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{{Short description|American judge}}
{{Short description|American judge}}
{{Infobox judge
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
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| name = James Earl Major
| name = J. Earl Major
| honorific-suffix =
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| image =
| image = James Earl Major Illinois politician.jpg
| alt =
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'''James Earl Major''' (January 5, 1887 – January 4, 1972) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician. He served as a [[United States Representative]] from [[Illinois]], a [[United States federal judge|United States Circuit Judge]] of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit]] and a United States District Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois]].
'''James Earl Major''' (January 5, 1887 – January 4, 1972) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician. He served as a [[United States representative]] from [[Illinois]], a [[United States federal judge|United States circuit judge]] of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit]] and a United States district judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois]].


==Education and career==
==Education and career==
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==Congressional service==
==Congressional service==


Major was elected as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] to the [[68th United States Congress|68th]] [[United States Congress]], serving from March 4, 1923 to March 3, 1925. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1924 to the [[69th United States Congress|69th]] Congress. He resumed the practice law in Hillsboro until he was elected to the [[70th United States Congress|70th]] Congress, serving from March 4, 1927 to March 3, 1929. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1928 to the [[71st United States Congress|71st]] Congress, but was elected to the [[72nd United States Congress|72nd]] and [[73rd United States Congress|73rd]] Congresses and served from March 4, 1931, until his resignation on October 6, 1933, having been appointed to the bench. During his final term, he was one of the managers appointed by the [[United States House of Representatives]] in 1933 to conduct the impeachment proceedings against [[Harold Louderback]], Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of California]].<ref name="auto"/>
Major was elected as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] to the [[68th United States Congress|68th]] [[United States Congress]], serving from March 4, 1923, to March 3, 1925. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1924 to the [[69th United States Congress|69th]] Congress. He resumed the practice law in Hillsboro until he was elected to the [[70th United States Congress|70th]] Congress, serving from March 4, 1927, to March 3, 1929. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1928 to the [[71st United States Congress|71st]] Congress, but was elected to the [[72nd United States Congress|72nd]] and [[73rd United States Congress|73rd]] Congresses and served from March 4, 1931, until his resignation on October 6, 1933, having been appointed to the bench. During his final term, he was one of the managers appointed by the [[United States House of Representatives]] in 1933 to conduct the impeachment proceedings against [[Harold Louderback]], Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of California]].<ref name="auto"/>


==Federal judicial service==
==Federal judicial service==
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Major received a [[recess appointment]] from President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] on June 12, 1933, to a seat on the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois]] vacated by Judge [[Louis FitzHenry]]. He was nominated to the same position by President Roosevelt on January 8, 1934. He was confirmed by the [[United States Senate]] on January 23, 1934, and received his commission on January 26, 1934. His service terminated on April 5, 1937, due to his elevation to the Seventh Circuit.<ref name="auto1"/>
Major received a [[recess appointment]] from President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] on June 12, 1933, to a seat on the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois]] vacated by Judge [[Louis FitzHenry]]. He was nominated to the same position by President Roosevelt on January 8, 1934. He was confirmed by the [[United States Senate]] on January 23, 1934, and received his commission on January 26, 1934. His service terminated on April 5, 1937, due to his elevation to the Seventh Circuit.<ref name="auto1"/>


Major was nominated by President Roosevelt on March 9, 1937, to a seat on the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit]] vacated by Judge [[Louis FitzHenry]]. He was confirmed by the Senate on March 17, 1937, and received his commission on March 23, 1937. He served as Chief Judge from 1948 to 1954 and served as a member of the [[Judicial Conference of the United States]] from 1949 to 1954. He assumed [[senior status]] on March 23, 1956. His service terminated on January 4, 1972, due to his death in Hillsboro where he had resided.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto"/> He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.<ref name="auto"/>
Major was nominated by President Roosevelt on March 9, 1937, to a seat on the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit]] vacated by Judge [[Louis FitzHenry]]. He was confirmed by the Senate on March 17, 1937, and received his commission on March 23, 1937. He served as Chief Judge from 1948 to 1954 and served as a member of the [[Judicial Conference of the United States]] from 1949 to 1954. He assumed [[senior status]] on March 23, 1956.
==Death==
Major died on January 4, 1972, in Hillsboro, where he had resided.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto"/> He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.<ref name="auto"/>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
* [http://history.montgomeryco.com/Default.aspx?&id=19548&tabid=981 James Earl Major] Historical Society of Montgomery County Illinois
* [https://history.montgomeryco.com/Default.aspx?&id=19548&tabid=981 James Earl Major] Historical Society of Montgomery County Illinois


