Thomas J. Herbert

Who was Thomas J. Herbert?

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Thomas John Herbert was a Republican politician from Ohio. He was the 56th Governor of Ohio.

Herbert was born in Cleveland, Ohio. After serving in the Army Air Service during World War I, Herbert returned to Ohio, where he graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1919, and practiced law. He served as State Attorney General from 1939 to 1945. In the Republican landslide year of 1946, Herbert defeated incumbent governor Frank J. Lausche. Lausche defeated Herbert in the latter's bid for re-election two years later. Herbert served as a justice on the Ohio Supreme Court from 1957 until 1963. He suffered a stroke March 21, 1961, and decided not to run for re-election.

Herbert married Jeanette Judson of Cleveland on April 30, 1919, and they had three children. Jeanette died December 30, 1945. Herbert re-married while Governor to Mildred Helen Stevenson of Indianapolis on January 3, 1948. They had one daughter. Mildred died in 1962. Herbert died October 26, 1974, after years of illness.

His son John D. Herbert was Ohio State Treasurer for two terms, 1963 to 1971 and an unsuccessful candidate for Ohio Attorney General in 1970.