James Austin McClure (1882–1954) was a prominent Topeka, Kansas, attorney and judge known for his integrity, fairness, legal acumen, and community service.
Early Life and Education
- Born December 14, 1882, in Clinton, Iowa, to Samuel T. McClure (Presbyterian minister) and Alta Case McClure.
- Family moved to Topeka in 1890.
- Attended Topeka public schools and Washburn University (then Washburn College) starting in 1902, combining law and college courses.
- Worked as a stenographer at Santa Fe Offices while attending law school at night; later served as secretary to Chief Justice William A. Johnston of the Kansas Supreme Court.
Legal Career
- Admitted to the Kansas Bar in 1909 and began private practice.
- Served as Assistant County Attorney of Shawnee County (1911–1913).
- Joined the law firm headed by Judge Monroe (with Lee Monroe, Cyrus M. Monroe, and W. S. Roark).
- Appointed in 1919 by Governor Henry J. Allen as Judge of the First Division of the District Court of Shawnee County to fill an unexpired term. Elected in 1920 and re-elected in 1924; served nine years on the bench until resigning in 1928.
- Praised for keen perception of the law, sound judgment, fairness, impartiality, patience, and kindness — especially toward first offenders and the inexperienced. Known for listening attentively and tempering justice with understanding.
- Resumed private practice in 1928 as a member of Stone, McClure, Webb, Johnson & Oman (later McClure, Webb & Oman), where he became the senior member. Regarded as a “lawyer’s lawyer” who counseled many attorneys.
Public Service and Community Involvement
- Elected to the Topeka Board of Education (1929), serving 12 years.
- Instructor at Washburn University School of Law.
- President of the Topeka Bar Association (1926); member of the American Bar Association, Kansas Bar Association, Topeka Bar Association, Masonic bodies, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Alpha Delta, First Presbyterian Church, Kansas Children’s Service League, and Capper Foundation for Crippled Children.
- Active in political affairs and public service; described as a tireless, thorough, modest, and delightful colleague who never sought personal glory.
Personal Life
- Married Louise Allison of Topeka in 1915. They had two sons: Dr. James A. McClure and Robert A. McClure (a practicing lawyer in Topeka).
- Enjoyed a happy marriage until Louise’s death in 1951.
- At his death on June 8, 1954, he was survived by his sons, five grandchildren, and a sister (Mrs. Victor G. Kropf of Chicago, Illinois).
The memorial was respectfully submitted on May 27, 1955, by a committee chaired by Robert L. Webb (with Marlin S. Casey, T. M. Lillard, Harry W. Colmery, and John E. DuMars).
This document highlights Judge McClure as a dedicated legal figure deeply rooted in Topeka’s institutions and a model of professional integrity. It aligns well with your family heritage interests in the McClure line in Kansas. Let me know if you'd like a cleaned-up full transcription, family tree notes, or anything else!
Full Transcription of the Memorial to James A. McClure
MEMORIAL TO JAMES A. McCLURE
JAMES AUSTIN McCLURE died at Topeka, Kansas, on June 8, 1954. His death resulted in great loss to his associates, to the Topeka Bar Association and to the Bar of the State of Kansas, as well, not only because of his outstanding ability as a lawyer but also because of his high sense of integrity and fairness.
James A. McClure was born at Clinton, Iowa, on December 14, 1882, the son of Samuel T. and Alta Case McClure. His father was a minister of the Presbyterian Church who moved to Topeka in 1890.
Mr. McClure attended the public schools of Topeka and entered Washburn University (then Washburn College) in 1902, combining law and college courses. In 1907, he became a stenographer in the Santa Fe Offices and attended law school at night. Later, he became secretary to William A. Johnston, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Kansas, remaining in that position until he finished his law course.
He was admitted to the bar in 1909 when he began the private practice of the law. From 1911 to 1913, he served as Assistant County Attorney of Shawnee County. He then joined the law firm headed by Judge Monroe and consisting of Lee Monroe, Cyrus M. Monroe and W. S. Roark.
In 1919, Mr. McClure was appointed by Governor Henry J. Allen as Judge of the First Division of the District Court of Shawnee County, to fill the unexpired term of Judge Robert D. Garver. Judge McClure was elected to that office in 1920 and re-elected in 1924. During his nine years on the bench, he distinguished himself not only by his keen perception of the law and his sound judgment but also by his fairness and impartiality, and his patience and kindness. Judge McClure took a great deal of interest in first-offenders and those inexperienced who came before him, and he tried always to temper justice with understanding. He always found time to listen to the complaints and troubles of a juror, a witness, a bailiff and perhaps even a lawyer, and to give them such help as was proper under the circumstances.
Judge McClure resigned the judgeship in 1928 to resume the private practice of law and became a member of the firm of Stone, McClure, Webb, Johnson & Oman. In 1929, he was elected as a member of the Topeka Board of Education in which position he served for twelve years. For a number of years, he was an instructor at Washburn University School of Law.
Judge McClure was a consistent member of one of the major political parties and always maintained an active interest in political affairs. He also maintained an active interest in other public affairs, and for many years prior to his death he
served on the governing bodies of The Kansas Children’s Service League and The Capper Foundation for Crippled Children. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Masonic bodies, The American Bar Association, the Bar Association of the State of Kansas, and the Topeka Bar Association, and served as President of the Topeka Association in 1926. He was also a member of Phi Delta Theta and Phi Alpha Delta.
Judge McClure was a tireless worker, and no suggestion was too small to enlist on his part a thorough investigation before calling the job “done.” He was never satisfied with the meager facts given to him in the first instance but delved and searched for all facts that might bear on his problem. He searched for the law in the same manner. He almost never quit. Until ten years before his death, he seldom closed his office before six o’clock. Despite his close attention to duty, he was a delightful person with whom to work, and he never sought personal glory. He was in fact a very modest person. In his twenty-six years of practice after leaving the bench, he counselled many lawyers who sought his aid, and he could very properly be called a lawyer’s lawyer. He was known to many of his acquaintances as Judge McClure although to most of his friends he was just plain “Jim.”
At the time of his death, he was the senior member of the firm of McClure, Webb & Oman.
In 1915, Judge McClure was married to Louise Allison, of Topeka, and to them were born two sons. Judge and Mrs. McClure enjoyed a happy and congenial life together until Mrs. McClure’s death in 1951. Surviving Judge McClure are his sons, Dr. James A. McClure, of Topeka, and Robert A. McClure, a practicing lawyer of Topeka, five grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. Victor G. Kropf, of Chicago, Illinois.
Memorial Committee.
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