1st Ohio General Assembly explained

1st Ohio General Assembly
After:2nd
Chamber1:Ohio Senate
Membership1:14
Control1:Democratic-Republican Party
Chamber1 Leader1 Type:President of the Senate
Chamber1 Leader1:Nathaniel Massie (D-R)
Chamber2:House of Representatives
Membership2:30
Control2:Democratic-Republican Party
Chamber2 Leader1 Type:House Speaker
Chamber2 Leader1:Michael Baldwin (D-R)
Session1 Start:March 1, 1803
Session1 End:April 16, 1803

The First Ohio General Assembly was the initial meeting of the Ohio state legislature, composed of the Ohio State Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives. It convened in Chillicothe, Ohio, on March 1, 1803, and adjourned April 16, 1803. This General Assembly coincided with the first year of Edward Tiffin's first term as Ohio Governor.

Background

Under Ohio's first constitution, State Senators were elected to two year terms. For the first class, half were elected for one year and half for two years. Members of the House were elected for each term. The Constitution was written in November, 1802, and submitted to the U S Congress. Elections for the first session were held in January, 1803. The apportionment of legislative districts was based on the 1802 Ohio Constitution, in section 7 of the Schedule. Subsequent sessions would be elected each October, and meet the first Monday of December.

State Senate

Districts

For the first session, the constitution apportioned four senators for Hamilton County, one senator for Clermont County, one senator for Adams County, two senators for Ross County, one senator for Fairfield County, two senators for Washington County, one senator for Belmont County, two senators for Jefferson County, and one senator for Trumbull County.

Members

DistrictSenatorPartynotes
AdamsJohn Beasleysuccessfully contested by Joseph Darlinton
BelmontWilliam Vance
ClermontWilliam Buchanan
FairfieldRobert F. Slaughter
Francis DunlavyDemocratic-Republican
Jeremiah MorrowDemocratic-Republican
John PaulDemocratic-Republican
Daniel SymmesDemocratic-Republican
JeffersonZenas Kimberly
Bezaleel WellsFederalist
RossAbraham Claypool
Nathaniel MassieDemocratic-Republicanelected Speaker of the Senate
TrumbullSamuel HuntingtonDemocratic-Republican
WashingtonJoseph BuellDemocratic-Republican

Ohio House of Representatives

Districts

For the first session, the constitution apportioned eight representatives for Hamilton County, two representatives for Clermont County, three representatives for Adams County, four representatives for Ross County, two representatives for Fairfield County, three representatives for Washington County, two representatives for Belmont County, four representatives for Jefferson County, and two representatives for Trumbull County.

Members

DistrictRepresentativesPartynotes
AdamsThomas KirkerDemocratic-Republican
Joseph Lucas
William Russell
BelmontJoseph Sharp
Elijah WoodsDemocratic-Republican
ClermontAmos Ellis
R. Walter Waring
FairfieldDavid Reece
William A. TrimbleDemocratic-Republican
HamiltonThomas Brown
James Dunn
Robert McClure
William Maxwell
Thomas McFarland
Ephraim Kibbey
William James
John Bigger
JeffersonThomas Elliott
Rudolph BairDemocratic-Republican
Isaac Meeks
Zacheus Beatty
RossMichael BaldwinDemocratic-Republicanelected Speaker of the House
Robert Culbertson
William Patton
Thomas WorthingtonDemocratic-Republican
TrumbullEphraim Quimby
Aaron Wheeler
WashingtonWilliam Jackson
Robert Safford
Wyllys Silliman

Major events

In joint session, state officers were elected: William Creighton Jr. as Ohio Secretary of State, William McFarland as Ohio State Treasurer and Thomas Gibson as Ohio State Auditor.

John Smith and Thomas Worthington were elected United States Senators, with no record of vote made.

In joint session, local judges and three Ohio Supreme Court judges, Return Jonathan Meigs Jr., Samuel Huntington, and William Sprigg, were elected.

Major legislation

Eight new counties were erected during this session:

Existing territorial laws were recognized as in force, if not specifically invalidated.

See also

References

External links