| 3 Jan 1983-6 Jan 1985 | Harry Meshel | Democratic | Mahoning County, Ohio |
| 7 Jan 1985-2 Jan 1989 | Paul E. Gillmor (2nd) | Republican | Ottawa County, Ohio |
| 3 Jan 1989-1997? | Stanley J. Aronoff | Republican | Hamilton County, Ohio |
| 1997-2003 | Richard H. Finan | Republican | |
| 2003-2005 | Doug White | Republican | |
| 2005- | Bill Harris | Republican |
