Oscar E. Bland

Born near Bloomfield, Indiana,^[1] Bland attended the public schools, Northern Indiana Normal School (now Valparaiso University) and Indiana University Bloomington.^[2] He taught school for three years.^[2] He read law and was admitted to the bar in 1901 and commenced practice in Linton, Indiana.^[1]

Bland was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for election to Congress in 1910, 1912, and 1914.^[2] He finally prevailed in the election of 1916, and was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives of the 65th, 66th and 67th United States Congresses, serving from March 4, 1917, to March 3, 1923.^[2] He served as Chairman of the Committee on Industrial Arts and Expositions in the 66th and 67th Congresses.^[2] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1922 to the 68th United States Congress.^[2]

Bland was nominated by President Warren G. Harding on March 2, 1923, to an Associate Judge seat on the United States Court of Customs Appeals (United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals from March 2, 1929) vacated by Associate Judge Marion De Vries.^[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 3, 1923, and received his commission the same day.^[1] His service terminated on December 1, 1947, due to his retirement.^[1]

Following his retirement from the federal bench, Bland resumed the private practice of law in Washington, D.C., where he died August 3, 1951, at the age of 73.^[1] He was interred in Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Washington, D.C.^[2]