From: Evans, Nelson W, and Emmons B. Stivers. A History of Adams County, Ohio: From Its Earliest Settlement to
the Present Time, Including Character Sketches of the Prominent Persons Identified with the First Century of
the Country's Growth. West Union, O: E B. Stivers, 1900.
Hiram L. Sibley
was born May 4, 1836, in Trumbull County Ohio. His father removed to Gallipolis in 1841, and to Middleport,
in 1847. He lived there until 1855 when he removed to Racine, Ohio, where he remained until 1860. His father,
Ezekial Sibley, was from Westfield Massachusetts. His mother, Phoebe Simons, from Colebrook, Connecticut.
He attended school until thirteen years of age, when he began to learn the trade of shoemaking. At sixteen,
he attended a select school for six months, and again another term of six months in 1856. April 22, 1858, he
was married to Esther Ann Ellis. They had six children, three of whom are living. The eldest, William Giddings,
graduated from Marietta College in 1881. In the fall of 1858, Mr. Sibley took up the study of law, and continued
it until 1860 when he was elected clerk of the common pleas court of Meigs County, and took the office
February 12, 1861. August 12, 1862, he entered the 116th O. V. I. as second lieutenant, Company B. He was
promoted first lieutenant, February 1, 1864, resigned January 16, 1865. He was captured June 16, 1863, at the
battle of Winchester and was a prisoner of war until December 10, 1864. His health was so broken by his
confinement that he was compelled to and did resign. April 14, 1865, he was admitted to the bar at Meigs
County. In August, 1865, he removed to Marietta and began the practice of law as one of the firm of Ewart,
Shaw & Sibley. He was defeated for prosecuting attorney of Washington County, with the Republican ticket
in 1867. In the same year he formed a partnership with R. L. Nye, which continued until 1869. In 1870, he
returned to Pomeroy and began practice with Lewis Paine, under the name of Paine & Sibley. In April, 1874,
he removed to Marietta to practice with Mr. Ewart under the firm name of Ewart & Sibley. In 1882, he was
elected common pleas judge in the second subdivision of the seventh district and re-elected in 1887 and
in 1892, the last time without opposition. In 1896, he was elected circuit judge in the fourth circuit to succeed
Milton L. Clark. Since 1856, he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and for a number of
years has been a local preacher therein. He has attended many of the principal conferences and councils of
that church and has written quite extensively on ecclesiastical law. in 1895, Claflin University of South
Carolina conferred on him the degree of LL. D. No more devoted of enthusiastic Methodist than he can be
found in the county. He is a great lover of music, especially of the violin, which he carries with him over the
circuit. He possesses strong analytical power combined with a faculty of clear and logical reasoning. He is
an indefatigable student and examines all authorities cited to him. He has a good memory of all cases in the
report which he has once examined and has them at his command at all times. He is always fair, and on the
trial or hearing, he is always along with counsel conducting the case and sometimes anticipates him. He
conducts the investigation of a case on lines suggested by himself and reaches his conclusions quickly. He
is habitually courteous to all before him and especially considerate of the younger members of the profession.
In the conduct of a case, the vital points must be approached and reached directly. No side issues are
tolerated. Without the benefit of a classical education or a law school training, he has become learned in law
and literature and has made a first-class lawyer and an able judge.