Roscoe Powers Conkling (May 3, 1889 – October 28, 1954) was a justice of the
Missouri Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Missouri is the highest court in the state of Missouri. It was established in 1820 and is located at 207 West High Street in Jefferson City, Missouri. Missouri voters have approved changes in the state's constitution to give ...
from 1947 to 1954, including a period as chief justice.
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Biography
Conkling was born on May 3, 1889, in Carrollton, Missouri
Carrollton is a city in Carroll County, Missouri, United States. Carrollton won the 2005 All-America City Award, given out annually by the National Civic League. The population was 3,514 at the 2020 census. Carrollton is the county seat of Carro ...
, to Virgil Marcellus Conkling (1865-1912) and Alpha Ann Powers (1866-1951). He attended school there and, from 1905, in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
. He graduated in Law from the University of Missouri
The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...
in 1912 and began practicing law that year in Kansas City. After army service in the Field Artillery during World War I he returned to legal practice and moved to St Joseph
Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers of ...
in 1924. He became prosecuting attorney for Jackson County and special commissioner of the Missouri Supreme Court. He also served as a member of the State Board of Bar Examiners (1926–30), and as president of the Buchanan County Bar Association.
He was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court under the states non-partisan court plan on January 1, 1947, during the first term of Governor Phil M. Donnelly
Philip Matthew Donnelly (March 6, 1891 – September 12, 1961) was an American politician serving as the List of governors of Missouri, 41st and 43rd Governor of Missouri. He was a United States Democratic Party, Democrat. Donnelly and Kit Bond, ...
. He was re-elected to the court on November 2, 1948, for a 12-year term, and had recently completed his turn as chief justice of the court when he died.heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
and died on his way to St. Mary's Hospital on October 28, 1954, in Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the capital of Missouri, United States. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 census, ranking as the 15th most populous city in the state. It is also the county seat of Cole County and the princip ...
.
References
"Heart Attack Fatal to Judge Conkling of State Supreme Court"
The Chillicothe Constitution Tribune, October 28, 1954.
* "R.P. Conkling, Supreme Court Justice, Dies", Jefferson City Post-Tribune, October 28, 1954.
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conkling, Roscoe P.
Judges of the Supreme Court of Missouri
1889 births
1954 deaths
People from Carrollton, Missouri
University of Missouri School of Law alumni
Politicians from Kansas City, Missouri
20th-century American judges
Lawyers from Kansas City, Missouri
20th-century American lawyers
United States Army personnel of World War I
United States Army soldiers