Harless, Richard F. (Richard Fielding), 1905-1970

Richard Fielding Harless was born in Kelsey, Upshur County, Texas on August 6, 1905. The Harless family moved from Texas to Thatcher, Arizona in 1917 where Richard Harless attended grade and high schools and graduated from the University of Arizona at Tucson in 1928. Harless moved to Marana, Arizona where he taught school and coached sports until he graduated from law school at the University of Arizona in 1933. He was admitted to the Arizona Bar in the same year and moved to Phoenix to commence the practice of law.

In Phoenix, Harless served as Assistant City Attorney and was elected Assistant Attorney General of Arizona in 1936. This election began a twenty-year career in Arizona politics. Harless served as Maricopa County Attorney from 1938 to 1942 and was elected to the United States Congress as a Representative in 1943. He served continuously until 1949.

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