Fred M. Vinson, 13th Chief Justice of the United States #85 (1890-1953)
Fred M. Vinson, 13th Chief Justice of the United States #85 (1890-1953) it seems appropriate here to note that Chief Vinson was the last Chief to be appointed by a Democratic President. (again, the date of last Chief Justice appointment by a Democrat was June 24, 1946.)
Justice Willis Van Devanter #63 (1859-1941) Justice Joseph Rucker Lamar #64 (1857–1916)
This board presents Justice Willis Van Devanter #63 (1859-1941) together with Justice Joseph Rucker Lamar #64(1857–1916) [Lamar is another difficult autograph to find as, he too, died just after less than 5 years of service. One day less.] Lamar was the cousin of L.Q.C. Lamar (#49) in youth Lamar lived next door to future President Woodrow Wilson. He became an experienced Justice from Georgia. The doctor who treated Lamar cited the cause of death as overwork due to his Supreme Court activities.
Justice William O. Douglas #79 (1898-1980)
This letter written by William O. Douglas was written to our familiar Carrol dated May 31, 1962, but not on Supreme Court letterhead but on the stationary of the cheat mountain club, cheat bridge, Randolph County, west Virginia. The letter tells her where he is going and quite candidly requests: “come see me.” The letter is signed Bill Douglas.
Joseph P. Bradley# 41 (1813-1892)
Joseph P. Bradley# 41 (1813-1892) Justice Bradley began in education and ended in law. President Grant nominated him. He dissented in the interpretation of the Slaughterhouse Cases interpreting the Fourteenth Amendment. Bradley was one of a 15-member commission named to decide the 1876 presidential election between Hayes and Tilden.
Sherman Minton #87 (1890-1965)
Sherman Minton #87 (1890-1965) : Sherman Minton was nominated to the Supreme Court by Harry S. Truman with whom Minton was friendly with during their joint time in the U.S. Senate. later when Truman nominated Minton to the U.S. Supreme Court the New York Times and the Washington Post suggested Truman was again favoring his friends for high posts to the exclusion of others.
John Marshall Harlan #44 (1833-1911)
John Marshall Harlan #44 (1833-1911) Justice Harlan was nominated to the court by President Rutherford Hayes who took his seat by acclamation in 1881. Harlan was born in Kentucky to a slaveholding family but he was the only Justice to dissent in the case of Plessey v Ferguson. Until the 1880’s white and black Americans mixed freely.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (Service 1902-1933)
When Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. retired from the court he was 90 years old. At that time, he was the longest serving member of the court. He is credited with perfectly describing the “clear and present danger test” in Schenk v United States.
To describe this one need only turn to the September 21, 1887, volume of Puck Magazine who presented the Prize Idiot of the Day who is seen uttering the false cry of “fire” in a theatre. My only concern is whether the dates depicted hereon instruct us that Holmes merely coined the phrase having seen Puck Magazine back in 1887.
Rufus W Peckham #56 (Service: 1896 - 1909) Joseph McKenna #57 (Service 1898-1925)
This board displays Justice Rufus W. Peckham #56 (1838-1909). Peckham’s autograph fails to date his signature but he does note he is member of the United States Supreme Court, in Washington D. C. there is a photograph of Justice Peckham.
The board also displays Justice Joseph McKenna #57 (1843-1926). Justice McKenna also fails to date his signature but he too notes he is a member of the Supreme Court of the United States. Justice McKenna is displayed in two photographs in one he is sitting with future Chief Justice Harlan Stone and in the other photograph he is found in his judicial robes.
Warren Burger #97 (1907 -1995)
Warren Burger #97 (1907 -1995) is also the 15th Chief Justice of the United States and served as such (1969-1986). The Chief was nominated to the Court by President Richard Nixon and he was affirmed with little opposition. In 1974, Burger wrote for a unanimous Court, despite the fact Burger was named by a conservative President, cases decided under his watch were some of the most liberal decisions in the Courts history abortion (Roe v Wade) capital punishment, (Furman v Georgia), school desegregation, (Swann v Charlotte).
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841-1935)
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. #58 (1841-1935)
Holmes autographs a business card and dates it April 3, 1926. There are two large photographs of the Justice. There is also a newsprint of four Justices that are identified as Justice John M. Harlan, #44, Justice Joseph McKenna, #57, Justice William R. Day, #59, and Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. #58. There is a picture of the united states supreme court building which was not finished until 1935. These Justices were never inside the supreme court building when complete. Justice Holmes passed the year the structure was occupied by the Court.
