Astor and Gertrude were married against the wishes of her parents but they had a long, happy marriage. Astor attended Sue Bennett College in London, KY, and graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1924. While a student he assisted in organizing the first Moot Court in the South under the direction of Dean Lyman Chalkey. He was Mayor of Whitesburg at age 27 and was the youngest mayor in the nation at that time. He was elected County Attorney in Letcher County in 1929 and served a four year term.
Astor went to Washington in 1934 and served as a trial attorney for the Federal Trade Commision and later became a Special Assistant Attorney General. He resigned in 1939, went back to Whitesburg to practice law. He was appointed Commonwealth's Attorney for the Twenty-sixth Judicial District (Harlan and Bell Counties) and served from 1942 to 1945. He served as Circuit Judge in Harlan County from 1951 to 1955 when he was appointed and subsequently elected to fill the unexpired term of Bert T. Combs who became a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Kentucky.
Astor was defeated in 1956 for an eight year term in the court. He served on the Court of Appeals in 1958-1959 and became administrative director of the Courts of Kentucky, a position he held until his retirement in 1971. He was a candidate for State Attorney General but defeated to the primary election in 1959.
One of Astor's great accomplishments was "bringing order to a complex society in Harlan County." He understood Mountain people and their way of life. He was the first to insist that summoned jurors report to the Court and he established a jury and court system that all Mountain people respected.
Astor was a member of and was listed in "Who's Who in America" since 1958. He was a member of the Lions, Rotary and Kiawanis Clubs.
~~ From "A Combs Family" by Mae Frazier
Astor went to Washington in 1934 and served as a trial attorney for the Federal Trade Commision and later became a Special Assistant Attorney General. He resigned in 1939, went back to Whitesburg to practice law. He was appointed Commonwealth's Attorney for the Twenty-sixth Judicial District (Harlan and Bell Counties) and served from 1942 to 1945. He served as Circuit Judge in Harlan County from 1951 to 1955 when he was appointed and subsequently elected to fill the unexpired term of Bert T. Combs who became a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Kentucky.
Astor was defeated in 1956 for an eight year term in the court. He served on the Court of Appeals in 1958-1959 and became administrative director of the Courts of Kentucky, a position he held until his retirement in 1971. He was a candidate for State Attorney General but defeated to the primary election in 1959.
One of Astor's great accomplishments was "bringing order to a complex society in Harlan County." He understood Mountain people and their way of life. He was the first to insist that summoned jurors report to the Court and he established a jury and court system that all Mountain people respected.
Astor was a member of and was listed in "Who's Who in America" since 1958. He was a member of the Lions, Rotary and Kiawanis Clubs.
~~ From "A Combs Family" by Mae Frazier
Astor and Gertrude were married against the wishes of her parents but they had a long, happy marriage. Astor attended Sue Bennett College in London, KY, and graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1924. While a student he assisted in organizing the first Moot Court in the South under the direction of Dean Lyman Chalkey. He was Mayor of Whitesburg at age 27 and was the youngest mayor in the nation at that time. He was elected County Attorney in Letcher County in 1929 and served a four year term.
Astor went to Washington in 1934 and served as a trial attorney for the Federal Trade Commision and later became a Special Assistant Attorney General. He resigned in 1939, went back to Whitesburg to practice law. He was appointed Commonwealth's Attorney for the Twenty-sixth Judicial District (Harlan and Bell Counties) and served from 1942 to 1945. He served as Circuit Judge in Harlan County from 1951 to 1955 when he was appointed and subsequently elected to fill the unexpired term of Bert T. Combs who became a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Kentucky.
Astor was defeated in 1956 for an eight year term in the court. He served on the Court of Appeals in 1958-1959 and became administrative director of the Courts of Kentucky, a position he held until his retirement in 1971. He was a candidate for State Attorney General but defeated to the primary election in 1959.
One of Astor's great accomplishments was "bringing order to a complex society in Harlan County." He understood Mountain people and their way of life. He was the first to insist that summoned jurors report to the Court and he established a jury and court system that all Mountain people respected.
Astor was a member of and was listed in "Who's Who in America" since 1958. He was a member of the Lions, Rotary and Kiawanis Clubs.
~~ From "A Combs Family" by Mae Frazier
Astor went to Washington in 1934 and served as a trial attorney for the Federal Trade Commision and later became a Special Assistant Attorney General. He resigned in 1939, went back to Whitesburg to practice law. He was appointed Commonwealth's Attorney for the Twenty-sixth Judicial District (Harlan and Bell Counties) and served from 1942 to 1945. He served as Circuit Judge in Harlan County from 1951 to 1955 when he was appointed and subsequently elected to fill the unexpired term of Bert T. Combs who became a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Kentucky.
Astor was defeated in 1956 for an eight year term in the court. He served on the Court of Appeals in 1958-1959 and became administrative director of the Courts of Kentucky, a position he held until his retirement in 1971. He was a candidate for State Attorney General but defeated to the primary election in 1959.
One of Astor's great accomplishments was "bringing order to a complex society in Harlan County." He understood Mountain people and their way of life. He was the first to insist that summoned jurors report to the Court and he established a jury and court system that all Mountain people respected.
Astor was a member of and was listed in "Who's Who in America" since 1958. He was a member of the Lions, Rotary and Kiawanis Clubs.
~~ From "A Combs Family" by Mae Frazier
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