History of the Treasurer's Office
Proudly serving Ohio for more than 200 Years
Before Ohio became a state there was a public official managing the public's money. John Armstrong of Marietta served as Treasurer-General for the Northwest Territory from 1796 to 1803.
Armstrong was appointed to the post by Congress, a role taken over by the Ohio Legislature in 1803. The legislature relinquished that power in 1851, when the treasurer became an elected official. Just like today, the treasurer back then was responsible for collecting and safeguarding most of Ohio's taxes and fees and managing state investments.
Although the role of the treasurer has remained the same, the scale of the office has increased dramatically since the mid-19th century. The Ohio Treasury handled only about $6 million in total public funds in the late 19th century. As of Fiscal Year 2023, the office was custodian for more than $249 billion in financial assets, and managed an investment portfolio that exceeds $30 billion.
The Treasury was located in the Ohio statehouse from 1861 until 1974, when it was moved to its current location in the Rhodes Office Tower in downtown Columbus. Records show that it took a day and a half and 180 trips to move about $9 billion in securities from statehouse vaults to the Treasury's new offices.
The original office, located just inside the west entrance of the statehouse, was restored to its 19th-century appearance during the capital building's recent renovation. It is still used for ceremonial Treasury events.
Past Treasurers:
Robert Sprague 2019-Present | Josh Mandel 2011-2019 | Kevin L. Boyce 2009-2011 | Richard Cordray 2007-2009 |
Jennette B. Bradley 2005-2007 | Joseph T. Deters 1999-2005 | J. Kenneth Blackwell 1994-1999 | Mary Ellen Withrow 1983-1994 |
Gertrude W. Donahey 1971-1983 | John D. Herbert 1963-1971 | Joseph T. Ferguson 1959-1963 | Roger W. Tracy 1951-1959 |
Don H. Ebright 1939-1951 | Clarence Knisley 1937-1939 | Harry S. Day 1931-1937 (Second Term) | Edwin A. Todd 1930-1931 |
H. Ross Ake 1929-1930 | Bert B. Buckley 1927-1929 | Harry S. Day 1923-1927 (1st Term) | Rudolph W. Archer 1919-1923 (Second Term) |
Chester E. Bryan 1917-1919 | Rudolph W. Archer 1915-1917 (First Term) | John P. Brennan 1913-1915 | David S. Creamer 1909-1913 |
Charles C. Green 1908-1909 | William S. McKinnon 1904-1908 | Issac B. Cameron 1900-1904 | Samuel B. Campbell 1896-1900 |
William T. Cope 1892-1896 | John C. Brown 1886-1892 | Peter Brady 1884-1886 | Joseph Turney 1880-1884 |
Anthony Howells 1878-1880 | John M. Millikin 1876-1878 | Leroy Welsh 1875-1876 | Isaac Welsh 1872-1875 |
S.S. Warner 1866-1872 | William Hooper 1865-1866 | G.V. Dorsey 1862-1865 | A.P. Stone 1857-1862 |
William H. Gibson 1856-1857 | John G. Breslin 1852-1856 | Albert A. Bliss 1847-1852 | Joseph Whitehall 1835-1847 |
Henry Brown 1823-1835 | Samuel Sullivan 1820-1823 | Hiram M. Curry 1817-1820 | William McFarland 1803-1817 |
John Armstrong 1796-1803 |