Representative Oscar Edward Bland

Oscar Edward Bland (November 21, 1877 – August 3, 1951) was a United States Representative from Indiana and an associate judge of the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals. A member of the Republican Party, he served three terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1917 to 1923 and later held a long tenure on the federal bench in Washington, D.C.

Bland was born near Bloomfield, Greene County, Indiana, on November 21, 1877. He was educated in the local public schools before pursuing further studies at Northern Indiana Normal School in Valparaiso, Indiana, an institution that later became Valparaiso University. He subsequently attended Indiana University Bloomington. After completing his formal education, Bland taught school for three years, gaining early experience in public service and community life in Indiana.

While engaged in teaching, Bland read law and prepared for a legal career. He was admitted to the bar in 1901 and commenced the practice of law in Linton, Indiana. His legal work in Linton formed the foundation for his later political career, as he became active in state and local affairs. Demonstrating an early interest in legislative service, he entered state politics and was elected to the Indiana Senate, where he served from 1907 to 1909.

Bland sought to extend his public service to the national level and became a candidate for the United States House of Representatives. He was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for election to Congress in 1910, 1912, and 1914. Persisting in his efforts, he finally prevailed in the election of 1916 and was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives, serving in the 65th, 66th, and 67th Congresses from March 4, 1917, to March 3, 1923. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, encompassing World War I and the early postwar years. As a member of the House of Representatives, Oscar Edward Bland contributed to the legislative process, participated in the democratic governance of the nation, and represented the interests of his Indiana constituents. During the 66th and 67th Congresses he served as Chairman of the Committee on Industrial Arts and Expositions, a position that placed him at the center of congressional oversight relating to national expositions and the promotion of industrial and artistic achievements. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1922 to the 68th Congress, concluding his House service in March 1923.

Shortly after leaving Congress, Bland was appointed to the federal judiciary. He was nominated by President Warren G. Harding on March 2, 1923, to an associate judge seat on the United States Court of Customs Appeals, filling the vacancy created by the departure of Associate Judge Marion De Vries. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on March 3, 1923, and he received his commission the same day. During his tenure, the court on which he served was renamed the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals on March 2, 1929, reflecting its expanded jurisdiction over patent matters in addition to customs cases. Bland’s service on this specialized Article I court extended over two decades, and he remained on the bench until his retirement on December 1, 1947.

Following his retirement from the federal bench, Bland resumed the private practice of law in Washington, D.C. He continued to reside in the nation’s capital until his death on August 3, 1951, at the age of 73. Oscar Edward Bland was interred in Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Washington, D.C., closing a career that had encompassed service as a state legislator, three-term United States Representative from Indiana, and long-serving associate judge of the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals.