William West Harvey

William West Harvey (November 21, 1869 – September 27, 1958[1]) was a member of the Kansas House of Representatives and an Associate Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court from January 8, 1923 to January 8, 1945, and Chief Justice from January 8, 1945 to March 1, 1956.[2]

William West Harvey
(W. W. Harvey)
Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives
In office
1921–1923
Member of the Kansas House of Representatives from the 19th district
In office
1917–1923
Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court (2nd position)
In office
1923–1945
Preceded byJudson S. West
Succeeded byHarold R. Fatzer
Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court
In office
1945–1956
Preceded byJohn Shaw Dawson
Succeeded byWilliam A. Smith
Personal details
Born(1869-11-21)November 21, 1869
Dickinson County, Kansas
DiedNovember 21, 1958(1958-11-21) (aged 89)
Political partyRepublican

In 1906 he set up his own practice in Ashland, Kansas and in the same year became the Clark County attorney for one term.[1] He then went on to be the representative for Clark County starting in 1917 for three terms, including being elected speaker of the house in his third term.[1][3] June 17, 1921 he was made Assistant Attorney General, he was the third member of his family to hold the position.[4]

Harvey stood for the supreme court in 1922 against the incumbent Judson S. West who had already served two terms.[5] Harvey won the number 2 position with 38% of the vote, just beating West who gained 37% of the vote.[6] In 1939 the retirement of Justice William Easton Hutchinson caused a shuffle of the court with only Justice Harvey and Chief Justice John Shaw Dawson keeping their places.[7] He then became the Chief Justice in 1945 filling the position vacated by the retirement of Chief Justice Dawson.[8]

Harvey resigned as Chief Justice as of March 1, 1956 before the end of his full term with Justice William A. Smith being promoted to the Chief Justice position.[9] The vacant No. 2 position on the court was filled by Harold R. Fatzer.[10]

Both Harvey and his brother A.M. Harvey were thought to have been members of the Ku Klux Klan.[11]

Life and education

He was born November 21, 1869 in Madison County, Kansas, moving to a farm near Berryton, Shawnee County, Kansas in 1877.[1] He graduated in 1896 from Emporia State Teachers College, going on to teach in rural schools and becoming the superintendent of Ellsworth city schools for two years.[1] He studied law privately and was admitted in 1898 to he Kansas Bar.[1] He owned a large ranch near to Ashland, Kansas.[3]

Death

He died of a heart attack on the way to hospital after collapsing in his home in Topeka, Kansas on Saturday September 27, 1958.[1] His wife Marie had died a few years before him in 1952. He left behind a daughter Helen Righter and a son Howard S. Harvey. He was buried in Ridgeway cemetery near Carbondale.[1]

References
  1. "W.W. Harvey b. 21 Nov 1869 Madison County, Kentucky d. 27 Sep 1958 Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas: Rossville Kansas area genealogy". genealogy.rossvillelibrary.org. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  2. "KS Courts - Historical Listing of Supreme Court Justices". www.kscourts.org. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  3. "6 Jan 1921, Page 1 - The Topeka Daily Capital at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  4. "18 Jun 1921, Page 1 - The Leavenworth Times at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  5. "29 Apr 1922, 3 - The Topeka State Journal at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  6. "15 Sep 1922, 3 - The Western Spirit at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  7. "23 Jan 1939, Page 5 - The Emporia Gazette at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  8. "10 Dec 1944, Page 1 - The Hutchinson News at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  9. "24 Jan 1956, Page 1 - The Iola Register at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  10. "26 Feb 1956, 12 - The Manhattan Mercury at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  11. Rives, Tim (2019). Ku Klux Klan in Kansas City, Kansas, The. Arcadia Publishing. p. 100-101. ISBN 978-1-4671-4204-5. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
Legal offices
Preceded by
John Shaw Dawson		 Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court
1945–1956		 Succeeded by
William A. Smith
Preceded by
Judson S. West		 Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court
1923–1945		 Succeeded by
Harold R. Fatzer
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