Home County: Franklin
Term of Service at the Supreme Court of Missouri: November 1925 – December 1926
Judge Robert William Otto was born on December 25, 1892 in Washington, Franklin County, Missouri.[i] After attending public schools in Washington, Missouri, he attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, then known as the Missouri State University.[ii] Otto attended Northwestern University where he received his law degree.[iii] He practiced law in Kansas City from 1914 to 1916.[iv] In 1916, he returned to Franklin County and was elected Prosecuting Attorney in 1916.[v] He was reelected in 1918.[vi] In 1919, he was named President of the 32nd Judicial Bar Association.[vii]
In 1921, Otto was appointed Assistant Attorney General by then-Attorney General Jesse W. Barrett.[viii] Three years later, in 1924, he was elected to the position of Attorney General.[ix] This earned him the distinction of being one of the youngest men ever elected to the position of Attorney General.[x] Governor Baker then appointed Attorney General Otto as a judge with the Supreme Court of Missouri in November 1925, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Archelaus Woodson.[xi]
Judge Otto completed his term on the Supreme Court of Missouri on December 31, 1926.[xii] After he stepped down from the Supreme Court, he returned to law practice in Jefferson City until 1932.[xiii] Judge Otto then moved to St. Louis to serve as the general counsel for Laclede Gas Company.[xiv] Otto held many notable roles throughout his 45-year career with Laclede Gas, becoming vice president in 1942, president in 1947, Board of Directors member in 1956, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, from 1957 until 1962.[xv] In 1974, he became Emeritus Director of the company and served in that capacity until his death.[xvi] Judge Otto also served as a member of the American Judicature Society and the Missouri Historical Society.[xvii]
Otto passed away on May 2, 1977, in St. Louis.[xviii]
[i] Joan Elliott, “Robert Otto Only Franklin County Judge on State Supreme Court n [sic] Lived in the Area From 1892 to 1977,” emissourian, July 6, 2005, accessed February 10, 2021, available from https://www.emissourian.com/local_news/washington/robert-otto-only-franklin-county-judge-on-state-supreme-court-n-lived-in-the-area/article_0ce28671-5e4f-58b5-983a-d8f562cc9f3c.html The published article includes a spelling error. See also: Jenevia Clark-Lowery, contributor, "Robert William Otto (25 December 1892-2 May 1977," memorial id 67807764, information courtesy of FindAGrave.com website, added 2 April 2011, Riverview Cemetery, Jefferson City, Cole County, Missouri, accessed on February 14, 2021, available from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67807764/robert-william-otto See also: Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25
[ii] Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25
[iii] Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six , (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25 See also: Joan Elliott, “Robert Otto Only Franklin County Judge on State Supreme Court n [sic] Lived in the Area From 1892 to 1977,” emissourian, July 6, 2005, accessed February 10, 2021, available from https://www.emissourian.com/local_news/washington/robert-otto-only-franklin-county-judge-on-state-supreme-court-n-lived-in-the-area/article_0ce28671-5e4f-58b5-983a-d8f562cc9f3c.html The published article includes a spelling error.
[iv] Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25
[v] Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25
[vi] Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25
[vii] Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25 See also: “Robert W. Otto,” Republican Tribune, (Union, Missouri), October 29, 1926, information courtesy of The State Historical Society of Missouri Newspaper Database, accessed on September 7, 2021, available from https://shsmo.newspapers.com/image/126356245/?terms=Robert%20Otto&match=1
[viii] Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25
[ix] Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25
[x] Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25
[xi] “Otto to High Court,” The Centralia Courier, (Centralia, Missouri) November 20, 1925, information courtesy of The State Historical Society of Missouri Newspaper Database, accessed on February 6, 2021, available from https://shsmo.newspapers.com/image/581147666/?terms=otto%20to%20high%20court&match=1 See also: Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State Official Manual For Years Nineteen Twenty-Five and Nineteen Twenty-Six, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1926) 39, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed on February 5, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/12477/rec/25
[xii] Perry S. Rader, Reports of Cases Determined by the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri, vol. 316, (Columbia, MO: E.W. Stephens Publishing Co, 1928), iii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library. See also: Joan Elliott, “Robert Otto Only Franklin County Judge on State Supreme Court n [sic] Lived in the Area From 1892 to 1977,” emissourian, July 6, 2005, accessed February 10, 2021, available from: https://www.emissourian.com/local_news/washington/robert-otto-only-franklin-judge-on-state-supreme-court/article_0ce28671-5e4f-58b5-983a-d8f562cc9f3c.html. The published article includes a spelling error.
