Joseph Hodson Outhwaite (December 5, 1841 – December 9, 1907) was an American educator, lawyer and politician who served five terms as a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1885 to 1895.
Early life and career
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Outhwaite attended the public schools of Zanesville, Ohio. He taught in Zanesville's high school from 1862 to 1864.
Outhwaite was principal of a grammar school in Columbus, Ohio from 1864 to 1867, studying law while teaching.
He was admitted to the bar in 1866 and practiced from 1867 to 1871 at Osceola, Missouri. He served as prosecuting attorney of Franklin County, Ohio from 1874 to 1878. Starting in 1879 he was trustee of the county children's home, continuing until he was appointed trustee of the fund of the city of Columbus in 1883, staying there until 1889.
Congress
Outhwaite was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-ninth and to the four succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1895). He served as chairman of the Committee on Pacific Railroads (Fiftieth Congress), Committee on Military Affairs (Fifty-second and Fifty-third Congresses).
He was appointed a member of the commission to codify the laws of the United States.
