HERRICK, MYRON TIMOTHY | Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

HERRICK, MYRON TIMOTHY (9 Oct. 1854-31 Mar. 1929), lawyer, businessman, politician, and diplomat, was born in Huntington, Lorain County, Ohio, son of Timothy and Mary (Hulbut) Herrick. He attended Ohio Wesleyan College, not completing his degree but instead coming to

Cleveland to study law in 1875. He was admitted to the bar in 1878 and practiced law until 1886, when he organized Euclid Ave. Natl. Bank and began his long association with Society for Savings, serving there until 1921. He was involved in many business enterprises, such as building the ARCADE, and also became interested in politics. He served on CLEVELAND CITY COUNCIL from 1885-90, and as a staunch Republican, aided MARCUS HANNA in grooming Wm. McKinley for the presidency. Moving up the Republican ranks, by 1903 he was the Republican nominee for governor of Ohio and was elected by a large majority over Democrat TOM JOHNSON. He was a conservative, though controversial, governor, and was defeated for reelection in 1905.

Herrick in 1912 accepted the ambassadorship to France from Pres. Taft. Although replaced in 1914, he remained in Paris after the outbreak of WORLD WAR I, evacuating stranded Americans out of Europe and providing relief to war victims. He returned to Cleveland to lead various civic committees organized for the war effort. In 1921, Pres. Harding reappointed Herrick ambassador to France, where he helped handle Chas. Lindbergh's historic Paris landing in 1927. Two years later, Herrick died in Paris. Herrick married Carolyn M. Parmely in 1880, and had 1 son, Parmely. He was buried in LAKE VIEW CEMETERY.