John Elie Mathews (July 19, 1892 – April 29, 1955) was an American lawyer, legislator, and judge. He was a justice of the Florida Supreme Court from 1951 to 1955.
Mathews was born on July 19, 1892, in Tattnall County, Georgia.[1] Mathews began his legal career in Georgia in 1913 before moving to Jacksonville, Florida and opening a practice in 1916.[2] He married Alice Schumpert. His son, future Florida legislator John E. Mathews Jr., was born in 1920.[3]
He served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1928 to 1932. In 1942, Mathews was elected to the Florida Senate. In 1945, he was a part of the movement to re-apportion the legislature to reflect the growing population in the state's cities. Mathews led an unsuccessful campaign to exclude blacks from the Democratic primary election in 1947. He was also an opponent of desegregation of the University of Florida during his time in the Senate.[2] In 1950, Mathews was defeated in a re-election campaign, partially through the mobilization of black voters.[4]
In 1951, Justice Alto Adams resigned from the Florida Supreme Court to run for governor.[5] Mathews was chosen as his replacement by political ally Governor Fuller Warren, and he joined the Court on October 23, 1951. As a justice, Mathews spearheaded the creation of the District Courts of Appeal to reduce the workload of the Supreme Court. He spoke out against the Brown v. Board of Education ruling that integrated the nation's schools.[2] Mathews' health had already begun to fail when he became the Chief Justice in January 1955.[5] He died of a heart attack on April 29, 1955, in Tallahassee, Florida.[1][5] The Mathews Bridge in Jacksonville is named in honor of him.[3]
Referencesedit
^ abErik Robinson, "Florida Supreme Court Justices: List of Life Dates", Florida Supreme Court Historical Society (June 2010).
^ abc"Justice John Elie Mathews". Florida Supreme Court. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
^ ab"John E. Mathews, Jr. Collection: Biographical Highlights". University of North Florida. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
^Bartley, Abel (2000). Keeping the Faith: Race, Politics, and Social Development in Jacksonville, Florida, 1940-1970. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 44. ISBN0313310351.
^ abcJoseph A. Boyd Jr., Randall Reder, "A History of the Florida Supreme Court", University of Miami Law Review (1981), p. 1059.
john, mathews, john, elie, mathews, july, 1892, april, 1955, american, lawyer, legislator, judge, justice, florida, supreme, court, from, 1951, 1955, mathews, 1951chief, justice, florida, supreme, courtin, office, january, 1955, april, 1955justice, florida, su. John Elie Mathews July 19 1892 April 29 1955 was an American lawyer legislator and judge He was a justice of the Florida Supreme Court from 1951 to 1955 John E MathewsMathews in 1951Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme CourtIn office January 1955 April 29 1955Justice of the Florida Supreme CourtIn office October 23 1951 April 29 1955Appointed byFuller WarrenPreceded byAlto L AdamsSucceeded byB Campbell ThornalPersonal detailsBorn 1892 07 19 July 19 1892Tattnall County Georgia U S DiedApril 29 1955 1955 04 29 aged 62 Tallahassee Florida U S Mathews was born on July 19 1892 in Tattnall County Georgia 1 Mathews began his legal career in Georgia in 1913 before moving to Jacksonville Florida and opening a practice in 1916 2 He married Alice Schumpert His son future Florida legislator John E Mathews Jr was born in 1920 3 He served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1928 to 1932 In 1942 Mathews was elected to the Florida Senate In 1945 he was a part of the movement to re apportion the legislature to reflect the growing population in the state s cities Mathews led an unsuccessful campaign to exclude blacks from the Democratic primary election in 1947 He was also an opponent of desegregation of the University of Florida during his time in the Senate 2 In 1950 Mathews was defeated in a re election campaign partially through the mobilization of black voters 4 In 1951 Justice Alto Adams resigned from the Florida Supreme Court to run for governor 5 Mathews was chosen as his replacement by political ally Governor Fuller Warren and he joined the Court on October 23 1951 As a justice Mathews spearheaded the creation of the District Courts of Appeal to reduce the workload of the Supreme Court He spoke out against the Brown v Board of Education ruling that integrated the nation s schools 2 Mathews health had already begun to fail when he became the Chief Justice in January 1955 5 He died of a heart attack on April 29 1955 in Tallahassee Florida 1 5 The Mathews Bridge in Jacksonville is named in honor of him 3 References edit a b Erik Robinson Florida Supreme Court Justices List of Life Dates Florida Supreme Court Historical Society June 2010 a b c Justice John Elie Mathews Florida Supreme Court Retrieved June 17 2020 a b John E Mathews Jr Collection Biographical Highlights University of North Florida Retrieved June 17 2020 Bartley Abel 2000 Keeping the Faith Race Politics and Social Development in Jacksonville Florida 1940 1970 Greenwood Publishing Group p 44 ISBN 0313310351 a b c Joseph A Boyd Jr Randall Reder A History of the Florida Supreme Court University of Miami Law Review 1981 p 1059 Political officesPreceded byAlto L Adams Justice of the Florida Supreme Court1951 1955 Succeeded byB Campbell Thornal nbsp This biography of a state judge in Florida is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John E Mathews amp oldid 1209474949, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
