Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Former Prescott Graduate, Federal Judge Passes Away

On Wednesday, Feb. 5, U.S. District Judge Oren Harris, a Prescott native, died of pneumonia.

Harris, who lived in El Dorado at the time of his death, continued to stay busy since he semi-retired in 1976.

Local attorney Chuck Honey knew Harris and considered him a second father.

For five years, Honey worked with Harris as administrative assistant to the congressman in Washington, D.C.

"When I was with him (in Washington)," Honey said, "he was one of the 10 most powerful men in the United States." During the early 1960's, Harris was chairman of the powerful House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee. "He just radiated power," Honey said.

"He was able to get a lot done for south Arkansas as a member of the House." However, in 1965, Harris left the Hill in favor of becoming a federal judge.

Honey called Harris his mentor, saying he played a great part in shaping his (Honey's) life.

Harris was born Dec. 20, 1903, at Belton, in Hempstead County.

He graduated from Prescott High School, earned his bachelor's degree from then Henderson-Brown College, and obtained his law degree from the Cumberland University School of Law in Birmingham, Ala., in 1930.

His career covered most of six decades of almost continuous public service in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.

From 1933-36, Harris served as deputy prosecuting attorney, being elected as prosecuting attorney for the 13th Judicial District in 1937, serving until 1940.

In 1940, Harris was elected to the first of his 13 terms as the 4th Congressional District Congressman.

He was appointed as a federal judge by Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966, and became Chief Judge of the Western District of Arkansas, serving on the Executive and Budget Committees of the Judicial Conference of the U.S.

Services for Harris were held Friday, Feb. 7, at the First Baptist Church in El Dorado.