Ragon served as federal judge, presiding over the Western District of Arkansas for seven years. At the time of his death on Sept. 15, 1940, it was the largest federal district court in the state, and it was rumored that Ragon was in line for an appointment to the eighth circuit court of appeals.

Ragon, 56, was reported to have been under stress at the time from his involvement in a federal grand jury investigation of Southwestern Distilled Products Inc. In a single day in June 1940, he sentenced about 200 defendants and heard about 15 trials.

Born on a farm near Dublin in Logan County on March 20, 1884, he family moved in his early childhood to Johnson County. Ragon attended the College of the Ozarks as well as the University of Arkansas, but he obtained his law degree from Washington and Lee University in Virginia. Ragon practiced in Clarksville

An active Democrat, Ragon served as a state legislature and from 1923 to 1933 was U.S. representative from

His death was reportedly caused by a heart attack he suffered in his home at 1007 Adelaide Avenue. Ragon is buried in Forest Park Cemetery.

See also the entry for Ragon at the Web site for the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Source: "Death Occurs At Home In Fort Smith," undated 1940 newspaper obituary; Biographical Directory of Congress.