Richard F. Reed

Richard F. Reed
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi
In office
August 1912 – 1915
Member of the Mississippi State Senate
from the 9th district
In office
January 1912 – August 1912
Preceded byCharles F. Engle
Succeeded byW. C. Martin
Personal details
Born(1861-11-11)November 11, 1861
Fayette, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedMay 31, 1926(1926-05-31) (aged 64)
Natchez, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic

Richard Forman Reed (November 11, 1861 – May 31, 1926) was an American state legislator and justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1912 to 1915.[1]

Born in Jefferson County, Mississippi on November 11, 1861, Reed established his home in Natchez, Mississippi, where he entered the practice of law with his father in 1885.[2][3] Reed represented Adams County, Mississippi, for one term in the Mississippi State Senate,[2] where he unsuccessfully opposed a measure to transition to an elected judiciary. He was "regarded by many as perhaps the ablest lawyer in the Senate".[4]

Reed was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for a seat in the United States House of Representatives, but later that year was appointed by Governor Earl L. Brewer to a seat on the state supreme court vacated by the resignation of Chief Justice Robert Burns Mayes.[5][6] After his appointment to the state supreme court, he was succeeded in the Senate by W. C. Martin.[7] In addition to his judicial service, Reed was known as a writer, having written a piece titled The Nature Country describing the settlement of Natchez.[8] He lectured on law at Millsaps College.[2]

Reed died at his home in Natchez on May 31, 1926, at the age of 64.[2][8][9]

References

  1. ^ Leslie Southwick, Mississippi Supreme Court Elections: A Historical Perspective 1916-1996, 18 Miss. C. L. Rev. 115 (1997-1998).
  2. ^ a b c d "Judge Reed Is Buried At Natchez", Jackson Clarion-Ledger (June 2, 1926), p. 2.
  3. ^ Rowland, Dunbar (1912). The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi. Department of Archives and History. p. 336.
  4. ^ "Reed is Ablest Lawyer in Senate", Natchez Democrat (January 21, 1912), p. 1.
  5. ^ "Richard Reed Is Judge Mayes' Successor", Hattiesburg Daily News (August 13, 1912), p. 1.
  6. ^ "Supreme Court In Session", The Grenada Sentinel (October 25, 1912), p. 15.
  7. ^ Senate, Mississippi Legislature (1914). Journal. p. 4.
  8. ^ a b "Judge Reed Buried", The Commercial Appeal (June 2, 1926), p. 30.
  9. ^ "Judge Reed Dies", Biloxi Sun Herald (May 31, 1926), p. 1.
Political offices
Preceded by Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi
1912–1915 		Succeeded by


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