Thomas John Herbert (October 28, 1894 – October 26, 1974) was an American Republican politician from Ohio. He was the 56th governor of Ohio.

Thomas J. Herbert
56th Governor of Ohio
In office
January 13, 1947 – January 10, 1949
LieutenantPaul M. Herbert
Preceded byFrank J. Lausche
Succeeded byFrank J. Lausche
34th Ohio Attorney General
In office
1939–1945
GovernorJohn W. Bricker
Preceded byHerbert S. Duffy
Succeeded byHugh S. Jenkins
Associate Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court
In office
January, 1957 – January 1963
Preceded byWilliam L. Hart
Succeeded byPaul M. Herbert
Personal details
Born
Thomas John Herbert

(1894-10-28)October 28, 1894
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
DiedOctober 26, 1974(1974-10-26) (aged 79)
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Jeanette Judson, Mildred Helen Stevenson
ChildrenJohn D. Herbert
Alma materCase Western Reserve University School of Law

Herbert was born in Cleveland, Ohio. During World War I Herbert served in the Army Air Service. While flying with No. 56 Squadron RAF in France, he was wounded in action 8 August 1918. He was awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross & American Distinguished Service Cross.[1]

After the war, Herbert returned to Ohio, where he graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1919,[2] and practiced law. He served as State Attorney General from 1939 to 1945. In the Republican landslide year of 1946, Herbert defeated incumbent governor Frank J. Lausche. Lausche defeated Herbert in the latter's bid for re-election two years later. Herbert served as a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court from 1957 until 1963. He suffered a stroke March 21, 1961, and decided not to run for re-election.[2]

Herbert married Jeanette Judson of Cleveland on April 30, 1919, and they had four children. Jeanette died December 30, 1945. Herbert remarried, while Governor, Mildred Helen Stevenson of Indianapolis on January 3, 1948. They had one daughter. Mildred died in 1962. Herbert died October 26, 1974, at age 79, after years of illness.[2]

His son John D. Herbert was Ohio State Treasurer for two terms, 1963 to 1971 and an unsuccessful candidate for Ohio Attorney General in 1970.

References

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Legal offices
Preceded by Ohio Attorney General
1939–1945
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Ohio
1947–1949
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by
Republican nominee for Attorney General of Ohio
1938, 1940, 1942
Succeeded by
Preceded by Republican Party nominee for Governor of Ohio
1946, 1948
Succeeded by