Governor of Ohio, War of 1812 Officer. Born in Augusta County, Virginia, he moved to Kentucky with his parents when he was a child and lived on land near Lexington that was granted to his father for service during the Revolutionary War. Trimble grew up on a farm where his family owned slaves who were later set free by his father, James Trimble, around 1799. His father began to purchase land in Ohio in 1801, but died a few years later before ever fulfilling his plan to move there. Trimble assumed responsibility of the family and the land purchases, moved to Ohio, and settled near Hillsboro in 1805. He became the Highland County Clerk of Courts and the County Recorder in 1808. During the War of 1812, he commanded a battalion of militia under General William Henry Harrison and served with distinction as Colonel. He was elected to the Ohio State House of Representatives in 1816 and 1817 as a Federalist and was elected to the Ohio State Senate to represent Highland and Fayette Counties in 1818. He served in that capacity for eight years and was the Speaker of the Senate from 1819 to 1826. When Ohio Governor Ethan A. Brown resigned to accept an appointment to the United States Senate, Trimble became Acting Governor and served from January 4, 1822 to December 28, 1822 as the state's 8th governor. He lost election to that office in the fall of 1822 to Jeremiah Morrow, retained his seat in the senate, and lost a close election to Morrow again in 1824. He was finally elected by his own right in 1826, became Ohio's 10th Governor, and served from 1826 to 1830. By 1828, he became affiliated with the Clay Whig Party and won reelection. As Governor, he helped to organize reputable college education in Ohio and was instrumental with further developing the canal system. Although he opposed slavery, he supported African colonization of free blacks. He declined to become a candidate for reelection in 1830 and concentrated his efforts on his farm although he was never far from political issues. Trimble became the first president of the Ohio Board of Agriculture in 1846 and was urged to become a gubernatorial candidate in 1855 for the American Party, formerly the Know Nothing Party. He lost the election and retired to his farm for the remainder of his life. He died there in 1870 when he was 86 years old. Trimble, Ohio in Athens County is named for him. His brother, William Trimble, was a United States Senator from Ohio.