Roy Winfield Harper
Encyclopedia
"Roy" Winfield Harper was a Federal Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri. He was born in Dunklin County, Gibson, Missouri
, and died in Saint Louis County, Chesterfield, Missouri
.
, daughter of Arthur and Sara Butt. His wife was born on December 31, 1913 in Mississippi County, Blytheville, Arkansas
, and died February 4, 2007 in Saint Louis County, Saint Louis, Missouri. A funeral service for Roy Winfield Harper was held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 16, 1994 at Ladue Chapel located at 9450 Clayton Road in Saint Louis County, Saint Louis, Missouri. Graveside services were held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 17, 1994, at Mount Zion Cemetery in Pemiscot County, Steele, Missouri
with Reverend Tom Zych officiating. Burial was on Thursday, February 17, 1994 in the Harper burial site at Mount Zion Cemetery in Pemiscot County, Steele, Missouri immediately after the graveside services.
and then rejected by the United States Senate
before being confirmed after the third recess appointment
.
He received a recess appointment
from President Harry S Truman on August 7, 1947, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
vacated by John Caskie Collet
. Harper was formally nominated on November 24, 1947, but his initial term of service end on December 19, 1947, after his nomination was not confirmed by the United States Senate
. Harper received a second recess appointment from Truman to the same seat the next day, this time serving until June 22, 1948, with his service terminating after the nomination was not confirmed by the Senate.
Harper received his third and final recess appointment from Truman on the same day as the second one terminated. Truman formally nominated Harper again on January 13, 1949, and this time Harper was confirmed by the Senate on January 31, 1949, received his commission on February 2, 1949. Harper assumed senior status
on January 5, 1971, and served in that capacity until his death in 1994
Missouri Historical Society
St. Louis, Mo.
Roy W. Harper family papers, 1950–1990.
7 boxes; collection contains case files, printed opinions, correspondence, and miscellaneous papers. The collection remained unprocessed as of August 1997.
University of Missouri and the State Historical Society of Missouri Western Historical Manuscript Collection Columbia, Mo.
Paul Caruthers Jones papers, 1943–1969; 60 ft.; finding aid; 13 folders pertaining to Harper.
Forrest Smith papers, 1940–1953; 6,658 folders, 11 vols., and 8 card files; finding aid;
represented.
George A. Spencer papers, 1948–1960; 653 folders, 9 boxes, and 1 vol.; finding aid; restricted; represented.
Gibson, Missouri
Gibson is an unincorporated community in northern Dunklin County, Missouri. It is located thirteen miles north of Kennett on Route 53....
, and died in Saint Louis County, Chesterfield, Missouri
Chesterfield, Missouri
Chesterfield is a second-ring western suburb of St. Louis and is the largest city in west St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2010 census the population is 47,484. Chesterfield also celebrated its 20th birthday in 2008.- Geography :...
.
Biography
"Roy" Winfield Harper was the oldest child of Marvin H. Harper, Sr. and Minnie Belle Brooks. He married Ruth Butt on July 30, 1941 in MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, daughter of Arthur and Sara Butt. His wife was born on December 31, 1913 in Mississippi County, Blytheville, Arkansas
Blytheville, Arkansas
Blytheville is the largest city in and one of the two county seats of Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 15,620 at the 2010 census....
, and died February 4, 2007 in Saint Louis County, Saint Louis, Missouri. A funeral service for Roy Winfield Harper was held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 16, 1994 at Ladue Chapel located at 9450 Clayton Road in Saint Louis County, Saint Louis, Missouri. Graveside services were held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 17, 1994, at Mount Zion Cemetery in Pemiscot County, Steele, Missouri
Steele, Missouri
Steele is a city in Pemiscot County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,263 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Steele is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land....
with Reverend Tom Zych officiating. Burial was on Thursday, February 17, 1994 in the Harper burial site at Mount Zion Cemetery in Pemiscot County, Steele, Missouri immediately after the graveside services.
Timeline
- 1905 (July 26) – Born, Gibson, Missouri
- 1929 – Received A.B. and LL.B. degrees, University of MissouriUniversity of MissouriThe University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
- 1929–1930 – Lawyer for Shell Oil, St. Louis, Missouri
- 1931–1934 – Private Practice in Steele, Missouri
- 1934 – Democratic County Chairman, Pemiscot County, Missouri
- 1934–1947 – Member of the firm Ward & Reeves in Caruthersville, Missouri
- 1940 – Chairman, State Offices, Harry S. TrumanHarry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
for U.S. Senator Renomination and Election Committee - 1941 (July 30) – Married Ruth Butt
- 1942–1945 – Served in 35th Fighter Group, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, rising to the rank of colonel
- 1946–1947 – Chairman of the Missouri State Democratic Committee
- 1947–1991 – U.S. District Judge, Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri
- 1959–1970 – Chief Judge, Eastern District of Missouri
- 1971–1991 – Senior Judge, Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri
- 1994 (February 13) – Died, Chesterfield, Missouri
Federal Judicial Service
Harper was twice appointed by recess appointmentRecess 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...
and then rejected 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...
before being confirmed after the third 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...
