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A sketch of Thomas J. Godfrey and his home from the 1900 Atlas of Mercer County published by J.E. Hamburger & Co. The brick home is located at 602 W. Market St., Celina. Originally part of Jefferson Township, the property was incorporated into the expanding city on June 29, 1937.
Few citizens of Mercer County have ever been more widely known or achieved more deserved recognition, than the Hon. Thomas J. Godfrey of Celina, who died Nov. 30, 1906.
Mr. Godfrey was fortunate in having enjoyed far greater education advantages, than came to the vast majority of the youth of his time. He attended college at Greencastle, Indiana, taught school two years and then studied law in the offices of Allen and Meeker, Greenville. Unlike most lawyers of his time, he did not then seek authority to practice his profession, but entered the Cincinnati Law School from which he graduated in 1857.
If one honor was to be conferred upon Mr. Godfrey, above all other noteworthy achievements, he should be named Father of Ohio State University.
Beginning in 1866, he served four terms as senator in the Ohio Legislature and it was here that his noteworthy and unselfish public service began. Motivated by a desire to extend higher educational advantages to youth, he introduced and fought tirelessly for an appropriation bill to buy what is now the beautiful site of Ohio State University.
Ninety-one years ago, higher education was generally frowned upon as an extravagant frill that pampered and spoiled the young people. All of Mr. Godfrey's efforts and eloquence failed to save the bill from defeat.
Thomas Godfrey would not be denied and he purchased the proposed site with his own personal funds. His fight for the university continued and eventually the appropriation bill was passed. This success brought forth his most unselfish act. He refused to sell the land to the State at what would have been a near fabulous profit and instead, he deeded the land to the state for exactly the amount that he had invested.
The university conferred high honors upon Thomas J. Godfrey and for 25 years he served as a member of its Board of Trustees, seven years of which he was president of the board. He also served as finance chairman; chairman of the Committee on Faculty and Courses of Study; and chairman of a special committee to plan the organization of the College of Law.
Numerous resolutions were adopted, honoring and commending him; his portrait hung in the Purser's office and he was made an honorary member of the Board of Trustees at the time of his voluntary retirement in 1903.
After graduating from law college in 1857, Mr. Godfrey located in Celina and his first public service was as prosecuting attorney in 1863. It was his brilliant record as public defender that spread his fame and brought his senatorial nomination and election.
Mr. Godfrey, a Democrat, was also honored by his party by being chosen as their candidate for lieutenant governor. He served as county school examiner and was a member of the State Constitutional Convention.
Also, at a local level, he was one of the founders of the county's first building and loan association, chartered in 1870. In 1872, he and Dr. D. Milligan and son bought the entire assets, surrendered the charter and organized Celina's first bank in 1872, known as Milligan, Godfrey & Co. In 1888 a reorganization brought the Commercial Bank into being.
Thomas J. Godfrey was married in 1859 to Miss Lorinda, daughter of Dr. D. Milligan, prominent capitalist and citizen of Fort Recovery.
Their home of West Market Street was a show-place, and now having been restored by the present owners, Mr. and Mrs. Zender Laudahn, it still retains its gracious air of dignity and beauty. The Godfrey's one daughter, Luella, married Rev. J.M. Anderson, Presbyterian minister of Columbus. The Andersons and their two sons, Carl G. and Robert Bruce, lived in the Godfrey home for a number of years and were well known to older Celina residents.
Mr. Godfrey's favorite and daily method of relaxation was unique. He purchased his copy of the Cincinnati Enquirer at the Pohlman newsstand and immediately went to his office over the Commercial Bank. He hung a sign on the outside knob, "Do Not Disturb." He locked the door, made himself comfortable on his leather couch and assimilated all of the news of the day. His most intimate friends and business associates would not violate the meaning of the words "Do Not Disturb" even though they knew what Tom Godfrey was doing.
- Originally ran Oct. 8, 1957
Horse and Buggy Tales originally written by Bronsart H. Gilberg are being reprinted in The Daily Standard on a weekly basis. The column ran from 1956 to the mid 1970s.
