Representative Richard Olney

Richard Olney Arrington (January 21, 1897 – July 9, 1963) was a Mississippi politician and jurist who also has been recorded as having served as a Representative from Massachusetts in the United States Congress from 1915 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, he contributed to the legislative process during three terms in office and later became a prominent figure in Mississippi’s legal and political life, ultimately serving as a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1950 until his death in 1963.

Arrington was born on January 21, 1897, in Monticello, Lawrence County, Mississippi. Little is recorded in the existing material about his family background or early schooling, but his subsequent academic and professional achievements indicate a solid educational foundation in his home state. Coming of age during a period marked by rapid social and political change in the American South, his early years in Monticello placed him within the regional context that would later shape his legal and political career.

Arrington pursued higher education in law and graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law. His legal training prepared him for a career that would span both public service and the judiciary. During World War I, he served in the United States Navy, contributing to the national war effort as a young man. This combination of military service and legal education positioned him for later roles in government and public life.

According to the existing record, Richard Olney Arrington served as a Representative from Massachusetts in the United States Congress from 1915 to 1921. During these three terms in the House of Representatives, he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents as a member of the Democratic Party. His congressional service took place during a significant period in American history, encompassing World War I and the immediate postwar years, when Congress addressed issues of national security, economic transition, and social change. In this capacity, he contributed to the legislative process and the formulation of federal policy during a transformative era.

After his period of congressional service, Arrington’s public career is most clearly documented in Mississippi state government. He was elected to the Mississippi State Senate as a Democrat, representing the state’s 11th senatorial district, which comprised Copiah County, and served from 1932 to 1940. During his tenure in the Senate, he participated in state-level lawmaking during the Great Depression, a time when Mississippi, like the rest of the nation, faced severe economic hardship and complex policy challenges. His legislative work in the Senate helped establish his reputation as a capable lawyer-legislator and prepared him for higher legal office.

In 1941, Arrington was appointed Assistant Attorney General of Mississippi. In that role, he was involved in representing the state’s legal interests, advising state officials, and participating in the enforcement and interpretation of Mississippi law. He held the office of Assistant Attorney General until 1950, when his legal and political experience led to elevation to the state’s highest court. In September 1950, Governor Fielding Wright appointed him as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi. Arrington subsequently stood for election and was twice re-elected to the court, reflecting sustained public and professional confidence in his judicial service.

As a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1950 to 1963, Arrington took part in deciding a wide range of civil and criminal cases during a period of substantial legal and social change in the South. His work on the court contributed to the development and interpretation of Mississippi law in the mid-twentieth century, although specific opinions and decisions are not detailed in the available record. He remained on the bench continuously from his initial appointment until his death.

Richard Olney Arrington died in office on July 9, 1963, of an apparent heart attack while still serving as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi. His death brought to a close a long career in public service that encompassed reported service in the United States Congress, legislative work in the Mississippi State Senate, a key role in the state’s legal administration as Assistant Attorney General, and more than a decade on Mississippi’s highest court.