John H. Pitchford

John H. Pitchford (1857-1923) was an American jurist from Walhalla, South Carolina, descended from Irish immigrant ancestors. (His father, Wesley, was born in Georgia, and his mother, Margaret (nee Neville) was born in South Carolina.)

Moving west Although his law practice in Georgia prospered, Pitchford decided to move west in 1890, settling for a few years in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and forming a partnership with Col. Ben T. DuVal. In 1896, he moved again, this time into Indian Territory, where he settled in Talequah and set up a new law practice. He became a popular figure in Talequah, where he was elected mayor in 1900, the first white man elected to that office. (According to Thoburn, He was elected to office mainly to show the outside world that Talequah, then the capital of the Cherokee Nation, was not prejudiced against whites who had moved there.)

On April 16, 1923, the Supreme Court called a special session to commemorate three people who had died in March or early April: John H. Pitchford, late Chief Justice, C. H. Elting, Associate Justice and Hon. E. G. McAdams, late Supreme Court Referee. Pitchford's replacement as Chief Justice, was Napoleon B. Johnson, who gave the closing address.

Organizations Judge Pitchford belonged to the following organizations: Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Royal Arch Chapter of Masonry Methodist Church Democratic Party

Personal Pitchford first married Lola Bauknight, with whom he had two children, Joseph Irvin Pitchford and Henry DuVal Pitchford. Joseph later became a lawyer in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, while Henry became a lawyer at Stilwell, Oklahoma. After Lola's death, Pitchford married Miss Viola Boggess.