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MILIUS O. RANDALL, born 1850, in Richfield, Summit county, son of Harriet Newton Oviatt and David Austin Randall. Three great-grandfathers fought for American independence in the Revolution. Attended public schools, Columbus, O. Prepared for college, Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. (1869-70). Graduated Ph. B. Cornell University (1874). Graduate course in history and literature (two years) Cornell and Europe. Graduate in College of Law, LL. B. and LL. M., Ohio State University (1892). Admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of Ohio (1890). Professor and lecturer in law, O. S. U., since 1894. Official Reporter of the Supreme Court since 1895. Edited and published fifteen volumes decisions of the court. Trustee Ohio State Archæological and Historical Society and Secretary since 1893. Edited and published eight volumes of the Society's historical publications. Editor Society's Quarterly. Associate Editor "Bench and Bar of Ohio" (1897). Author "History of the Zoar Society, a Sociological Study," and many pamphlets and monographs in literary and historical subjects. Public lecturer and speaker. President Columbus Board of Trade (1887). Member Columbus Board of Education (1888-91). Trustee Columbus Public Library since 1885. Member American Historical Association; Society of American Authors; American Bar Association; American Library Association; Society of the Sons of the American Revolution; (President State Society, 1901), Ohio State Bar Association; Ohio State Library Association; (Vice-President, 1900).

Reporter of the Supreme Court.

HISTORY OF THE OFFICE OF SUPREME COURT REPORTER.

February 23, 1816, the State Legislature for the first time (14 O. L., 310) made recognition of the necessity on the part of the Supreme Court for putting in permanent form and properly preserving its opinions accompanying its decisions. January 20, 1823, the legislature amended (21 O .L., 9) the previous act and provided "That the said judges shall appoint a Reporter who shall report all decisions made at said sessions in Columbus and such other important decisions as he may be directed by said judges to report, and cause the same to be published as soon as may be conveniently done after such sessions."

After the adoption of the new constitution (1851) the General Assembly enacted, section 8, chapter 32 (S. & C., 379) that the Supreme Court should appoint a Reporter whose term of office should continue for three years, and giving special directions as to the reports of the briefs of counsel upon the points made and the authorities cited. From time to time thereafter acts were passed by the General Assembly regulating the methods of publications, sale and distribution of the reports. Under existing legislation the Reporter is appointed by the judges of the court for a term not to exceed three years, at a stipulated salary. The reports are published as a private enterprise by the publisher upon a contract made in behalf of the state by the reporter, form and style of the volume and retail maximum price to the public being determined by statute. Neither the state nor the Reporter has any pecuniary interest in the reports.

Since the creation of the office fourteen different appointees, including the present incumbent, have discharged the duties of Reporter for the Court.

Up to the time of the adoption of the Constitution of 1851, the official Reporters of the Supreme Court were appointed by a joint resolution of the General Assembly notwithstanding section 6 of the law enacted by the legislature January 20, 1823, which reads: "That the said judges (Supreme) shall appoint a Reporter, who shall report all decisions made at said sessions in Columbus and such other important decisions as may be directed by said judges to report, and cause the same to be published as soon as may conveniently be done after such session." (21 O. L., 9.) Under the present Constitution, the reporters have been appointed by the Supreme Court, and serve during the statutory term of three years.

The names of the reporters, together with their terms of service, and the "State or Ohio State Reports" issued by them is given in the following tabulated statement:

The purpose of this department is to afford a place of record for all files, orders, judgments, proceedings, etc., of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court Commission when in service. The Clerk's office is required to make and preserve these records, and the Clerk is the custodian of "all files, papers, orders, judgments and decrees, and all books pertaining thereto, and he shall make up all dockets and issue all needful writs and processes. He shall also keep a record of all applicants for admission to the bar, all admissions to practice law in Ohio, and shall be in charge of the semi-annual examinations of students for such admission and issue all certificates of admission. He shall also act us Clerk of the Supreme Court Commission."

The clerical force of the office February, 1902, consisted of:

Name

Lawson E. Emerson
J. G. Obermeyre
Andrew S. Iddings

Second Deputy

Pleasure of Clerk.

Clerks of the Supreme Court.

SUPREME COURT CLERKS.

Prior to the enactment of March 30, 1865 (62 O. L., 69), the Clerk of the Courts of Franklin County, Ohio, was ex-officio clerk of the Supreme Court, being represented, as a rule, by a deputy. Pursuant to the act above referred to, Rodney Foos was elected Clerk of the Supreme Court in 1865, and served until 1875, nine years.

1881.

Arnold Green was Clerk for one term of three years, 1875-1878.
Richard J. Fanning was Clerk for one term of three years, 1878-

Dwight Crowell was Clerk for one term of three years, 1881-1884. J. W. Cruikshank was Clerk for one term of three years, 18841887.

Urban H. Hester was Clerk for two terms, six years, 1887-1893. Josiah B. Allen was Clerk for three terms, nine years, 1893-1902. Lawson E. Emerson, the present incumbent, has been Clerk since February 3, 1902.

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AWSON E. EMERSON was born in Belmont county, Septem

ber 25, 1863. His education was secured in the common schools, the Barnesville High School and at Valparaiso, Ind., Normal School. He taught for several years in his native county before deciding upon the law as his life pursuit. He read law with Captain Lorenzo Danford and graduated at the Cincinnati Law School in the class of 1889. He was selected as deputy clerk of the courts of Belmont county in 1890 and served with Henry M. Davies for six years. In 1895 Mr. Emerson was elected clerk of the courts of Belmont county, and his administration was so satisfactory that he was re-elected in 1898. The entire twelve years which he gave to the office, first as deputy and later as clerk, was marked by signal ability in the discharge of its duties. All of the attorneys of the Belmont bar pronounced him one of the most efficient and capable clerks they ever came in contact with.

He is married, with an excellent wife and two sons living. His mother is still living at Bethesda, near where he was born, but his father, William Emerson, one of the successful farmers of the county, died about three years, leaving a competency for the widow and family.

Mr. Emerson is but 39 years of age, but is a young man of wide experience in court affairs and of well known capacity. He is specially fitted for the position which he is now holding and his one year's administration of the office of Clerk of the Supreme Court has given universal satisfaction throughout the state.