[xiii] Joan Elliott, “Robert Otto Only Franklin County Judge on State Supreme Court n [sic] Lived in the Area From 1892 to 1977,” emissourian, July 6, 2005, accessed February 10, 2021, available from: https://www.emissourian.com/local_news/washington/robert-otto-only-franklin-judge-on-state-supreme-court/article_0ce28671-5e4f-58b5-983a-d8f562cc9f3c.html. The published article includes a spelling error.
[xiv] Joan Elliott, “Robert Otto Only Franklin County Judge on State Supreme Court n [sic] Lived in the Area From 1892 to 1977,” emissourian, July 6, 2005, accessed February 10, 2021, available from: https://www.emissourian.com/local_news/washington/robert-otto-only-franklin-judge-on-state-supreme-court/article_0ce28671-5e4f-58b5-983a-d8f562cc9f3c.html. The published article includes a spelling error.
[xv] “Robert W. Otto Named Emeritus Trustee By Board,” Barnes Hospital Bulletin, February 1973, 1, information courtesy of Washington University website, available from https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1086&context=bjc_barnes_bulletin See also: Joan Elliott, “Robert Otto Only Franklin County Judge on State Supreme Court n [sic] Lived in the Area From 1892 to 1977,” emissourian, July 6, 2005, accessed February 10, 2021, available from: https://www.emissourian.com/local_news/washington/robert-otto-only-franklin-judge-on-state-supreme-court/article_0ce28671-5e4f-58b5-983a-d8f562cc9f3c.html. The published article includes a spelling error.
[xvi] “Judge Robert Otto dies; emeritus board member,” Barnes Bulletin, vol. xxxi, No. 6 (June 1977), information courtesy of Washington University website, available from https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1138&context=bjc_barnes_bulletin See also: Joan Elliott, “Robert Otto Only Franklin County Judge on State Supreme Court n [sic] Lived in the Area From 1892 to 1977,” emissourian, July 6, 2005, accessed February 10, 2021, available from: https://www.emissourian.com/local_news/washington/robert-otto-only-franklin-judge-on-state-supreme-court/article_0ce28671-5e4f-58b5-983a-d8f562cc9f3c.html. The published article includes a spelling error.
[xvii] Joan Elliott, “Robert Otto Only Franklin County Judge on State Supreme Court n [sic] Lived in the Area From 1892 to 1977,” emissourian, July 6, 2005, accessed February 10, 2021, available from: https://www.emissourian.com/local_news/washington/robert-otto-only-franklin-judge-on-state-supreme-court/article_0ce28671-5e4f-58b5-983a-d8f562cc9f3c.html. The published article includes a spelling error.
[xviii] “Judge Robert Otto dies; emeritus board member,” Barnes Bulletin, vol. xxxi, No. 6 (June 1977), information courtesy of Washington University website, available from https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1138&context=bjc_barnes_bulletin See also: Joan Elliott, “Robert Otto Only Franklin County Judge on State Supreme Court n [sic] Lived in the Area From 1892 to 1977,” emissourian, July 6, 2005, accessed February 10, 2021, available from: https://www.emissourian.com/local_news/washington/robert-otto-only-franklin-judge-on-state-supreme-court/article_0ce28671-5e4f-58b5-983a-d8f562cc9f3c.html. The published article includes a spelling error. See also: Jenevia Clark-Lowery, contributor, "Robert William Otto (25 December 1892-2 May 1977," memorial id 67807764, information courtesy of Find A Grave.com website, added 2 April 2011, Riverview Cemetery, Jefferson City, Cole County, Missouri, accessed on February 14, 2021, available from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67807764/robert-william-otto
Biographical Information authored by Hannah Loera, 2021, Truman State University.