James G. McGowen

James Greer McGowen (September 19, 1870 – December 26, 1940)[1] was a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1925 until his death in 1940.[2]

Early life

James Greer McGowen was born on September 19, 1870, in Nesbitt, DeSoto County, Mississippi.[3][4] He was the son of James Greer McGowen and Mary (Dean) McGowen.[3][4] He attended the public schools.[4] He entered the University of Mississippi with a scholarship but did not graduate.[3] He also attended Leddins' Business College for a year.[5] After reading law, McGowen was admitted to the bar on August 11, 1893.[5]

Career

McGowen was an accountant and store manager in Eudora, Mississippi, before moving to Water Valley, Mississippi, in February 1894.[5] In 1903, McGowen was elected to represent Yalobusha County as a Democrat in the Mississippi House of Representatives, and he served from January 1904 to January 1908.[4][6][3]

He was the City Attorney of Water Valley, Mississippi, from 1906 to 1913.[3][6] He was appointed to the office of Chancellor of Mississippi's 3rd Chancery Court district in 1913, was re-elected in 1914. He was re-elected without opposition in 1918 and 1922.[3][5]

In 1916, Chancellor James G. McGowen, and District Attorney Rush H. Knox, of Houston challenged Justice Eugene O. Sykes, of Aberdeen. Sykes was appointed by Governor Bilbo to a new seat in January.[2] McGowen came in a distant third in the August 15, 1916 primary.[2] However, McGowan was elected to succeed Sykes in 1924,[6] and was thereafter twice reelected.[1]

Personal life and death

McGowen married Lucia Lamar Richmond, with whom he had two sons and one daughter.[1] He died following a stroke at the age of 70.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Court Justice Succumbs at 70", The Monroe News-Star (December 27, 1940), p. 5.
  2. ^ a b c Leslie Southwick, Mississippi Supreme Court Elections: A Historical Perspective 1916-1996, 18 Miss. C. L. Rev. 115 (1997-1998).
  3. ^ a b c d e f Schwarz, J. C. (1937). Who's who in Law. J.C. Schwarz. p. 620.
  4. ^ a b c d Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi. 1904. p. 571.
  5. ^ a b c d Rowland, Dunbar (1924). The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi. Department of Archives and History.
  6. ^ a b c Rowland, Dunbar (1925). "History of Mississippi, the Heart of the South".
Political offices
Preceded by Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi
1925–1940 		Succeeded by