Marcus Wayland Beck Diaries, 1899-1934
1 box, .5 linear foot

Administrative Information

- Access Restrictions
- User Restrictions
- Processing Notes
- Copyright Information
- Preferred Citation

Biographical Note

Scope and Content

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Organization and Arrangement

Related Collections

 

Series Descriptions


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Folder List


ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Access Restrictions: None.

User Restrictions: Library acts as “fair use” reproduction agent.

Copyright Information: Before material from collections at the Richard B. Russell Library may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permission. Persons wishing to quote from materials in the Russell Library collection should consult the Director. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original.

Preferred Citation: Marcus Wayland Beck Diaries, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, The University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia.


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BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTE:

Marcus Wayland Beck was born April 28, 1860 in Harris County, Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated in 1881 with an A.B. and in 1882 received an LL.D. degree. After being admitted to the bar in 1883, Beck began practicing law in Jackson County.

Beck became active in Democratic politics and served as a Georgia state senator from 1889 to 1890. After leaving the Senate, he became Solicitor General of the Flint Circuit in 1892 and in 1894 served as judge for that same circuit. In 1898, Beck resigned this position in order to join the Spanish-American War. He became a major in the 3d Georgia Infantry and served in the army of occupation in Cuba.

After the war, Beck moved to Griffin until 1905 when Governor Terrell appointed him as associate justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. On October 1, 1917, he became the presiding judge, a position he maintained until illness forced him to retire in 1937. It is in this role that Beck is most well known for his judicial opinions. He was also appointed as the first member of an advisory appellate council that consulted with both the courts and the Attorney General concerning judicial questions. During his career, Beck was also on the Board of Consulting Editors of the American and English Encyclopedia of Law and Practice.

On December 13, 1888, Beck married Caroline R. Ellis in Marietta, Georgia and the couple had four children. He died in Milledgeville, Georgia on January 21, 1943.



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SCOPE AND CONTENT:

The collection consists of two bound diaries handwritten by Marcus W. Beck from 1899-1921 (1934).The two bound diaries reflect Beck's day-to-day personal and judiciary activities as Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court (1905-1937) and as Presiding Justice (1917-1937).


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ORGANIZATION AND ARRANGEMENT:

The diaries are arranged in chronological order.



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RELATED COLLECTIONS IN THIS REPOSITORY:

Lamartine G. Hardman Collection, 1849-1953
Dudley M. Hughes Collection, 1806-1927
Joseph M. Terrell Papers, 1882-1912
Richard B. Russell, Jr. Collection, 1903-1974
Richard B. Russell, Sr. Papers, 1880-1935


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SERIES DESCRIPTIONS:

I. Diaries, 1899-1921 (1934)
1 box, .5 foot
These two bound diaries are the handwritten accounts of Marcus W. Beck's daily personal and judiciary activities as Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court and as Presiding Justice.



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ACCESS POINTS

Georgia. Supreme Court.
Judges --Georgia.
Georgia --Politics and government --1865-1950.
Georgia --Social life and customs --20th century.
Diaries.



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FOLDER LIST

Not available at this time. Please contact Russell Library for more information.


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