Roy R. Cline, one of the younger members of the Champaign County Bar, had as preliminary to his practice a number of years of experience in the patent office at Washington, D. C., carrying on his law studies in the national capital at the same time, and now besides his general practice, he is serving as inheritance tax attorney for the District of Piatt, Champaign and Moultrie counties. He was appointed to this position in February, 1917, by Attorney General Brundage.
Mr. Cline is a native of Illinois, born in Piatt County October 22, 1884, a son of Jacob H. and Josephine (Knott) Cline. His father was born in Piatt County and his mother in Cook County, Illinois. Jacob Cline was a merchant and banker, spent practically all his life in Piatt County, and died there August 29, 1913. The mother is now living in Urbana. They were the parents of five children: Anna, wife of James Stevens, of Urbana; Minnie, wife of Jerry Purcell, of Piatt County; Corria, an osteopathic physician in Piatt County; Ona, of Piatt County; and Roy.
Roy R. Cline had a good education during his youth and paid his own way while preparing for the profession of the law. He attended the high school at White Heath, Illinois, two years, also the Urbana High School, and spent one year in the State Normal School at Normal. He had a couple years’ experience as a teacher in Piatt County. In 1906 he came to Champaign and subsequently took a Civil Service examination and was appointed Examiner of Trade Marks in the patent office at Washington, D. C. He held that position five years. In the meantime he studied law in the law department of Georgetown University in the District of Columbia and was graduated LL. B. in 1911 and with his Master’s degree in 1912.
Mr. Cline returned to Champaign County in the spring of 1913, and began practice at Urbana with Franklin H. Boggs, now Circuit Judge. Since the fall of 1913 he has been located in Champaign and has rapidly gained a secure position in the law.
Mr. Cline married November 7, 1907, Miss Lena E. Dove, a native of Piatt County. They have two children, Josephine Catherine and Max Jacob.