18 Facts About Frazier Reams

In 1920, Frazier Reams was licensed to practice law in Tennessee.

Frazier Reams practiced as a lawyer while participating in Democratic politics, serving as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1928,1932,1936,1940,1944,1948, and 1956.

From 1933 to 1937, Frazier Reams served as prosecutor of Lucas County, Ohio.

Frazier Reams was most well known for leading the prosecution of Thomas "Yonnie" Licavoli, who controlled bootlegging and illegal gambling operations in Detroit, Michigan and Toledo.

Martin L Davey appointed Reams to investigate easy prison conditions and Reams's investigation of the luxuries that Licavoli was benefitting from at the Ohio Penitentiary resulted in the dismissal of the warden.

In 1935, Reams got into a public dispute with Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge Roy R Stuart.

Judge Stuart ordered the dismissal of the grand jury and Frazier Reams filed an "affidavit of prejudice," which prevented Stuart from hearing any criminal matter until the accusation of prejudice could be heard.

In 1936, Reams sought the Democratic nomination for the office of Ohio Attorney General, but he lost to Herbert S Duffy.

Frazier Reams's partners were Thomas A Bretherton and Morton Neipp, both of whom had worked for him in the prosecutor's office.

Frazier Reams sold the television station in 1966, but his family kept the radio stations well into the 1990s.

In 1944, Frazier Reams sought the Democratic nomination for Governor of Ohio, but he placed fourth in the contest that was won by Frank Lausche.

In 1950, Frazier Reams, according to his New York Times obituary, split with the Democratic organization in Toledo and was elected to the US House of Representatives as an independent.

Frazier Reams served in the House from 1951 to 1955, during the 82nd and 83rd Congresses, and represented the ninth congressional district of Ohio.

However, in 1954, Frazier Reams was unsuccessful in his bid for a third term in Congress, losing his seat to a fellow Democrat, Thomas Ludlow Ashley.

In 1951, Frazier Reams served as a delegate to the Council of Europe.

From 1937 to 1960, Frazier Reams served on the board of the Community Broadcasting Co.

In 1955, Frazier Reams was one of the founding directors of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.

Frazier Reams died in Oakland, California in 1971 and was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery.