Thomas Bartley (politician)

Thomas Bartley (February 11, 1812 – June 20, 1885) was an American lawyer and politician from Ohio. He served as a United States Senator for Ohio in 1850 and as the 17th Governor of Ohio in 1844.

Bartley was born in Jefferson County, Ohio. He graduated from Washington College (now Washington & Jefferson College) in Pennsylvania in 1830 and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1832. He began practicing law in Mansfield, Ohio.

He served as a Democratic member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1839 to 1841, and as Speaker of the House in 1840. He was subsequently elected to the Ohio State Senate, serving from 1841 to 1844. Upon the resignation of Governor Wilson Shannon, Bartley, as Speaker of the Senate, became Governor in April 1844, serving until December 1844.

In 1850, he was appointed by Ohio Governor Seabury Ford to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas Corwin, serving from July 11, 1850, to March 3, 1851. He was not a candidate for election to the seat.

Following his Senate term, Bartley resumed his law practice in Mansfield. He was a judge of the Ohio Supreme Court from 1852 to 1859. Bartley died in Washington, D.C., and is buried in Mansfield Cemetery.