Former Provisions of the Constitution of the State of Ohio, 1851 Former Art. IV, § 7

There shall be established in each county, a probate court, which shall be a court of record, open at all times, and holden by one or more judges, as the general assembly may determine by law, elected by the electors of the county, who shall hold the office for the term of six years, and shall receive such compensation as shall be provided by law.  Whenever ten per centum of the number of electors voting for governor at the next preceding election in any county having less than sixty thousand population as determined by the next preceding federal census, shall petition the judge of the court of common pleas of any such county not less than ninety days before any general election for county officers, the judge of the court of common pleas shall submit to the electors of such county the question of combining the probate court with the court of common pleas, and such courts shall be combined and shall be known as the court of common pleas in case a majority of the electors voting upon such question vote in favor of such combination.  Notice of such election shall be given in the same manner as for the election of county officers.  Elections may be had in the same manner for the separation of such courts, when once combined.