J. Foster Wilkin was a lawyer in the U.S. State

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 who was an Ohio Supreme Court Judge from 1912 to his death.

Biography

J. Foster Wilkin was born in 1853 at Hollidays Cove Virginia (now West Virginia). His parents moved to Newcomerstown, Ohio

Newcomerstown, Ohio

Newcomerstown is a village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States, east-northeast of Columbus. In the late 1770s, this was the largest Lenape village on the Tuscarawas River, with 700 residents. Chief Newcomer was the leader of the western Lenape here, and they called the village...

 where he attended the local schools. He graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi. He studied law at the University of Virginia

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...

, and had a thirty five year practice at New Philadelphia, Ohio

New Philadelphia, Ohio

New Philadelphia is a city in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States, 71 miles south of Cleveland on the Tuscarawas River. It was first incorporated in 1808. Coal and clay are found in the vicinity...

. He married Virginia Smith of Newcomerstown, Ohio

Newcomerstown, Ohio

Newcomerstown is a village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States, east-northeast of Columbus. In the late 1770s, this was the largest Lenape village on the Tuscarawas River, with 700 residents. Chief Newcomer was the leader of the western Lenape here, and they called the village...

, who died in 1919. Wilkin was associated with two of his sons in private practice, David R. and Robert Nugen Wilkin

Robert Nugen Wilkin

Robert Nugen Wilkin was a United States federal judge.Born in New Philadelphia, Ohio, Wilkin received an LL.B. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1908. He was in private practice in New Philadelphia, Ohio from 1908 with his brother, David R., and his father, J. Foster Wilkin, under...

, under name Wilkin and Wilkin. He was elected Tuscarawas County

Tuscarawas County, Ohio

Tuscarawas County is a county located in the eastern part of the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 92,582. Its county seat is New Philadelphia...

 Prosecuting Attorney in 1882, 1884 and 1886.

An election was held autumn 1912 to fill the unexpired term of James Latimer Price

James Latimer Price

James Latimer Price was a Republican politician in the U.S. State of Ohio who was a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court 1902-1912.-Biography:James Latimer Price born was near the village of New Hagerstown, Orange Township, Carroll County, Ohio on March 27, 1840. He lived on a farm and attended public...

 to the Ohio Supreme Court, and Wilkin assumed his seat upon election December 20, 1912. He died December 4, 1914. His son, Robert Nugen Wilkin, would later be chosen for the Supreme Court.

He had ten children.