William H. Smathers
United States Senator
from New Jersey
In office
January 3, 1937[1] – January 3, 1943
Preceded byWilliam W. Barbour
Succeeded byAlbert W. Hawkes
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from Atlantic County
In office
1935–1938
Preceded byEmerson Lewis Richards
Succeeded byThomas D. Taggart
Personal details
Born
William Howell Smathers

(1891-01-07)January 7, 1891
Haywood County, North Carolina
DiedSeptember 24, 1955(1955-09-24) (aged 64)
Asheville, North Carolina
Political partyDemocratic

William Howell Smathers (January 7, 1891 – September 24, 1955) was a Democratic United States Senator from New Jersey, serving from 1937 to 1943.

Biography

Smathers was born on January 7, 1891, on a plantation near Waynesville, North Carolina.

He attended public school and Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Smathers was graduated from the law department of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1911 and was admitted to the bar in 1912, commencing practice in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he served as a judge of the common pleas court of Atlantic City from 1922 to 1932.[2] Additionally, he served as the first assistant Attorney General of New Jersey, from 1934 to 1936.[2] Smathers was elected to the New Jersey Senate in 1935. He served one term in the U.S. Senate, losing his bid for reelection in 1942. He returned to his law practice in Atlantic City until his retirement to Waynesville.

He died on September 24, 1955, in Asheville, North Carolina.[3][4]

Legacy

He was the uncle of Florida Senator George Smathers.

References

  1. ^ He was installed late on April 15, 1937, remaining until then a member of the state Senate, but that does not affect when his service in the U.S. Senate begins, as there is no prohibition in concurrent service in both federal and state legislatures.
  2. ^ a b US Congressional Bioguide
  3. ^ "W.H. Smathers, 64, Dies. Former U.S. Senator From N.J.". Chicago Tribune. September 25, 1955. William H. Smathers, 64, of New Jersey died in a hospital here today. He was an uncle of Sen. George Smathers, Florida Democrat. Smathers, a Democrat. ...
  4. ^ "W. H. Smathers, Ex-Senator, Dies. Jersey Democrat From 1937 to 1943. Served State Legislator and Jurist". New York Times. September 25, 1955. Retrieved 2016-01-13.

External links

Party political offices Preceded byPercy H. Stewart Democratic Nominee for the U.S. Senate (Class 2) from New Jersey 1936, 1942 Succeeded byArchibald S. Alexander U.S. Senate Preceded byW. Warren Barbour U.S. senator (Class 2) from New Jersey January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1943 Served alongside: A. Harry Moore, John G. Milton, W. Warren Barbour Succeeded byAlbert W. Hawkes
United States senators from New Jersey
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