Othniel Looker

Background

Looker was born on Long Island, New York, and moved with his mother to Hanover Township, New Jersey when he was two years old after the death of his father.

Career

He served briefly as the fifth Governor of Ohio. He enlisted with the New Jersey militia in 1776 and served out the remainder of the Revolutionary War as a Private. He served in the New York State Assembly from 1803 to 1804.

After receiving a land grant for his war services, Looker moved to Hamilton County, Ohio in 1804, and served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1807 to 1810.

He served in the Ohio State Senate from 1810 to 1817. While serving as Speaker of the Ohio Senate from 1813 to 1814, Looker was concurrently elevated to the governorship after Governor Return J. Meigs, Junior. resigned to become Postmaster General.

Looker sought re-election but was badly defeated by the far more well-known Thomas Worthington. Looker was the Ohio Presidential elector in 1816 for James Monroe.

The Village Historical Society in Harrison, Ohio, has restored the home of Ohio Governor Othniel Looker.

The Othniel Looker House is now open to the public, free of admission, on a few dates during the year, and special tours can be arranged for school groups. The Othniel Looker House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Connections

teacher:

Pamela Clark