Born in
Mount Vernon, Ohio, Geddes attended the common schools. He studied law under
Columbus Delano. He was
admitted to the bar in July 1845 and practiced. He served as judge of the court of common pleas of the sixth judicial district in 1856. He was reelected in 1861. Geddes was again elected in 1868, and served until 1873. He resumed the practice of law. He was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for judge of the
Supreme Court of Ohio in 1871. He resumed the practice of law in Mansfield. ==Congress ==