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{{US House succession box|state=Illinois|district=21|before=[[Frank M. Ramey]]|years=1931–1933|after=[[Harry H. Mason]]}}
{{US House succession box|state=Illinois|district=21|before=[[Frank M. Ramey]]|years=1931–1933|after=[[Harry H. Mason]]}}
{{s-legal}}
{{s-legal}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Louis FitzHenry]]}}
{{s-bef|rows=2|before=[[Louis FitzHenry]]}}
{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois]]}}|years=1933–1937}}
{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois]]}}|years=1933–1937}}
{{s-aft|after=[[J. Leroy Adair]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[J. Leroy Adair]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Louis FitzHenry]]}}
{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit]]}}|years=1937–1956}}
{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit]]}}|years=1937–1956}}
{{s-aft|after=[[John Simpson Hastings]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[John Simpson Hastings]]}}
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[[Category:1887 births]]
[[Category:1887 births]]
[[Category:1972 deaths]]
[[Category:1972 deaths]]
⚫
[[Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois]]
[[Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois]]
[[Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois]]
[[Category:United States district court judges appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt]]
[[Category:United States district court judges appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt]]
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[[Category:United States court of appeals judges appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt]]
[[Category:United States court of appeals judges appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt]]
[[Category:20th-century American judges]]
[[Category:20th-century American judges]]
⚫
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois]]
[[Category:Illinois Democrats]]
⚫
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives]]
[[Category:People from Hillsboro, Illinois]]
[[Category:People from Hillsboro, Illinois]]
⚫
[[Category:20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives]]

Latest revision as of 22:55, 7 December 2024

J. Earl Major
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
In office
March 23, 1956 – January 4, 1972
Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
In office
1948–1954
Preceded byWilliam Morris Sparks
Succeeded byF. Ryan Duffy
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
In office
March 23, 1937 – March 23, 1956
Appointed byFranklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded byLouis FitzHenry
Succeeded byJohn Simpson Hastings
Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
In office
June 12, 1933 – April 5, 1937
Appointed byFranklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded byLouis FitzHenry
Succeeded byJ. Leroy Adair
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 21st district
In office
March 4, 1931 – October 6, 1933
Preceded byFrank M. Ramey
Succeeded byHarry H. Mason
In office
March 4, 1927 – March 3, 1929
Preceded byLoren E. Wheeler
Succeeded byFrank M. Ramey
In office
March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925
Preceded byLoren E. Wheeler
Succeeded byLoren E. Wheeler
Personal details
Born
James Earl Major

(1887-01-05)January 5, 1887
Donnellson, Illinois
DiedJanuary 4, 1972(1972-01-04) (aged 84)
Hillsboro, Illinois
Resting placeOak Grove Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic
Residence(s)Hillsboro, Illinois
EducationIllinois College of Law, subsequently acquired by DePaul University

James Earl Major (January 5, 1887 – January 4, 1972) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician. He served as a United States representative from Illinois, a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

Education and career

[edit]

Born in Donnellson, Illinois, Major attended the common and high schools of his native city. He graduated from Brown's Business College in 1907 and from the Illinois College of Law (now DePaul University College of Law) at Chicago in 1909. He was admitted to the bar in 1910 and commenced the practice of law in Hillsboro, Illinois in 1912. He served as prosecuting attorney of Montgomery County, Illinois from 1912 to 1920.[1][2]

Congressional service

[edit]

Major was elected as a Democrat to the 68th United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1923, to March 3, 1925. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1924 to the 69th Congress. He resumed the practice law in Hillsboro until he was elected to the 70th Congress, serving from March 4, 1927, to March 3, 1929. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1928 to the 71st Congress, but was elected to the 72nd and 73rd Congresses and served from March 4, 1931, until his resignation on October 6, 1933, having been appointed to the bench. During his final term, he was one of the managers appointed by the United States House of Representatives in 1933 to conduct the impeachment proceedings against Harold Louderback, Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.[1]

Federal judicial service

[edit]

Major received a recess appointment from President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 12, 1933, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois vacated by Judge Louis FitzHenry. He was nominated to the same position by President Roosevelt on January 8, 1934. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 23, 1934, and received his commission on January 26, 1934. His service terminated on April 5, 1937, due to his elevation to the Seventh Circuit.[2]

Major was nominated by President Roosevelt on March 9, 1937, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit vacated by Judge Louis FitzHenry. He was confirmed by the Senate on March 17, 1937, and received his commission on March 23, 1937. He served as Chief Judge from 1948 to 1954 and served as a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States from 1949 to 1954. He assumed senior status on March 23, 1956.

Death

[edit]

Major died on January 4, 1972, in Hillsboro, where he had resided.[2][1] He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d United States Congress. "James Earl Major (id: M000073)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  2. ^ a b c James Earl Major at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Sources

[edit]

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

[edit]
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 21st congressional district
1923–1925 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 21st congressional district
1927–1929 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 21st congressional district
1931–1933 		Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
1933–1937 		Succeeded by
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
1937–1956 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
1948–1954 		Succeeded by
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