Judge Roy W. Harper Papers
Scope and Contents
The Judge Roy W. Harper Papers consist of memos, correspondence, and other papers that document his cases, judgments, and opinions as a judge in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, Eastern Division. The papers cover the date range 1949-1990. Box 4 contains papers from cases that involved controversial issues of the time, including draft evasion during the Vietnam War (folders 1-3); the Smith Act (folders 4-12); and abortion (folder 19). Box 7 contains papers regarding administrative issues and points of law, and several folders of Harper's trial notes.
Dates
- 1947–1990
Creator
- Harper, Roy W., Judge, 1905-1994 (Creator, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org. Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.
Biographical Sketch
Roy W. Harper was born July 26, 1905, in Gibson, Missouri, and grew up in Steele, Missouri. He received his law degree from the University of Missouri in 1929, and following graduation worked as an attorney for the Real Estate Division of Shell Oil Company. He had a private law practice in Steele, Missouri, 1931-1934, and in Caruthersville, Missouri, 1934-1947. During World War II he served with the U.S. Army Air Corps. In 1946, he became state Democratic chairman, and the following year President Truman appointed him to the U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri. He served as chief judge, 1959-1971, and achieved senior status in 1971. He married Ruth Butt Harper, and they had two children. He continued his service as a judge until his death after a heart attack, February 13, 1994.
Extent
7.0 Cubic Feet ( (7 boxes))
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in five series: Opinions, Oklahoma City, Cases, Cases/Judgments/Opinions, and Administration/Points of Law.
Physical and Technical Requirements
There are no physical or technical restrictions.
Donor Information
Donor information is not available.
Processing Information
Processed by Molly Kodner, July 2007.
Creator
- Harper, Roy W., Judge, 1905-1994 (Creator, Person)
- Title
- Inventory of Judge Roy W. Harper Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- EAD by Jaime Bourassa using ArchivesSpace
- Date
- 2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center Repository