BIOGRAPHIES

Source:
CENTENNIAL HISTORY of ERIE COUNTY, OHIO
By H. L. Peeke
President of The Firelands Historical Society
Publ. 1925

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Judge John E. Tanney

JOHN E. TANNEY.    John E. Tanney is the youngest of the four Catholic lawyers who practice at the Erie County bar.  HE was born in Sandusky, Aug. 21, 1892, and has always resided here.  John Graham Tanney his father, was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, but his mother, Caroline Kline Tanney is a native of this city.      He was educated in the Sandusky public schools, being graduated from the High School in 1912.  After that he attended Law School at Ohio State University where he finished his course in 1916 but was not graduated.      He began the practice of law in his native city in January, 1917, but only practiced until Nov. 5, 1917, when he enlisted for service in the World War and arrived at Brest, France, December, 1917.  He remained on the other side nearly two years seeing service as a private in the 2nd Division of the U. S. Regular Army and participated with his regiment, the 17th U. S. Field Artillery, in the Meuse Argonne, and spending eight months with the Army of Occupation in Germany.      He was honorably discharged from the army with a creditable record on Aug. 20, 1919.      He is a member of Sts. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church and socially belongs to the Loyal Order of Moose, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Knights of Columbus and The American Legion.      He is a widower after a brief married life with his deceased wife, Olive M. Turpin, extending from Oct. 4, 1915, until the time of her death, Feb. 7th, 1917.      By this marriage he also had a son who died in infancy.  In the election of 1924, he was successful as a Democratic candidate for Probate Judge, which office, in the few months he has held it to date, he has administered well. Source:  Centennial History of Erie County, Ohio - Publ. 1925 - Page 384

EDWARD ESRA THOMAS.  This Huron business man was born at Buffalo, New York, Apr. 7th, 1884, and is the son of John Justin Thomas, a shoemaker, and Katherine Thomas, who like her husband is of German extraction.  They came to Huron when their son was a year old.  He confines the experiences of his early youth to playing ball, riding freight trains and playing hookey from school.  He started to work on a farm at the age of eleven years and continued to do so until he was sixteen years of age.  He then started to work in a grocery store where he clerked for twelve years.  In 1912 he started in business for himself with no capital except nerve and good health, both of which are still with him.  He has always been in a grocery store where he got his first job at two dollars and a half a week by cleaning cuspidors at five cents each.  He is an Odd Fellow and a Mason.  Politically he is a Republican; religiously he is a member of the Evangelical Church.  He belongs to The Huron Commercial Club also.  He was married at Huron Ohio by Rev. Maclain on June 6th, 1906, to his present wife, Grace G. Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Smith.  They have three children - Gordon E. Thomas, Ruth Virginia Thomas, and Lois Dixie Thomas.      Mr. Thomas is given a great deal of credit by his neighbors of the success he has attained. Source: Centennial History of Erie County, Ohio Vol. II - 1925 - Page 702 - Huron Twp.

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