Home County: Morgan

Term of Service at the Supreme Court of Missouri: January 1913 – November 1930

Judge Robert Franklin Walker was born November 29, 1850, in Florence, Morgan County, Missouri. After earning a bachelor’s degree from the State University (now known as the University of Missouri-Columbia), he graduated in 1875 from the University of Missouri School of Law. The university later conferred an honorary doctor of laws degree on Walker in 1926, during his service with the Court. 

Walker was admitted to practice law in April 1876 in Versailles, Missouri. In 1877, he became the Morgan County prosecuting attorney. He served in that position until 1884. He then served as am assistant attorney general for the state from 1885 until 1889. Also in 1889, he served as a member of the state’s statutory revision committee. After leaving state service, he moved to St. Louis and engaged in the private practice of law. 

In November 1892, Missouri voters elected Walker as the state’s attorney general. When his term ended in 1896, Walker returned to private practice in St. Louis, eventually becoming a partner with the firm Carlisle & Walker. While in St. Louis, he also worked as counsel for the St. Louis Merchants’ Exchange. In 1907, he served as president of the Missouri Bar Association. Two years later, he served as chairman of the commission to revise the state statutes. 

In November 1912, voters elected Walker to a 10-year term as a judge of the Supreme Court of Missouri, beginning his service there January 1, 1913. He was reelected to a second 10-year term in November 1922. Walker served two terms as chief justice, from October 13, 1919, to June 7, 1922, and again from March 8, 1927 to August 13, 1928. 

Judge Robert F. Walker died November 19, 1930, in Jefferson City, Missouri, while serving as a judge with the Court. He was 79 years old. He is buried at Riverview Cemetery in Jefferson City.

Biographical information authored by Mr. Ziyaad Raza, 2023, New York University, New York City. 

Alexander A. Lesueur, compiler, Alexander A. Lesueur, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, For The Years 1895-96, (Jefferson City, MO: Tribune Printing Company, State Printers and Binders, 1896), 422, information courtesy of Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 2, 2023.

Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual, For Years Nineteen Twenty-one and Nineteen Twenty-two, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Co., 1922), 26, information courtesy of Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 1, 2023.

Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual, For Years Nineteen Twenty-three and Nineteen Twenty-four, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1924), 117, information courtesy of Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 2, 2023.

Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual, For Years Nineteen Twenty-Seven and Nineteen Twenty-Eight, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Press, 1928), 117, information courtesy of Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 2, 2023.

Charles U. Becker, compiler, Charles U. Becker, Secretary of State, Official Manual, For Years Nineteen Twenty-Nine and Nineteen Thirty, (Jefferson City, MO: Botz-Hugh Stephens Press, 1930), 127, information courtesy of Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 1, 2023.

Cornelius Roach, compiler, Cornelius Roach, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, For The Years 1915-1916, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Printing Company, 1916), 170, information courtesy of Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 2, 2023. 

“Dedication of Lee H. Tate Hall Memorial Law Building, University of Missouri” Dedication Pamphlet, Saturday, October 1, 1927, (Columbia, Missouri), page 2, information courtesy of MU University Archives website, accessed June 2, 2023.

John L. Sullivan, compiler, John L. Sullivan, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, For The Years 1917-1918, (Jefferson City, MO: The Hugh Stephens Co., 1918), 91, information courtesy of Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 2, 2023.

John L. Sullivan, compiler, John L. Sullivan, Secretary of State, Official Manual of the State of Missouri, For The Years 1919-1920, (Jefferson City, MO: Hugh Stephens Company, 1920), 105, information courtesy of Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 1, 2023.

Michael K. McGrath, editor, Michael K. McGrath, Secretary of State, Official Directory of Missouri, For 1883, 4th ed. (St. Louis, MO: John J. Daly Stationery and Printing Company, 1884), 27, information courtesy of Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 2, 2023.

Perry S. Rader, reporter, Reports of Cases Determined by the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri, Between December 24, 1912 and February 19, 1913, vol. 247, (Columbia, MO: E.W. Stephens, Publisher, 1913), iii.

Perry S. Rader, reporter, Perry S. Rader, Reports of Cases Determined by the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri, Between June 25, 1919 and December 1, 1919, vol. 279, (Columbia, MO: E.W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1919), iii.

Perry S. Rader, reporter, Reports of Cases Determined by the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri, Between May 24, 1921 and July 8, 1921, vol. 288 (Columbia, MO: E.W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1922), iii.

Perry S Rader, reporter, Reports of Cases Determined by the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri, Between December 26, 1926 and April 11, 1927, vol. 316 (Columbia, MO: E.W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1928), iii.

Perry S. Rader, reporter, Reports of Cases Determined by the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri, Between May 18, 1928 and October 3, 1928, vol. 320 (Columbia, MO: E.W. Stephens Publishing Co., 1929), iii.

“Robert Franklin Walker,” Missouri State Board of Health, Certificate of Death, filed December 22, 1930, Missouri Death Certificates Database, 1910-1972, information courtesy of Missouri Death Certificates Database, Missouri Digital Heritage website, Missouri State Archives, accessed June 1, 2023.

“Supreme Court Candidates, Robert Franklin Walker”  The Republic (St. Louis, Missouri), August 15, 1901, information courtesy of Chronicling America website, image provided by the State Historical Society of Missouri, (Columbia, MO), accessed June 1, 2023.

“University of Missouri Honorary Degrees by Date, 1926,” University of Missouri System website, accessed June 2, 2023.

The Warrenton Banner, (Warrenton, Missouri), November 28, 1930, information courtesy of SHSMO Missouri Digital Newspaper Project, The State Historical Society of Missouri website, accessed June 1, 2023.