Edward D White #55 (Service: 1894-1910) & Rufus W. Peckham #56 (Service: 1896-1909)
9th Chief Justice Edward D. White #55 (1845-1921) justice white was nominated to the court as an Associate Justice in 1894 by President Grover Cleveland and served in that capacity until 1910 when then President William Howard Taft nominated him as Chief Justice. Chief White served in the capacity as Chief Justice until he passed in 1921. President Warren Harding nominated past President Taft as Chief Justice in the same year. 10th Chief Justice Taft retired in 1930. He hardly ever remembered being President as he found that position loathsome.
Justice Hugo Black #76 (1886-1971)
Justice Hugo Black #76 (1886-1971) black was from Alabama and served as a State Senator for a decade. It could be said Black was predictable in how he addressed every constitutional question considered by him. He believed the framers saw with clarity the words written into the Constitution so he interpreted that document literally.
Chief Morrison Waite #47 (1816-1888)
Chief Morrison Waite #47 (1816-1888) Justice Waite was a hard dedicated worker and earned the respect of his fellow Justices by working hard and having in mind a goal or direction. He was nominated to the Court by President Grant and after a unanimous vote he took his seat at the helm of the Court. The board presents two etchings of the 7th Chief Justice and the Chief autographs a small sheet of paper curiously that paper has the numbers 1876 strung together which if meant to be a year means this was written by him two years after President Grant nominated him.
12th Chief Harlan F. Stone #73 (1872-1946)
12th Chief Harlan F. Stone #73 (1872 -1946)
Chief Stone became the Chief Justice on July 3, 1941 and was nominated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Stone had originally served the Court as an Associate Justice and was nominated by President Calvin Coolidge.
The Chief attended Columbia law. And later Attorney General. Stone was the first Justice to be named Associate and Chief consecutively.
Arthur Goldberg #94 (1908-1990)
Goldberg served as Secretary of Labor and Jack Kennedy’s second nomination to the Supreme Court and he became United States Ambassador to the United Nations. After Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas, Texas Lyndon Baines Johnson became President. He confided in Goldberg his desire to appoint him to a new post in the United Nations. You can tell from the photograph how appreciative the President was.
Sonia Sotomayor & Justice Elena Kagan #112
Justices #111 AND #112 were both nominations made by president Obama. Sonia Sotomayor (took her place on the Court after being nominated by President Barack Obama and taking her seat August, 2009. She is the first Latina to serve on the supreme court.
Justice Elena Kagan #112 was supported by the Clintons and she clerked for Antonin Scalia who dubbed her shorty. It was Scalia who asked Obama to nominate her to the court
Justice Stanley Reed #77 (1884-1980)
Reed came from Kentucky and his forefathers were in America early on. His father was a doctor. It is without doubt that Justice Reed was the last man to be elevated to the Supreme Court without having a law degree. (many think he did better than many who served with law degree. Once the saddle becomes a comfort the horse is easier to ride.) Reed was married to Winifred who mothered for him two sons. They both became graduated lawyers. Reed autographs a chambers card.
William O. Douglas #79 (1898-1980)
This board contains a letter dated May, 22 without a year marked. It was written on a plain sheet of paper and mailed within an envelope from the United States Supreme Court postmarked May 22, 1962. within it’s confines Justice Douglas notes: “It was such a joy seeing you.” his letter is signed “ Bill Douglas.”
Earl Warren #88(1953-1969) Stanley Reed #77 (1928-1957) Thomas Clark #86 (1949-1967) Charles Whittaker #91 (1949-1967) Abraham Fortas #95 (1945-1960)
1. 14th Chief Justice Earl Warren #88 from California whose father was murdered in an unsolved crime in Bakersfield, California.
2. Stanley Forman reed #77 from Kentucky who lost the most hair during his term of service which spanned 19 years.
3. Tom C. Clark #86 was from Texas whom President Johnson, also from Texas conspired to appoint Clark’s son attorney general so Clark would resign so he could appoint Thurgood Marshall.
4. Charles E. Whittaker #91 the first judge to serve at all three levels of the Federal Bench .
5. Abraham Fortas #95 friend of Johnson who was going to name Fortas Chief until Wolfson scandal was discovered and Fortas resigned.
William O. Douglas #79 (1939-1975)
THIS BOARD CONTAINS A LETTER DATED MAY, 22 WITHOUT A YEAR MARKED. IT WAS WRITTEN ON A PLAIN SHEET OF PAPER AND MAILED WITHIN AN ENVELOPE FROM THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT POSTMARKED MAY 22, 1962. WITHIN IT’S CONFINES JUSTICE DOUGLAS NOTES: “IT WAS SUCH A joy seeing you.” His letter is signed “bill Douglas.”