Union’s first documented attorney was W.C. Longmire in 1910. Q. Hunter, Jr. followed him in 1911. In 1913, C.E. Johnson began his law practice. In 1916, he left Wilson and Johnson law firm to become a judge. Hon. Johnson and his wife Ethel, who owned the Children’s Shop in Union from 1945 until 1971, lived at 213 North Street, the present home of Larry and Marie Thompson.
Next in 1915 G.W. Snowden, J.E. Golden Jr., Wilson, and Longmire each advertised as attorneys. Snowden’s office was located at 207 Main Street in the back of Longino’s Drug Store, later Alexander’s Pharmacy. He also loaned money for real estate. In 1917, W.I. Munn began his law practice. No additional attorneys joined this group in advertising for the next 20 years.
In the early 1940s, L.B. Porter came to Union as a football coach and teacher. Then in 1943, he ran for the Mississippi Senate and was elected. In 1944, he proposed an amendment to the Mississippi Constitution that people be allowed to vote at age 18. Next, Sen. Porter attended the Jackson School of Law, a predecessor of the Mississippi College School of Law. He took the bar exam and was admitted to the bar in July 1945. In 1950, he opened an office in the Dr. Red building above the Post Office at 204 Bank Street and later moved it to the upstairs of the Masonic Lodge building. In 1962, he was elected Chancery Judge. He was a chancellor serving over a court of equity. He did not run for re-election in 1974. He also served as attorney to the Newton County Board of Supervisors.
In 1960, Marcus Gordon opened his law practice at 202 Main Street in the old Union Drug Store building in the former dental office of Dr. Harbour. He became active in the community as he served as chairman of the committee planning the Civil War Centennial in October 1962.
The next attorney John Keith Henry returned to Union to begin his law practice in June 1962. His first office was located above Dub McMahen’s White Auto Store. After practicing separately for a while, Gordon and Henry joined practices to become law partners in 1965 and opened offices in City Hall. Then in 1967, they built a new Gordon and Henry office building at 408 Bank Street. Gwen Shelton was their secretary.
In 1972, Mr. Gordon took the office of District Attorney. He moved his office to Decatur in 1976 and opened with Leon Mangum. Next, in 1977, following Judge O.H. Barnett, he was appointed Circuit Court Judge, a court that hears criminal cases and money disputes. Then, he ran for the office in 1978 and was re-elected in each following election.
Also, in 1972, attorney James Haddock opened his office at 216 Bank Street in the Mid-Mississippi Savings and Loan building.
In 1976, Joe Blount was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives and served until 1984. He opened a law office at 500 E. Jackson Road in 1977.
Next, Charles Pearce rented the Gordon & Henry building in 1978 for his law firm. In 1983, he was appointed District Attorney. Shortly after that, Edmund J. Phillips first opened an office at 301 Bank Street before moving to 108 Main Street the next year.
In August 1984, Rex Gordon Jr. moved to Union and opened his law office at 517 Bank Street. He relocated to the Gordon Law Office at 408 Bank Street in 1987. His wife Patricia was his secretary. Shortly after moving to Union, he became active in the city’s activities. He became the school board attorney for Union High School and attorney for the city’s Board of Aldermen. Serving the community, he became the mouthpiece for the annual Union Country Day and the voice of the Union High School football home games.
Then in 1988, Rex Gordon Sr. and his wife Ilene moved to Union, and he also opened a law office in the Gordon Law Firm building. At that time, Judge Marcus Gordon resigned from the bench. He wanted the opportunity to practice with his brother Rex Gordon Sr. and his nephew Rex Gordon Jr. in the family law firm on Bank Street. Unfortunately, however, Rex Sr. was not able to practice as planned because of health reasons. Therefore, Judge Gordon ran for Circuit Court Judge again in 1990. He was again elected to serve on the bench, a position for which he was re-elected repeatedly until he retired in 2016.
In 1993, attorney Chris Collins joined Rex Gordon Jr.’s law practice, and the name became Gordon and Collins for a short time. Collins then bought the building at 101 Bank Street that had originally been built for Mid-South Savings and Loan in 1974. When he eventually moved his practice from Union in 2005, he donated the building to the Chamber of Commerce. Later, he was appointed Circuit Court Judge at the retirement of Judge Gordon in 2016. Then in the next election, he was elected to that position which he currently holds.
Janis Watts worked 13 ½ years as court administrator for Judge Gordon and then has continued in that position into Judge Collins’ terms.
Judge Collins recalls that when Rex Jr. moved to Union, he coached the first Union High School Mock Trial Team, of which Chris was a member. Also, the two of them served the city of Union together for 21 years with Rex Jr. serving as City Judge and Chris as City Prosecutor.
Since the death of Rex Gordon Jr. in December 2017, Union has been without an attorney practicing in town. However, three attorneys do call Union home. First, Doug Smith, a resident of Union but whose practice is located in Decatur, serves as the attorney for the Town of Union and for the Union Public School system. Doug also serves as Union’s municipal prosecutor.
Next, Melissa Carleton currently serves as Deputy Attorney General for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Choctaw, Mississippi.
Finally, Brian Burns had as his first job serving as the law clerk for Judge Gordon for six years and continued with Judge Collins for one year. He then began a new position as Assistant District Attorney that he holds today. Brian also serves as special prosecutor for the 8th Circuit District Drug Court.
Throughout the years, Union has been served by many distinguished attorneys.
If you have corrections, additions, or memories, contact me at teresablount26@yahoo.com or 601-774-5564.
