John Davis Larkins, Jr.

Who was John Davis Larkins, Jr.?

John Davis Larkins, Jr. was a United States federal judge.

Larkins was born in Morristown, Tennessee. He received a B.A. from Wake Forest University in 1929 and read law in 1930. He was in private practice of law in Trenton, North Carolina from 1930 to 1961. He served in the United States Army in 1945. He was a Conciliation Commissioner in Bankruptcy, for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina in 1930. He was a Member of the North Carolina Senate from 1936 to 1954, serving as President pro tempore from 1941 to 1943. He was a Liaison officer and Legislative Counsel to North Carolina Governor Luther Hodges in 1955. Larkins was chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party from 1954 to 1958, then a member of the Democratic National Committee from 1958 to 1960. He unsuccessfully ran for Governor of North Carolina in 1960, losing the Democratic primary to Terry Sanford.

Larkins was a federal judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Larkins was nominated by President John F. Kennedy on August 8, 1961, to a new seat created by 75 Stat. 80; He was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 21, 1961, and received his commission the same day. Larkins served as chief judge, 1975-1979. He assumed senior status on June 8, 1979 and was a senior judge until his death on February 16, 1990.