John L. Rand
Encyclopedia
John Langdon Rand was an American politician and jurist in the state of Oregon
. He served as the 22nd Chief Justice
of the Oregon Supreme Court
. Overall he was on Oregon’s highest court from 1921 to 1942 serving as chief justice three times. A native of New Hampshire
, he served in the Oregon State Senate
prior to his judicial career.
, to John Sullivan Rand and the former Elvira Wallis Odiorne. John junior was educated in Portsmouth and attended Smith Preparatory School there before enrolling at Dartmouth College
. Rand graduated from Dartmouth in 1883 and moved to Walla Walla, Washington
where he was a professor at Whitman College
until 1885. That year he was accepted in Washington state’s bar
.
, and was accepted into the Oregon State Bar
and began serving as that city's attorney until 1888. From 1888 to 1890 he served as the county’s district attorney. Then in 1902 he was elected to a four-year term as a Republican to the Oregon State Senate
representing Baker
, Harney
, and Malheur
counties. After his stint in the Senate, Rand returned to private law practice.
On October 18, 1921, John Rand was appointed by Oregon Governor
Ben W. Olcott
to replace justice Henry L. Benson
on the Oregon Supreme Court after Benson died in office. He won a full six-year term in the 1922 elections, and was re-elected in 1928, 1934, and 1940. While on the bench of the state supreme court he served as chief justice from 1927 to 1929, 1933 to 1935, and 1939 to 1941 before dying in office on November 19, 1942.
Rand was involved in a prolonged legal and political controversy in the late 1920s. The controversy began with a complex legal battle over the estate of E. Henry Wemme
, a wealthy immigrant to Oregon. One attorney in the case, former state senator George W. Joseph
, accused opposing counsel Thomas Mannix of engaging in a mining deal with Justice Rand, while the case was being heard. Ultimately both Joseph and Mannix were disbarred, prompting Joseph to successfully seek the Republican nomination for Governor of Oregon
.
who served at the Oregon Constitutional Convention
in 1857.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. He served as the 22nd Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
. Overall he was on Oregon’s highest court from 1921 to 1942 serving as chief justice three times. A native of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, he served in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
prior to his judicial career.
Early life
John Rand was born October 28, 1861, in Portsmouth, New HampshirePortsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, to John Sullivan Rand and the former Elvira Wallis Odiorne. John junior was educated in Portsmouth and attended Smith Preparatory School there before enrolling at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
. Rand graduated from Dartmouth in 1883 and moved to Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
where he was a professor at Whitman College
Whitman College
Whitman College is a private, co-educational, non-sectarian, residential undergraduate liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington. Initially founded as a seminary by a territorial legislative charter in 1859, the school became a four year degree granting institution in 1883...
until 1885. That year he was accepted in Washington state’s bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
.
Legal career
Then in 1886 he moved to Baker City, OregonBaker City, Oregon
Baker City is a city in and the county seat of Baker County, Oregon, United States. It was named after Edward D. Baker. The population was 9,828 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, and was accepted into the Oregon State Bar
Oregon State Bar
The Oregon State Bar is a government agency in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded in 1890 as the private Oregon Bar Association, it became a public entity in 1935 that regulates the legal profession. The public corporation is part of the Oregon Judicial Department...
and began serving as that city's attorney until 1888. From 1888 to 1890 he served as the county’s district attorney. Then in 1902 he was elected to a four-year term as a Republican to the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
representing Baker
Baker County, Oregon
Baker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. It is named for Edward Dickinson Baker, a senator from Oregon who was killed at Ball's Bluff, a battle of the Civil War in Virginia in 1861. It was split from the eastern part...
, Harney
Harney County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Malheur National Forest *Malheur National Wildlife Refuge*Ochoco National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,609 people, 3,036 households, and 2,094 families residing in the county. The population density was 1 people per square mile...
, and Malheur
Malheur County, Oregon
Malheur County is a county located in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the eight-county definition of Eastern Oregon. Most of the county observes the Mountain Time Zone, although the southern quarter of the county observes the Pacific Time Zone along with the...
counties. After his stint in the Senate, Rand returned to private law practice.
On October 18, 1921, John Rand was appointed by Oregon Governor
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
Ben W. Olcott
Ben W. Olcott
Ben W. Olcott was the 16th Governor of Oregon, U.S.-Early life:Olcott was born in Keithsburg, Illinois. He was educated at a Keithsburg elementary school and a business school in Dixon, later becoming a clerk in Chicago. In 1891, at age 19, he moved to Salem, Oregon, and became a roommate and...
to replace justice Henry L. Benson
Henry L. Benson
Henry Lamdin Benson was an American politician and jurist in the state of Oregon. He was the 44th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, serving from 1915 to 1921 on the state's highest court...
on the Oregon Supreme Court after Benson died in office. He won a full six-year term in the 1922 elections, and was re-elected in 1928, 1934, and 1940. While on the bench of the state supreme court he served as chief justice from 1927 to 1929, 1933 to 1935, and 1939 to 1941 before dying in office on November 19, 1942.
Rand was involved in a prolonged legal and political controversy in the late 1920s. The controversy began with a complex legal battle over the estate of E. Henry Wemme
E. Henry Wemme
E. Henry Wemme was a wealthy businessman in Portland, in the U.S. state of Oregon. He was an active business investor during the pioneering era of automobiles and aviation....
, a wealthy immigrant to Oregon. One attorney in the case, former state senator George W. Joseph
George W. Joseph
George W. P. Joseph was an attorney and Republican politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. A native of California, his family relocated to Oregon when he was young. There he would practice law and serve in the Oregon State Senate....
, accused opposing counsel Thomas Mannix of engaging in a mining deal with Justice Rand, while the case was being heard. Ultimately both Joseph and Mannix were disbarred, prompting Joseph to successfully seek the Republican nomination for Governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
.
Family
On July 23, 1895, Rand married Edith G. Packwood, and they would have two sons. Edith was the daughter of William H. PackwoodWilliam H. Packwood
William Henderson Packwood , was an American politician who served at the Oregon Constitutional Convention in 1857. A United States Army veteran from the state of Illinois, he was also a school superintendent and acquaintance of President Abraham Lincoln...
who served at the Oregon Constitutional Convention
Oregon Constitutional Convention
The Oregon Constitutional Convention in 1857 drafted the Oregon Constitution in preparation for the Oregon Territory to become a U.S. state. Held from mid-August through September, 60 men met in Salem, Oregon, and created the foundation for Oregon's law. The proposal passed with a vote of 35 for...
in 1857.