.
He 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...
from President Harry S Truman on August 7, 1947, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
The United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri is the federal judicial district encompassing 66 counties in the western half of the State of Missouri...
vacated by John Caskie Collet
John Caskie Collet
John Caskie Collet was a United States federal judge in Missouri.Collet was born in Keytesville, Missouri. He was in the United States Army Air Corps from 1917 to 1918, and read law in 1920. He was a City attorney of Salisbury, Missouri from 1922 to 1924, and then a county prosecutor for Charlton...
. Harper was formally nominated on November 24, 1947, but his initial term of service end on December 19, 1947, after his nomination was not 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...
. Harper received a second recess appointment from Truman to the same seat the next day, this time serving until June 22, 1948, with his service terminating after the nomination was not confirmed by the Senate.
Harper received his third and final recess appointment from Truman on the same day as the second one terminated. Truman formally nominated Harper again on January 13, 1949, and this time Harper was confirmed by the Senate on January 31, 1949, received his commission on February 2, 1949. Harper 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 January 5, 1971, and served in that capacity until his death in 1994
Education
- University of Missouri, A.B., 1929
- University of Missouri School of Law, LL.B., 1929
Professional career
- Attorney, Real Estate Appraisal Division, Shell Oil Company, 1929–1931
- Private practice, Steele, Missouri, 1931–1934
- Private practice, Caruthersville, Missouri, 1934–1947
- U.S. Army Air Corps Major, 1942–1945
Judge Manuscript Information
Harper, "Roy" Winfield- U. S. District Court, Western District of Missouri (1947–1947)
- U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri (1947–1947)
- U. S. District Court, Western District of Missouri (1947–1948)
- U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri (1947–1948)
- U. S. District Court, Western District of Missouri (1948–1994)
- U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri (1948–1994)
Missouri Historical Society
St. Louis, Mo.
Roy W. Harper family papers, 1950–1990.
7 boxes; collection contains case files, printed opinions, correspondence, and miscellaneous papers. The collection remained unprocessed as of August 1997.
University of Missouri and the State Historical Society of Missouri Western Historical Manuscript Collection Columbia, Mo.
Paul Caruthers Jones papers, 1943–1969; 60 ft.; finding aid; 13 folders pertaining to Harper.
Forrest Smith papers, 1940–1953; 6,658 folders, 11 vols., and 8 card files; finding aid;
represented.
George A. Spencer papers, 1948–1960; 653 folders, 9 boxes, and 1 vol.; finding aid; restricted; represented.
External links
- http://www.harpersinmissouri.com/Page9.html
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/MO/PM.html
- http://www.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetInfo?jid=2689
- http://www.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetOral?jid=2689
- http://www.lb8.uscourts.gov/pubsandservices/histsociety/judges_papers_location.html
- http://www.lb5.uscourts.gov/judgebio/
- http://www.trumanlibrary.org/oralhist/harperrw.htm
- http://www.trumanlibrary.org/oralhist/harperrw.htm#note
- http://www.trumanlibrary.org/oralhist/harperrw.htm#transcript
- http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/harper.htm
- http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1910uscenindex&ti=0&gss=angs-i&indiv=1&pf=1&recid=&h=177314474&fh=&ct=&fsk=&bsk=
- http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1920usfedcen&ti=0&gss=angs-i&indiv=1&pf=1&recid=&h=58007757&fh=&ct=&fsk=&bsk=
- http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=ssdi&ti=0&gss=angs-i&indiv=1&pf=1&recid=&h=25661949&fh=&ct=&fsk=&bsk=
- http://content.ancestry.com/browse/view.aspx?dbid=1136&iid=miusa1942d_066261-00308&rc=2141,3017,2194,3043;2266,3017,2366,3040&pid=105219&ssrc=&fn=Roy+Winfield&ln=Harper&st=g
- http://content.ancestry.com/browse/view.aspx?dbid=1136&iid=miusa1942d_066288-00453&rc=1175,2677,1229,2706;1245,2678,1346,2707&pid=137187&ssrc=&fn=Roy+Winfield&ln=Harper&st=g
- http://content.ancestry.com/browse/view.aspx?dbid=1136&iid=miusa1942d_066301-00527&rc=1224,3037,1281,3065;1297,3036,1402,3061&pid=99826&ssrc=&fn=Roy+Winfield&ln=Harper&st=g
- http://content.ancestry.com/browse/view.aspx?dbid=1139&iid=miusa1942a_065954-00215&rc=1924,4328,1973,4353;1990,4329,2079,4352&pid=83192&ssrc=&fn=Roy+Winfield&ln=Harper&st=g
- http://content.ancestry.com/browse/view.aspx?dbid=1139&iid=miusa1942a_065955-00239&rc=4223,797,4273,824;4294,797,4387,831;4553,899,4680,922;1410,3614,1464,3643&pid=72295&ssrc=&fn=Roy+Winfield&ln=Harper&st=g
- A member of President Harry Truman's party: http://www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.com/logs/log11.pdf
- Current and former Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri.