Wall of Honor Collection - C. William O'Neill, 1916-1978

              C. WILLIAM O'NEILL
1916 - 1978
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
GOVERNOR, CHIEF JUSTICE
C. WILLIAM O'NEILL IS THE ONLY PERSON ELECTED TO THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN
ALL THREE BRANCHES OF OHIO GOVERNMENT. HAVING SERVED AS SPEAKER OF
THE OHIO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, GOVERNOR AND CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE 
OHIO SUPREME COURT.
O'NEILL WAS BORN IN MARIETTA, AND IN (1938?) HE GRADUATED PHI BETA KAPPA
FROM MARIETTA COLLEGE. THAT SAME YEAR HE WAS ELECTED AS THE
YOUNGEST MEMBER IN STATE HISTORY TO THE OHIO HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, WHERE HE SERVED UNTIL 1950. IN 1942, HE GRADUATED
FROM THE COLLEGE OF LAW AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.
IN 1950, O'NEILL BECAME THE YOUNGEST PERSON TO SERVE AS OHIO'S 
ATTORNEY GENERAL. IN 1957, HE BECAME GOVERNOR OF OHIO AND WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN ESTABLISHING THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM IN THE
STATE HE WAS ELECTED TO THE OHIO SUPREME COURT IN (19XX?) AND SERVED AS
CHIEF JUSTICE FROM 1970 UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1978. DURING HIS TENURE AS
CHIEF JUSTICE, HE PRESIDED OVER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MODERN COURTS
AMENDMENT TO THE OHIO CONSTITUTION.
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE IN PUBLIC SERVICE, HE REMAINED ACTIVE IN PROGRAMS
AND POLITICS INCLUDING THE BUCKEYE BOYS STATE AND BUCKEYE GIRLS STATE
PROGRAMS AND THE HI-Y YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. A LIFE LONG
SUPPORTER OF THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, HE ALSO SERVED A TERM AS 
PRESIDENT OF THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.