| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Lybarger, Donald Fisher |
| Title: | Donald Fisher Lybarger Photographs |
| Dates: | 1902-1969 |
| Extent: | 0.20 linear feet (1 container) |
| Abstract: | Donald Fisher Lybarger (1896-1970) Cleveland, Ohio, lawyer who became Cuyahoga County Recorder (1932-1949), a county judge (1949-1967) and Chief Justice of Cuyahoga County (1967-1969). He was also an amateur genealogist and stamp collector and was involved in many civic and social organizations. The collection consists of portraits and views pertaining to the life and career of Donald F. Lybarger. Included are views of Lybarger with Cleveland Mayor Carl B. Stokes and President Lyndon B. Johnson. |
| PG Number | PG 199 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English |
Donald Fisher Lybarger (1896-1970) was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on December 19, 1896. He was the son of Jesse James Lybarger and Margaret Shuler Lybarger. In 1903 the family moved to Wilmington, Delaware, where Jesse Lybarger became the manager of a Singer Sewing Machine store. Donald and his sister, Mildred, attended the Friends School, a private institution in Wilmington.
Donald Lybarger entered Gettysburg College in 1915, but when the United States entered World War I, he enlisted in the Navy. At the end of the war Lybarger returned to Gettysburg College where he graduated summa cum laude in 1919. He entered Western Reserve University Law School the same year and received his L.L.B. in 1923. He was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1923, and until 1945 he was a member of the law firm of Horn, Weisell, McLaughlin and Lybarger.
In 1924, Lybarger married Cornelia Marjorie Hartshorne. Four children were born to the couple: Marjorie, Virginia Dowler, Lee Hartshorne, and Leonard Fisher. Mrs. Lybarger died on November 4, 1953. In 1956, Lybarger married Helen Baldwin Dean.
Donald Lybarger actively participated in numerous local and national organizations. He was a member of the Early Settlers Association, the Sons of the American Revolution, the Western Reserve Historical Society, the American Philatelic Society, a Masonic Lodge, the Woodland Center Neighborhood House, Theta Kappa Nu Franternity, and of several veterans' organizations. He resigned from the Sons of the American Revolution in 1962, however, in protest against what he believed were racist tendencies in the organization. In addition, Lybarger maintained a lifelong interest in stamp collecting and genealogy. He was the compiler of family histories of Baldwin, Belden, Crum, Dowler, Fisher, Grimwood, Hartshorne, Januszewski, Lybarger, Miller, and Shuler families. He also wrote articles on a variety of topics, including religion, Ohio history, poetry, the law, and stamp collecting.
In 1932, Lybarger was elected Cuyahoga County Recorder. During his tenure, he was mentioned as a possible successor to Michael F. O'Donnell, Cleveland postmaster, and was often recommended to fill vacancies on the county bench. He was never appointed, so in 1949 he ran fora position on the county bench and won. He was reelected in 1954, 1960, and 1966. In 1967, he was elected to succeed Arthur A. Day as chief justice. He remarked at this time that he did not think chief justices should run for reelection and he set an example by retiring in April 1969. As chief justice, he was concerned about delays in pretrial procedures and attempted to reduce the number of trial delays granted once a case had been put on the active list. He also set up a series of committees to find ways of reducing the backlog of civil cases, and worked to increase the number of judgeships.
Donald Lybarger died on November 6, 1970, at the age of 73. He was survived by his wife and his four children.
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Donald Fisher Lybarger
The Donald Fisher Lybarger Photographs, 1902-1969, consist of portraits and views pertaining to the life and career of Donald F. Lybarger. Included are views of Lybarger with Cleveland Mayor Carl B. Stokes and President Lyndon B. Johnson. The collection includes 100 black and white and color photographs that measure 8 x 10 inches and smaller.
This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of politics and the law in Cleveland, Ohio, in the twentieth century.
None.
Related MaterialThe researcher should also consult MS 3322 Donald Fisher Lybarger Papers; MS 4155 Donald Fisher Lybarger Papers, Series II; and PG 117 Lybarger Family Photographs.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] PG 199 Donald Fisher Lybarger Photographs, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
These photographs were removed from MS 3322 Donald Fisher Lybarger Papers. Gifts of Donald Fisher Lybarger in 1970; and Mrs. Donald Fisher Lybarger in 1970.
Donald Fisher Lybarger Photographs 1902-1969 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1-7 | Donald F. Lybarger 1902-1960 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Donald F. Lybarger, Chief Justice, Court of Common Pleas ca. 1967-1969 | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Donald F. Lybarger, County Recorder 1944 | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | Donald F. Lybarger, County Recorder campaign 1934 ca. 1938 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Donald F. Lybarger, Executive Secretary of Theta Kappa Nu ca. 1935 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Donald F. Lybarger with Carl B. Stokes 1968 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Donald F. Lybarger and Lyndon B. Johnson with a group 1963 | |||||||||
| 1 | 14 | Marjorie H. Lybarger (Mrs. Donald F.) ca. 1920 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15 | Lybarger friends and family 1912-1967 | |||||||||
| 1 | 16 | Portraits, inscribed to Donald F. Lybarger 1939-1964 | |||||||||
| 1 | 17 | American Philatelic Society, Hyde Park, New York 1945 | |||||||||
| 1 | 18 | Bailiffs with Donald F. Lybarger 1968 | |||||||||
| 1 | 19 | Chief Justice Brennan (Municipal Court) and Donald F. Lybarger 1968 | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Common Please judges at Lybarger's retirement as Chief Justice 1969 | |||||||||
| 1 | 21 | Cuyahoga County Engineer Albert S. Porter and Donald F. Lybarger 1968 | |||||||||
| 1 | 22 | Delta Theta Phi Day Senate, Western Reserve University 1921-1922 | |||||||||
| 1 | 23 | Garfield-Perry Stamp Club 1969 | |||||||||
| 1 | 24 | Gettysburg Academy 1915 | |||||||||
| 1 | 25 | Lakewood Lodge No. 601 Free and Accepted Masons officers 1936-1937 | |||||||||
| 1 | 26 | Lakewood Municipal Court, Judge Matt J. Walthan swearing in ceremony 1933 | |||||||||
| 1 | 27 | Martin J. marshall, British Consul General and Donald F. Lybarger 1968 | |||||||||
| 1 | 28 | Ohio Recorders Association Convention 1966 | |||||||||
| 1 | 29 | Phi Sigma, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 1918-1919 | |||||||||
| 1 | 30 | Louis B. Seltzer, Pat J. O'Malley, and Donald F. Lybarger 1968 | |||||||||
| 1 | 31 | The senior judges 1968 | |||||||||
| 1 | 32 | Theta Kappa Nu, Washington, D. C. 1930 | |||||||||
| 1 | 33 | United States Navy dirigible, Macon 1933 | |||||||||
| 1 | 34 | Unidentified groups 1935-1967 | |||||||||