John W. Lord Jr.

John W. Lord Jr.
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
In office December 19, 1971 – May 16, 1972
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
In office 1969–1971
Preceded by	Thomas James Clary
Succeeded by	Joseph Simon Lord III
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
In office May 20, 1954 – December 19, 1971
Appointed by	Dwight D. Eisenhower
Preceded by	James P. McGranery
Succeeded by	Louis Bechtle
Member of the Philadelphia City Council
In office 1952–1954
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate for the 6th district
In office 1947–1951
Preceded by	George Woodward
Succeeded by	Martin Silvert
Personal details
Born	John Whitaker Lord Jr. (1901-12-19)December 19, 1901 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	May 16, 1972(1972-05-16) (aged 70)
Education	Temple University Beasley School of Law (LLB)

John Whitaker Lord Jr. (December 19, 1901 – May 16, 1972) was an American politician and judge from Pennsylvania. He served as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania Senate for the 6th district from 1947 to 1951 and the Philadelphia City Council from 1952 to 1954. He served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1954 until his death in 1972.

Early life and education

Lord was born in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Germantown High School and the University of Pennsylvania. He received a Bachelor of Laws from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1928.

Career

He entered private practice in 1928 with the firm of Brown and Williams (later White and Williams) and remained associated with them until his elevation to the bench in 1954. Lord also worked as a law professor at Temple University from 1938 to 1954, as well as lecturing on medical jurisprudence at Hahnemann Medical College. He was a deputy state attorney general of Pennsylvania from 1939 to 1946. He served as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 6th district from 1947 to 1951. In 1951, he was elected as one of seven at-large members of the Philadelphia City Council and served from 1952 to 1954.

Federal judicial service

Lord was nominated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on March 29, 1954, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania vacated by Judge James P. McGranery. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 18, 1954, and received his commission on May 20, 1954. He served as Chief Judge from 1969 to 1971. He assumed senior status on December 19, 1971. Lord served in that capacity until his death on May 16, 1972, after collapsing while attending a Temple Law alumni dinner.

He is interred at the Saint Timothy's Episcopal Church Cemetery in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Sources

• John Whitaker Lord Jr. at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• "Judge Lord Collapses, Dies At Temple Law Alumni Dinner". Philadelphia Inquirer. May 17, 1972. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.