Roy Winfield Harper (July 26, 1905 – February 13, 1994) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

Roy Winfield Harper
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
In office
January 5, 1971 – February 13, 1994
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
In office
1959–1971
Preceded byGeorge Moore
Succeeded byJames Hargrove Meredith
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
In office
June 22, 1948 – January 5, 1971
Appointed byHarry S. Truman
Preceded byhimself
Succeeded byHarris Kenneth Wangelin
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
In office
December 20, 1947 – June 20, 1948
Appointed byHarry S. Truman
Preceded byhimself
Succeeded byhimself
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
In office
August 7, 1947 – December 19, 1947
Appointed byHarry S. Truman
Preceded byJohn Caskie Collet
Succeeded byhimself
Personal details
Born(1905-07-26)July 26, 1905
Gibson, Missouri, U.S.
DiedFebruary 12, 1994(1994-02-12) (aged 88)
Chesterfield, Missouri, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Missouri (AB, LLB)

Education and career

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Born on July 26, 1905, in Gibson, Missouri, Harper received an Bachelor of Arts degree in 1929 from the University of Missouri and a Bachelor of Laws in 1929 from the University of Missouri School of Law. He was an attorney with the Real Estate Appraisal Division of Shell Oil Company from 1929 to 1931. He was in private practice in Steele, Missouri from 1931 to 1934 and in Caruthersville, Missouri, from 1934 to 1947. Harper was a major in the United States Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1945.[1]

 
Federal Judge "Roy" Winfield Harper and his wife Ruth Butt Harper, October 30, 1954

Federal judicial service

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Harper received a recess appointment from President Harry S. Truman on August 7, 1947, to a joint seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri vacated by Judge John Caskie Collet. President Truman nominated Harper to a judgeship on November 24, 1947, but the United States Senate did not confirm his nomination, so his service terminated on December 19, 1947. However, President Truman gave him a second recess appointment on December 20, 1947.[Note 1] The Senate still did not confirm his nomination, so his service terminated on June 22, 1948. The same day, President Truman gave him yet a third recess appointment, and Truman nominated him again January 13, 1949. The Senate finally confirmed Harper on January 31, 1949, and he received his commission on February 2, 1949. He served as Chief Judge of the Eastern District from 1959 to 1971, and he was a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States from 1965 to 1971. On January 5, 1971, Judge Harper assumed senior status. He was a member of the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation from 1977 to 1983. Harper died February 13, 1994, in Chesterfield, Missouri.[1]

Note

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  1. ^ No additional nomination made following recess appointment of December 20, 1947; nomination of November 24, 1947, held over to following session of Congress pursuant to suspension of Rule XXXVIII, paragraph 6, of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

Bibliography

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  • Missouri Historical Society St. Louis, Missouri, 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, Missouri
  • 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.

See also

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References

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  • Roy Winfield Harper at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20090210153545/http://harpersinmissouri.com/Page9.html
  • "The Political Graveyard: Pemiscot County, Mo". politicalgraveyard.com.
  • "Historical Society Board of Directors". www.lb8.uscourts.gov.
  • "Fifth Circuit Library Internet Page". www.lb5.uscourts.gov.
  • "Truman Library - Judge Roy W. Harper Oral History Interview". www.trumanlibrary.org.
  • "Truman Library - Roy W. Harper Papers". www.trumanlibrary.org.
  • LOG OF PRESIDENT TRUMAN’S ELEVENTH VISIT TO KEY WEST, FLORIDA MARCH 7- 27, 1952
Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri

1947
Succeeded by
himself
Preceded by
himself
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri

1947–1948
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri

1948–1971
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
1959–1971
Succeeded by