Home County: Henry
Term of Service at the Supreme Court of Missouri: January 1891 – December 1910
Judge James Britton Gantt was born October 26, 1845, in Putnam County Georgia.[i] He was educated at academies and private schools in Jones and Bibb Counties, Georgia.[ii] He, then, taught school at Ramoth Academy in Putnam County, Georgia and served as a private tutor.[iii]
Gantt studied law under Col. L.N. Whittle at Macon, Georgia for a year.[iv] He then attended the University of Virginia and graduated, in summer of 1868, with a degree of Bachelor of Laws.[v]
After graduation, he moved to Missouri, to St. Louis in fall of 1868.[vi] Gantt then settled in Clinton, Missouri where he began practicing law.[vii] He was in practice with the Parks, Thornton, & Gantt firm in Clinton, until he joined the firm, Philips, Vest & Gantt in Sedalia.[viii]
In November 1880[ix] Judge Gantt was elected as Circuit Court Judge of the 22nd Judicial Circuit, which consisted of Bates, Benton, and Henry Counties.[x] He served in that capacity for six years.[xi] Judge Gantt declined to run for re-election, instead returning to his law practice in Clinton.[xii]
Gantt was elected to the Supreme Court of Missouri in November 1890, for a ten-year term.[xiii] Judge Gantt began his service with the Court in January of 1891.[xiv] He was re-elected in November 1900[xv] for another ten-year term.[xvi] He served as Chief Justice with the Court twice. The first term was from January of 1898[xvii] to December 1900.[xviii] In 1898, during his first term as Chief Justice, he was presented with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Missouri-Columbia.[xix] Judge Gantt served as Chief Justice, for a second time, from January of 1907 until January of 1909.[xx] He served with the Court until the conclusion of his second term in December of 1910.[xxi]
Judge James Britton Gantt died May 28, 1912, at his home in Jefferson City.[xxii]
[i] John E. Swanger, compiler, John E. Swanger, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, for the Years 1907-1908, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Printing Company, 1908), 62, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/5981/rec/16 See also: “End Came. Judge James Gantt Answers Final Summons,” Henry County Democrat (Clinton, Missouri), May 30, 1912, image digitized by the State Historical Society of Missouri, information courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri's Digital Newspaper Project, accessed on May 26, 2021, available from https://shsmo.newspapers.com/image/495829486/ See also: Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vi. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[ii] John E. Swanger, compiler, John E. Swanger, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, for the Years 1907-1908, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Printing Company, 1908), 62, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/5981/rec/16 See also: “End Came. Judge James Gantt Answers Final Summons,” Henry County Democrat (Clinton, Missouri), May 30, 1912, image digitized by the State Historical Society of Missouri, information courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri's Digital Newspaper Project, accessed on May 26, 2021, available from https://shsmo.newspapers.com/image/495829486/ See also: Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[iii] Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[iv] “End Came. Judge James Gantt Answers Final Summons” Henry County Democrat (Clinton, Missouri), May 30, 1912, image digitized by the State Historical Society of Missouri, information courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri's Digital Newspaper Project, accessed on May 26, 2021, available from https://shsmo.newspapers.com/image/495829486/ See also: Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[v] John E. Swanger, compiler, John E. Swanger, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, for the Years 1907-1908, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Printing Company, 1908), 62, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/5981/rec/16 See also: Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[vi] Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[vii] Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[viii] Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library. See also: The Clinton Eye, (Clinton, Missouri), July 21, 1900, image digitized by the State Historical Society of Missouri, State Historical Society of Missouri Newspaper Project, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://shsmo.newspapers.com/image/335462932/?terms=Judge%20Gantt&match=1
[ix] Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library. See also: John E. Swanger, compiler, John E. Swanger, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, for the Years 1907-1908, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Printing Company, 1908), 62, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/5981/rec/16
[x] Michael K. McGrath, editor, Michael K. McGrath, Secretary of State, Official Directory of Missouri for 1885, 5th edition, (St. Louis, MO: John J. Daly Stationery & Printing Company, 1885), 120, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/741/rec/5
[xi] Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library. See also: John E. Swanger, compiler, John E. Swanger, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, for the Years 1907-1908, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Printing Company, 1908), 62, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/5981/rec/16
[xii] Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library. See also: John E. Swanger, compiler, John E. Swanger, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, for the Years 1907-1908, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Printing Company, 1908), 62- 63, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/5981/rec/16 and https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/5982/rec/16
[xiii] Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), vii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library. See also: Alexander A. Lesueur, compiler, Alexander A. Lesueur, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, for the Years 1891-92, (Jefferson City, MO: Tribune Printing Company, State Printers and Binders, 1892), 249, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 8, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/1543/rec/8
[xiv] Perry S. Rader, reporter, “In Memoriam,” Reports of Cases Determined by the State of Missouri between June 28, and December 6, 1913, vol. 252, (Columbia, MO: E. W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1914), iii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[xv] Sam B. Cook, compiler, Sam B. Cook, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, for the Years 1901-1902, (Jefferson City, MO: Tribune Printing Company, State Printers and Binders, 1902), 414, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 8, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/4634/rec/13
[xvi] John E. Swanger, compiler, John E. Swanger, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, for the Years 1905-1906, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Printing Company, 1906), 60, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/5404/rec/15 See also:
[xvii] Perry S. Rader, Reports of Cases Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri, vol. 142, (Columbia, MO: E.W. Stephens, Publisher, 1898), iii. Publication in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[xviii] Perry S. Rader, Reports of Cases Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri between December 11, 1900 and February 12, 1901, vol. 159, (Columbia, MO: E.W. Stephens, Publisher, 1901), iii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[xix] “University of Missouri Honorary Degrees,” Office of the Secretary of the University of Missouri Board of Curators, University of Missouri System website, accessed on June 8, 2021, available from https://www.umsystem.edu/president/honorary-degrees#g
[xx] Perry S. Rader, reporter, Reports of Cases Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri between December 18, 1906 and March 5, 1907, vol. 201, (Columbia, MO: E.W. Stephens, Publisher, 1907), iii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library. See also: “Gnatt [Gantt] is Chief Justice,” Plattsburg Leader (Plattsburg, Missouri), January 18, 1907, image digitized by the State Historical Society of Missouri, information courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri Newspaper Project, accessed June 3, 2021, available from https://shsmo.newspapers.com/image/336048135/?terms=Chief%20Justice%20Gantt&match=1 See also: Perry S. Rader, reporter, Reports of Cases Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri between December 15, 1908 and January 4, 1909, vol. 215, (Columbia, MO: E.W. Stephens, Publisher, 1909), iii. Publication located in the Supreme Court of Missouri Law Library.
[xxi] “End Came. Judge Gantt Answers Final Summons,” Henry County Democrat, (Clinton, Missouri), May 30, 1912, image digitized by the State Historical Society of Missouri, information courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri Newspaper Project, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://shsmo.newspapers.com/image/495829486/?terms=James%20B.%20Gantt&match=1 See also: Sam B. Cook, compiler, Sam B. Cook, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, for the Years 1901-1902, (Jefferson City, MO: Tribune Printing Company, State Printers and Binders, 1902), 170, information courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 7, 2021, available from https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/4394/rec/13
[xxii] "James Britton Gantt," Missouri State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death, Missouri State Death Certificates, 1910-1970 Collection, courtesy of the Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed May 25, 2021, available from https://www.sos.mo.gov/images/archives/deathcerts/1912/1912_00016705.PDF
Biographical Information Authored by Ms. Lillian Williams, 2021, University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri.