William Joshua Driver (March 2, 1873 – October 1, 1948) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Arkansas.
William Joshua Driver | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 1st district | |
| In office March 4, 1921 – January 3, 1939 | |
| Preceded by | Thaddeus H. Caraway |
| Succeeded by | Ezekiel C. Gathings |
| Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from the Mississippi district | |
| In office January 11, 1897[1] – January 9, 1899[2] | |
| Preceded by | Henry C. Dunavant[3] |
| Succeeded by | Thomas A. Matthews[4] |
| In office 1899[Note 1] – January 14, 1901[6] | |
| Preceded by | Thomas A. Matthews[7] |
| Succeeded by | James K.P. Hale[8] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 2, 1873 Osceola, Arkansas, United States |
| Died | October 1, 1948 (aged 75) Osceola, Arkansas |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Clara Haynes Driver |
| Profession | Attorney, politician, judge, banker |
Biography
editBorn near Osceola, Arkansas, Driver was the son of John B. and Margaret Ann Bowen Driver and attended the public schools. He studied law at eighteen years of age, in the office of Judge G. W. Thomason; was admitted to the bar in 1894, and commenced practice in Osceola, Arkansas. He married Clara Haynes on June 2, 1897, and they had one child.[9]
Career
editDriver won election to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1896. He served in the 31st Arkansas General Assembly, which was contained only Democratic members (a common occurrence during the Solid South period). Thomas A. Matthews won the seat the following cycle, but resigned. The governor appointed Driver to fill the vacancy for the 32nd Arkansas General Assembly.
He was judge of the second judicial circuit of Arkansas from 1911 to 1918, and a member of the State constitutional convention in 1918. He served as delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1932.[10]
Driver was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-seventh and to the eight succeeding Congresses serving from March 4, 1921, to January 3, 1939.[11] An unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1938, he resumed the practice of law and also engaged in the banking business in Osceola, Arkansas, until his death.
Death
editDriver died in Osceola, Mississippi County, Arkansas, on October 1, 1948 (age 75 years, 213 days). He is interred at Violet Cemetery, Osceola, Arkansas.[12]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "SOS" (1998), pp. 257–258.
- ^ "SOS" (1998), pp. 258–259.
- ^ "SOS" (1998), p. 255-256.
- ^ "SOS" (1998), pp. 258–259.
- ^ "SOS" (1998), p. 259.
- ^ "SOS" (1998), p. 270.
- ^ "SOS" (1998), p. 255-256.
- ^ "SOS" (1998), p. 260-261.
- ^ "William J. Driver". The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
- ^ "William J. Driver". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
- ^ "William J. Driver". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
- ^ "William J. Driver". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
- Priest, Sharon (1998). Runnells, Jonathan (ed.). Historical Report of the Arkansas Secretary of State. Office of the Arkansas Secretary of State. OCLC 40157815.
- United States Congress. "William J. Driver (id: D000503)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
External links
edit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress