Othneil Looker

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Othniel Looker (October 4, 1757 - July 23, 1845) was a Democratic-Republican politician from Ohio. He served briefly as the 5th Governor of Ohio.

[edit] Early life

Looker was born on Long Island. He moved with his mother to Hanover, New Jersey after the death of his father. He enlisted with the New Jersey militia in 1776 and served out the remainder of the war as a Private. Looker moved to Vermont and then to New York, working as a school-teacher.

[edit] Later life

He served in the New York State Assembly from 1803-1804. After receiving a land grant for his war services, Looker moved to Ohio in 1804, and served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1807-1810. He served in the Ohio State Senate from 1810-1817. While serving as Speaker of the Senate from 1813-1814, Looker was concurrently elevated to the governorship after Governor Return J. Meigs, Jr. resigned to become Postmaster General. Looker sought re-election but was badly defeated by the far more well-known Thomas Worthington. He moved to Palestine, Illinois to be with his daughter Rachel Kitchell, and is buried there in Kitchell Cemetery.

Preceded by
Return J. Meigs, Jr.
Governor of Ohio
1814
Succeeded by
Thomas Worthington
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