Edward R. Kirkland

Edward R. Kirkland
Kirkland in 1951
Member of the
Florida House of Representatives
from Orange County
In office
1951–1953
Preceded byBurton Thornal
Personal details
Born
Edward Romph Kirkland

(1923-03-16)March 16, 1923
Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.
DiedNovember 26, 2012(2012-11-26) (aged 89)
Winter Park, Florida, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materUniversity of Miami
Stetson University

Edward Romph Kirkland (March 16, 1923 – November 26, 2012) was an American attorney and politician.[1] He served as a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1951 to 1953.[2]

Kirkland was born in Coral Gables, Florida, the son of Ruby and George Kirkland.[3] Kirkland served as a flight instructor and fighter pilot for the United States Army Air Force during World War II.[3] In March 1945 Kirkland was shot down over Germany and captured by an enemy patrol, but managed to escape and return to his unit.[3]

After the war Kirkland attended the University of Miami and Stetson University, where he earned his law degree. In 1951, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. After one term, he left office in 1953.[3][4] He returned to his practice as a criminal defence lawyer, which included successfully arguing a case before the Supreme Court in 1968.[3]

  1. ^ Associated Press (March 7, 1951). "Kirkland Sticks To Plea For Campaign Inquiry". The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. p. 5. Retrieved September 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Closed access icon
  2. ^ Ward, Robert (August 3, 2011). "Membership of the Florida House of Representatives by County 1845–2012" (PDF). Florida House of Representatives. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Edward Kirkland Obituary (1923-2012)". Orlando Sentinel. November 29, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  4. ^ "Edward R. Kirkland (1981)". GoHatters. Retrieved September 11, 2022.