by Stanley Peele

The year was 1959. I was a senior in law school, about to graduate; and looking for a job. I walked into the Office of Judge L. J. Phipps on Henderson Street in Chapel Hill, (right by the post office). The office was Spartan – very small by today's standards. It had two small offices in the back and two secretaries in front; no library, no break room, no conference room.

Alice Oldham, the senior secretary, told me I could go into his office.

I walked into his office. Most of the space of the small office was taken up by a large desk. On top of the desk was a mountain of papers. Behind the papers sat Judge Luther James Phipps.

With great fear and trepidation, I said, "My name is Stanley Peele, I am about to graduate from law school, and I am looking for work."

Judge Phipps smiled and said, "When can you start?"
"Right now," I replied.

"OK, Mrs. Oldham will tell you what to do." He said. And from that moment, I was hired. No resume. No questions. No conversation about salary. That's the way it was in the 'good old days' between people who trusted one another. Instinctively, I trusted him. Absolutely.

Judge Phipps was a kindly man with a soft voice. Yet he commanded great respect – which, for me, amounted to awe. I never called him "Jim." It was always "Judge Phipps." His abilities were legion.

In 1921, as a student in UNC, he received the Major Wm. B. Cain award for the math student who "demonstrated a high degree of mathematical ability and originality." He had a phenomenal memory and was the leading title lawyer in this area. He could examine old deeds and diagram property lines with lightening speed and uncanny accuracy. In fact, the map of the properties given to the University prior to 1920 were drawn up by Judge Phipps; and the map is in use to this day.

He was a stickler for the law, and did not drink. He was extraordinarily careful about driving, and would not go even 1 mile over the speed limit. This made it very hard on me when I drove him. If I drove 57 in a 55, he would say, "I believe the speed limit here is 55." So I would meekly slow down.

On the other hand, Charlie Hodson, the lawyer, was always late to court and would consistently speed. One time, Judge Phipps was driving to Hillsborough, and made a complete stop at an intersection. Charlie Hodson was driving behind him; and did not expect the Judge to make a complete stop; and plowed right into the Judge’s car.

How the courthouse gang made fun of Charlie about that!!

Judge Luther James Phipps (1898-1969)

Judge Phipps and I were both so busy, that our time together was rare. Yet I remember a few times that I witnessed him doing complex title work. Once I had been wrestling with trying to map out adjoining properties, and I had not been able to do so. Judge Phipps looked at the deeds, and then, with lightening speed, put them all together in a perfect fit.

"How did you do that!?" I exclaimed. He just smiled. Sometimes checking title was like trying to assemble a jig-saw puzzle.

He was a staunch supporter of UNC and seldom missed a home football game. He and Vivian would walk from his home to Kenan Stadium. He had massive knowledge about UNC football.

He was a supporter of the Boy Scouts, and would often be called upon to present the Eagle Scout award at presentation ceremonies.

He had property and title files for Orange County and Chatham County. The Orange County files were the best ever seen at that time. Other attorneys would come over to use them. His files were so good that I could sometimes check 7 titles for bank loans in one day.

People thought Judge Phipps was rich because of his high-volume business. But he was not. His charges were very low. "Temper the wind to the shorn lamb." he told me.
Bill Olsen, the realtor, remembers his mother, Sarah Olsen, telling him if you wanted advice, you went to Jim Phipps. He was the authority. When Mrs. Olsen sold property, she would take the buyer and seller to Judge Phipps. He would draw the contract, check the title, draw the deed and mortgage and close the deal in his office. He would handle the whole transaction, start to finish. And how much would he charge? $1 for the deed and $20 to check title.

He was town attorney for the Town of Carrboro, and never charged a penny for that work.

He knew so many people that on some weeks he went to 3 or 4 funerals.

He was the leading expert on Orange County Churches. He had title cards for every Orange County Church, which showed every deed into or out of the church, together with every mortgage they gave. Hugh Lefler wrote a book titled Orange County. Judge Phipps wrote a chapter in that book, called "The Churches of Orange County." Many years ago, I read that chapter, and was absolutely stunned by the amount of information cited there. I thought I knew something about local churches; but compared to him I was hopelessly ignorant.

In his quiet way, he was a political force. If you wanted a job at the post office in Chapel Hill, you would first have to see him. Those seeking political office would check with him. Not to do so would have been a major blunder. In his quiet way, he was a master politician.

He was judge of the Recorders Court in Chapel Hill for many years. He was Orange County’s representative to the NC Legislature. He was very active with the American Legion, particularly with the Chapel Hill Post; and was commander of the NC American Legion, 1963-64. He drew up the bill to establish the Hillsboro Historic  Commission, which became law in 1963. He was active with the democratic party, and was considered a leader in that area for many years, having various offices on the executive board, including president. He was a staunch conservative, and in those days he and others kept control of the Orange County Democratic Party.

One year he went on a vacation and therefore could not attend the annual meeting of Orange County democrats. When he came back, he found that local liberals (under the movement for Eugene McCarthy) had taken over. This was a dark day for him.

He, together with his wife, Vivian, and his two children, "Snookie" and Dana, lived in an imposing house on Pittsboro Street. It was then 4 houses south of McCauley St., approximately across from the present State Employees’ Credit Union. The home was razed by UNC and is now occupied by UNC buildings. The pillars in front of his home were imposing, giving it an elegant appearance. When I went to his house I always felt out of place – kinda awkward. Yet the rooms inside were modest.

In 1968, he became Orange County’s first District Judge. He was very happy to have this job, for the job of Chapel Hill Recorder’s Court judge, was only a municipal office, unconnected with other judges. The new judgship was a part of a Statewide system; a vastly improved court system. He set up a plan for the district, which was Orange, Chatham and Alamance Counties. The present system in Orange County is based on his original plan.

He died in 1969. Even after all these years, I still miss him. The sky was never quite as blue after he was gone.

Editor's Note: Phipps taught mathematics at UNC from 1943 to 1945. He got an S.B. degree at UNC before his law degree (That is the same as a B.S. degree today then known as Scientiæ Baccalaureus)