Roscoe Vanover

Paris Roscoe Vanover Sr. (September 7, 1863–September 18, 1927) was a United States circuit court judge for Pike and Letcher counties in Kentucky.

Early life, career and family

Roscoe (he did not use his given first name of Paris) Vanover Sr. was born in the Cumberland Mountain district of Wise County, Virginia. He was the son of John and Keziah (Landreth) Vanover. His father was a deputy county clerk and Justice of the Peace in Pike County, Kentucky. His mother was a relative of the Confederate President Jefferson Davis. His slogan when he was running for office was "Destroy the Stills and Save the BOYS". Judge Vanover's fight against illegal moonshine was so successful he managed to jail a wealthy local contractor, and even the county's deputy sheriff and the deputy sheriff's two teenage sons, for whisky violations.