Z 2281.000 Bickerstaff (Reece Orville) Legal Papers

Biography/History:

Reece Orville Bickerstaff was born March 23, 1896, in Tishomingo County, Mississippi, to Mary Jerusha Blunt Bickerstaff and John Ramsey Bickerstaff, who was a farmer. Reece Bickerstaff was the second of nine children: Gurstell Guy (b. November 6, 1894), Audrey Leah (b. September 2, 1898), Mamie Olivia (January 7, 1900), Ollie Edith (b. June 30, 1901), Thomas Alton (b. September 5, 1904), Lillian Adair (b. May 23, 1906), Wilbur Delane (b. October 18, 1908), and Mildred (b. January 4, 1912).

During World War I, Reece Bickerstaff enlisted as a private in the United States Army. He saw active duty overseas in France and England and was discharged in 1919. Bickerstaff became a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the state adjutant of the American Legion.

Reece Bickerstaff married Emily Augusta Cook on August 28, 1923, in Hattiesburg, Forrest County, Mississippi. Emily Cook Bickerstaff was the daughter of Joseph Anderson Cook, the first president of Mississippi Normal College, now the University of Southern Mississippi. After the wedding, Reece Bickerstaff graduated from the University of Mississippi with B.A. and L.L.B. (Bachelor of Laws) degrees in 1925.

Reece and Emily Bickerstaff moved to Gulfport, Harrison County, Mississippi, and had two daughters: Emily Ann (b. ca. 1927) and Mary Elizabeth (b. ca. 1932).

Reece Bickerstaff was an assistant state attorney, served as attorney for the town of Long Beach, Harrison County, Mississippi, from 1929 to 1934, and as assistant state manager for the Home Owners Loan Corporation from 1933 to 1935. Bickerstaff was also an organizer of the Coast Federal Savings and Loan Association and later became its director and vice president.

Bickerstaff served five terms in the Mississippi State Legislature from 1936 to 1955. He was chairman of the House Committee on Highways and Highway Financing, and served on the Rules, Ways and Means, Judiciary, Fisheries, Commerce, and Shipping committees. Bickerstaff sponsored measures that developed Highway 90 into a four lane highway, and created the Gulfport inner harbor and pier facilities. He was also a leader in the creation of Mississippi’s hospital program. He also served as counsel for the Mississippi Seafood Commission for twelve years and eight years as associate attorney for the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Reece Bickerstaff died on June 3, 1956, and is buried in Southern Memorial Park in Biloxi, Harrison County, Mississippi.

Scope and Content:

The Reece Orville Bickerstaff Legal Papers contain interfiled legal case files, correspondence, contracts, architectural plans, and photocopies, arranged by case number, from Bickerstaff’s legal career. Bickerstaff racticed law from 1925 until his death in 1956. He represented various interests, such as the Mississippi Building and Loan Association, and Kam’s Refrigerated Candies, as well as personal matters, such as divorces and contracts. The personal material contains bills paid, insurance, property and tax materials. The files cover issues on several legal matters such as business incorporation, litigation, and wills. The collection also contains Bickerstaff’s personal correspondence (contained in boxes 1, 5, 26, 30, and 46) which was filed by year, as well as political papers (boxes 26 and 37), and architectural plans.

Box List