William Yates Gholson was born at his father's plantation on Christmas Day in 1807 in Southampton County, Virginia.

[1] His father was Thomas Gholson, a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1808 to 1816.

Gholson married Martha Anne Jane Taylor in Virginia, who had two children and died in 1831.

[3] Because one existing judge resigned immediately after the election, Gholson was appointed to fill the term in November of that year.

He returned to Cincinnati, resumed law practice, and authored several books about legal topics.