Judson Harmon served as U.S. attorney general from 1895 to 1897 under President Grover Cleveland. Harmon, a well-known Ohio politician, later sought the 1912 Democratic Party presidential nomination, but his conservative positions made him an unpopular candidate.

Harmon was born on February 3, 1846, in Newton, Ohio. He enrolled in college at age sixteen and earned his degree from Denison University in 1866. After graduation, Harmon taught school for one year. He then moved to Cincinnati and entered the University of Cincinnati Law School. After graduation in 1869 he practiced law in Cincinnati.

In 1877 Harmon gave up his law practice and was elected judge of the Cincinnati common pleas court. However, after four years Harmon returned to private practice, which proved to be very lucrative. For the next fifteen years Harmon continued his practice while also developing a strong relationship with prominent members of the Ohio Democratic party. These ties helped secure his appointment...