Background
Edward S. Matthias was born in Gilboa, Ohio to Albert Coates and Eleanor P. Harris Matthias.
Edward S. Matthias was born in Gilboa, Ohio to Albert Coates and Eleanor P. Harris Matthias.
He attended the local schools of Gilboa, and the Crawfis College of Putnam County, Ohio.
He received bachelor"s and doctor of laws degrees from Ohio Northern University College of Law. He served during the Spanish–American War with the Van Wert Company of the 2nd O. United States V. I., and was state and national commander of the United Spanish War Veterans. He was City Solicitor of Van Wert 1896–1900.
He was elected Judge of the Ohio Courts of Common Pleas of the third judicial circuit in 1904, and re-elected in 1910.
He was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court in 1914, and re-elected in 1920, 1926, 1932, 1938, 1944 and 1950. Matthias died November 2, 1953 in an accidental fall at his Columbus home while doing home repairs, and was buried at Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio.
John H. Lamneck was appointed to the court until the next election, November, 1954.
Matthias was admitted to the bar in 1895, and was a member of the firm Blachly & Matthias in Van Wert, Ohio until 1904. Matthias heard more than 30,000 cases as a judge, and wrote more than 1000 opinions as a member of the Supreme Court.