Charles A. Johns Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Charles A. Johns
Office:47th Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
Termstart:1918
Termend:1921
Predecessor:Wallace McCamant
Successor:John McCourt
Office2:23rd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Termstart2:October 7, 1921
Termend2:January 11, 1932
Appointer2:Warren G. Harding
Predecessor2:Percy Moir
Successor2:John A. Hull
Birth Date:June 25, 1857
Birth Place:Jackson County, Missouri
Death Place:Philippine Islands
Party:Republican
Spouse:Mabel Ellis
Elizabeth Busch

Charles A. Johns (June 25, 1857  - January 11, 1932) was an American lawyer, jurist and politician who served as the 47th justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Johns also served as mayor of Baker City in Eastern Oregon and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines while that archipelago was under U.S. jurisdiction.

Early life

Charles Johns was born to James McClellan Johns and Elizabeth Ann Darby Johns in Jackson County, Missouri.[1] [2] [3] In 1858, the family immigrated to the Oregon Territory and settled in the Willamette Valley.[1] Charles was then educated in the local schools of Marion and Linn counties.[1] For college he attended Willamette University in Salem, where he graduated in 1878 with his Bachelor of Arts.[1] [3] He was admitted to the bar in 1881.[1] The following year Johns married Mabel Ellis with whom he fathered three children.[1] He would also have three children by his second wife Elizabeth Busch.[1]

Political career

After being accepted to practice law, Johns then became a judge in Polk County, Oregon, in the Willamette Valley from 1883 to 1885[2] and served as mayor of Baker City in Eastern Oregon from 1900 to 1908.[1] [3] He was also a lieutenant colonel on the staff of Oregon Governor Theodore Thurston Geer.[1] In 1912, Charles Johns moved to Portland, Oregon, where he practiced law.[1]

On June 4, 1918, Johns was appointed to the Oregon Supreme Court to replace Wallace McCamant by Governor James Withycombe after McCamant resigned.[4] [5] Johns then won election to a full six-year term that same year, but resigned on October 7, 1921,[4] following his appointment to the Supreme Court of the Philippines[1] by U.S. President Warren G. Harding.[3] In 1924, he served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention from Philippines.[2] Johns served on the Philippine court until dying in office on January 11, 1932, at the age of 74.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Corning, Howard M. Dictionary of Oregon History. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.
  2. http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/johnathan-johnsen.html#S0Y1C15LL Index to Politicians: Johnathan to Johnsen.
  3. http://elibrary.supremecourt.gov.ph/index3.php?justicetype=Associate%20Justice&justiceid=a45475a11ec72b843d74959b60fd7bd6456230c8baebe Memorabilia Room, Associate Justices' List.
  4. https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/history-officials.pdf Oregon Blue Book: Earliest Authorities in Oregon - Supreme Court Justices of Oregon.
  5. https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/Pages/records/governors_guides.aspx Oregon State Archives: Oregon Governor's Records Guides.