William K. Hastings Biography

This image and the biographical text are from the 1875 Atlas of Jackson County Ohio. Spelling and punctuation are as in the original book. The signature is in his own handwriting.

Hastings image

HON. WILLIAM K. HASTINGS,
A prominent attorney of Jackson in this county, was born on the 16th day of October, 1823, in Columbiana County, Ohio. He was the second of eight children, whose parents were Isaac Hastings and Jane Woodside. His father was a native of Fayette County Pennsylvania, came to Columbiana County in 1814, and followed in the main through life mechanical and agricultural pursuits, dying in March 1874, on his farm in Columbiana County, at the advanced age of eighty-one years. The mother of the subject of this brief memoir was a native of Pennsylvania, and is yet living at the advanced age of eighty-two years in Columbiana County. Mr. Hastings was early taught to labor. His early education obtained at the advanced schools of those days. At the age of twenty-one he began life as a school teacher, and at this honorable calling continued his exertions for about six years. It was during his leisure hours at this calling that he read law. In the spring of 1852 he was admitted to the bar. In 1853 he came to Jackson and taught school for one term. In the spring of 1854 he entered on the practice of law in Jackson. He has practiced this profession ever since, and is one of the eminent practitioners of its bar. His practice is large. He was Mayor of Jackson for two terms, having been elected twice. He was prosecuting attorney of Jackson County from 1864 to 1868, serving two terms. He was appointed judge of the court of Common Pleas of the Seventh District second subdivision in 1872. In the fall of 1872 he was elected judge of the court. Politically, he is a republican; voted first for Van Buren. Religiously, his views are not circumscribed by the doctrine of any particular church. He was married on the 14th of May, 1857, to Mary Ann Nelson, a native of this county, and a daughter of John Nelson, merchant of Jackson. The Judge is the father of six children. A portrait of his is found in this atlas.

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This page was last updated on 26 Aug 2018