Judge Emmett M. Wickham
Judge Emmett M. Wickham was born in Genoa Township, Delaware County, Ohio, October 29, 1859. His father and mother were of English and Dutch origin, respectively. He is able to trace his genealogy on his father's side back to a period of more than two hundred years. But it is not intended in this sketch to refer to the family history, but rather to the Judge's early life and education and his progress from teacher, lawyer and judge. He received his early education in the public schools of Genoa Township, in which schools he prepared himself for a teacher. He taught his first school in the same district where he had attended school, viz., Sub-District No. 5, in said township. His compensation was $18.33 Per month. He continued to teach for a period of twelve years, having taught in eight of the eighteen ti iwnships composing Delaware County.
He began the study of law in the year 1889, under the tutorship of Hon. F. M. Marriott, of Delaware, Ohio, during the time he was teaching, and on the third day of December, 1891, he was admitted to the Bar by the Supreme Court of Ohio, having taught school seventeen months during the time he was preparing himself for admission to the Bar. His contract to teach did not expire until May, 1892. after his admission. In the autumn of the same year he came to Delaware and began the practice of his profession, having his office with his former preceptor, Hon. F. M. Marriott, and in January, 1895, entered into a partnership with Mr. Marriott, the style of the firm being Marriott and Wickham.
At the Democratic Convention which was held at Centerburg, Knox County, Ohio, in July. 1896, he was nominated as one of the candidates for Common Pleas Judge in the First Subdivision of the Sixth Judicial District, composed of Delaware, Knox and Licking Counties, and at the November election following was elected by a good majority. In the year 1900 he was re-nominated to succeed himself as judge. The slump in the Democratic vote in the district was so great that he was defeated, his opponent having a majority in the district of but eight votes. In this campaign Mr. Wickham ran ahead of his ticket very largely.
In the year 1906 he was again nominated by his party for Common Pleas judge, and was elected in November of that year by a majority of over four hundred votes, carrying Delaware County by a majority of two hundred and sixty-five, while the county gave to President Roosevelt the same year, a majority of fifteen hundred and sixty-five, and at the same time he carried Knox County by one hundred and thirty-three, while that county is largely Republican.
After the campaign of 1900. Judge Wickham returned to the practice of his profession, and in July of the year 1901, he became a member of the firm of Marriott, Freshwater and Wickham. During his practice in this firm Judge Wickham became identified with two cases which involved the constitutionality of the "Valentine Anti-trust Law" and "The County Road Improvement Act," both of which cases went to the Supreme Court of Ohio. The former grew out of the indictment of several coal dealers for a violation of the Valentine Anti-trust Law. The Common Pleas courts throughout the State had been declaring this act unconstitutional. Judge Wickham was appointed by the county commissioners to assist the prosecuting attorney to carry one of these cases to the Supreme Court to make a test case out of it. Judge Wickham's contention was that this anti-trust law was constitutional and the Supreme Court of Ohio upheld his views and the act was declared by the court of last resort to be not within the inhibitions of the constitution of Ohio. The other case involved the constitutionality of the act known as "The County Road Improvement Act." Judge Wickham was again employed to assist the prosecuting attorney to lake this ease up and after having been heard in the Common Pleas and Circuit Courts, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of this act and settled the law on that subject.
Judge Wickham, on the thirty-first day of December, A. D. 1906, retired from the firm of Marriott, Freshwater and Wickham, and on the seventh day of February, 1907, he again took up the judicial ermine which he had always worn with dignity to the office and credit to himself. Judge Wickham is a strong man mentally and physically and of pronounced and positive views. He has always been a close and hard student of the law. In his analysis of a case he is clear and conclusive. Though one of the younger judges of this district, his decisions have been sustained by the higher courts in as great proportion as any of the judges who have held the position in this district.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908