Hugh L. Nichols received a telephone call at his Batavia home from his friend, Ohio Gov. James Cox. The call was of historic significance.
The governor greeted Nichols with “Good morning, Mr. Chief Justice.” Nichols had just been appointed the first Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, a position he would hold from Sept. 22, 1913, until Dec. 31, 1920.
Nichols was born in New Richmond on March 25, 1865. After graduating from Batavia High School, he attended Ohio Weslyan University. While a student at the University of Cincinnati law school, Nichols wrote a column for the Cincinnati Enquirer. He earned accolades for an extensive article he wrote about U.S. Grant’s death based on interviews with the president’s family and friends.
He began practicing law in Batavia with his brother Allen. Ten years later he was elected to the Ohio Senate. In 1910 he managed Judson Harmon’s gubernatorial campaign against Warren Harding. Despite the efforts of former President Theodore Roosevelt on Harding’s behalf, Harmon won by 100,000 votes. After the election, Nichols analyzed the election returns, discovering that Harmon’s totals increased where Roosevelt campaigned. Nichols wired his thanks to the former president.
The next two years were politically busy for Nichols. He was appointed lieutenant governor by Gov. Judson Harmon to fill a vacancy and in 1911 presided over the Ohio Senate bribery trials. The following year he was elected lieutenant governor on the James Cox ticket. Also in 1912 he gained national attention by managing Hudson’s unsuccessful bid for the Democrat presidential nomination. Hudson lost to Woodrow Wilson, who later defeated both William Howard Taft of Cincinnati and Theodore Roosevelt.
When Nichols became chief justice, the Supreme Court was faced with significant challenges, hearing cases on “workers compensation, government reorganization, highway building” and issues interpreting Ohio’s new Constitution. An observer commented that Nichols’ tenure was characterized by his”…tact, diplomacy, fairness, and courtesy.” He lost his bid for re-election in the 1920 Republican landslide.
After leaving the bench, Nichols returned to private practice, establishing a Cincinnati based law firm.
In 1922 Nichols was appointed co-chair of the U.S. Grant Centennial Commission, celebrating Clermont’s favorite son’s 100th birthday. He accepted the appointment upon the condition that the Grant cottage be returned to Point Pleasant from Columbus. President Harding was the featured speaker at the well-attended event, where the Grant Memorial Bridge was dedicated.
Nichols was known not only for his political and legal accomplishments, but for his charitable acts as well. In addition to serving as the long time president of the Clermont County American Red Cross, he helped out the unfortunate in his community.
A tribute stated, “He really believed it was more blessed to give than receive and he practiced it continuously throughout his life…food, coal, and clothing were often delivered by tradesmen to his less fortunate neighbors, who never knew from whom it came.”
Hugh Nichols died Dec. 29, 1942, and is buried in Batavia’s Union Cemetery.
Gary Knepp is a Batavia attorney who teaches history and political science at U.C. Clermont. He, his wife, and daughter, live in Miami Township.