F. Dickinson Letts
Encyclopedia
Fred Dickinson Letts was a three-term Republican U.S. Representative
from eastern Iowa
, and a thirty-year federal trial court judge in the District of Columbia.
in Washington County, Iowa, Letts attended the common schools of Washington County.
He was graduated from Parsons College
, Fairfield, Iowa
, in 1897 and from the University of Iowa College of Law
in 1899.
He was admitted to the bar
in 1899 and commenced practice in Davenport, Iowa
.
He was appointed judge of the seventh judicial district of Iowa on March 25, 1911, and served until December 31, 1912, when he returned to private practice.
Letts was elected to the same position as a judge in 1914, and served until his resignation on February 28, 1925.
In 1924, Letts was elected as a Republican
to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district
in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was re-elected twice (in 1926 and 1928), but failed to win re-election in 1930, when he was defeated by Democrat Bernhard M. Jacobsen
. In all, he served in the Sixty-ninth
, Seventieth
, and Seventy-first
Congresses, from March 4, 1925 to March 3, 1931.
On May 5, 1931, he was appointed by President Herbert Hoover
an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (now United States District Court for the District of Columbia
). Letts initially received a recess appointment
to a seat vacated by Wendell Philips Stafford. Hoover then nominated Letts on December 15, 1931 for a permanent appointment. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
on February 17, 1932, and received his commission on February 20, 1932.
Letts served as chief judge of the court from 1958 to 1959. He assumed senior status
on May 31, 1961. His service as a senior judge ended with his death in Washington, D.C.
on January 19, 1965. He was interred in Ainsworth Cemetery in Ainsworth, Iowa
.
Letts was a cousin of former Iowa U.S. senator and representative L. J. Dickinson of Algona, who was also serving in the House during Lett's two terms.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from eastern Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, and a thirty-year federal trial court judge in the District of Columbia.
Life and work
Born near Ainsworth, IowaAinsworth, Iowa
Ainsworth is a city in Washington County, Iowa, United States. It part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 524 at the 2000 census...
in Washington County, Iowa, Letts attended the common schools of Washington County.
He was graduated from Parsons College
Parsons College
Parsons College was a private liberal arts college in Fairfield, Iowa. The school, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, was founded in 1875 and closed in 1973....
, Fairfield, Iowa
Fairfield, Iowa
Fairfield is a city and the county seat of Jefferson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,464 in the 2010 census, a decline from 9,509 in the 2000 census. - History :...
, in 1897 and from the University of Iowa College of Law
University of Iowa College of Law
The University of Iowa College of Law is one of the eleven professional graduate schools at the University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, Iowa. Founded in 1865, it is the oldest law school in continuous operation west of the Mississippi River. The law school was ranked as the 27th best law school...
in 1899.
He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1899 and commenced practice in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
.
He was appointed judge of the seventh judicial district of Iowa on March 25, 1911, and served until December 31, 1912, when he returned to private practice.
Letts was elected to the same position as a judge in 1914, and served until his resignation on February 28, 1925.
In 1924, Letts was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that generally covers most of the southeastern part of the state including Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.The district is currently represented by Democrat Dave Loebsack....
in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was re-elected twice (in 1926 and 1928), but failed to win re-election in 1930, when he was defeated by Democrat Bernhard M. Jacobsen
Bernhard M. Jacobsen
Bernhard Martin Jacobsen was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Iowa who served nearly three full terms during the Great Depression. He was the father of William S. Jacobsen, who succeeded him in Congress following his death....
. In all, he served in the Sixty-ninth
69th United States Congress
The Sixty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1925 to March 4, 1927, during the third and fourth...
, Seventieth
70th United States Congress
The Seventieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1927 to March 3, 1929, during the last two years of...
, and Seventy-first
71st United States Congress
The Seventy-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1931, during the first two years...
Congresses, from March 4, 1925 to March 3, 1931.
On May 5, 1931, he was appointed by President Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (now United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a...
). Letts initially received a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
to a seat vacated by Wendell Philips Stafford. Hoover then nominated Letts on December 15, 1931 for a permanent appointment. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on February 17, 1932, and received his commission on February 20, 1932.
Letts served as chief judge of the court from 1958 to 1959. He assumed senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
on May 31, 1961. His service as a senior judge ended with his death in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
on January 19, 1965. He was interred in Ainsworth Cemetery in Ainsworth, Iowa
Ainsworth, Iowa
Ainsworth is a city in Washington County, Iowa, United States. It part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 524 at the 2000 census...
.
Letts was a cousin of former Iowa U.S. senator and representative L. J. Dickinson of Algona, who was also serving in the House during Lett's two terms.