Judge Vinson received his LLB degree in 1911 from Kentucky Normal College. He started his legal practice i Louisa, Kentucky in 1911, became City Attorney 1913-14, entered the US Army as a private in August 1918. In 1921 he was elected Commonwealth Attorney, serving in that office until elected as a Democrat to the US House of Representatives. His only defeat was in the Republican landslide in 1928. On June 24, 1946, President Harry S. Truman appointed him Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. As Judge Vinson's father was jailer of Lawrence County and the family lived in quarters at the jail, he often jokingly stated he was the first Chief Justice born in jail. 24 Jun 1946 President Truman nominated and the Senate confirmed Frederick as Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court.