Bertrand W. Gearhart
Encyclopedia
Bertrand Wesley "Bud" Gearhart (May 31, 1890 - October 11, 1955) was an American
lawyer
and politician
. Gearhart, a Republican
, served as the United States Representative
for California's 9th congressional district
from 1935 to 1949.
on May 31, 1890. After attending public school in Fresno, he went on to Boone's University School in Berkeley, California
and graduated from there in 1910. He then went to University of Southern California Law School
to obtain his Bachelor of Laws
degree, which he completed in 1914. While he was there, Gearhart was a member of Phi Delta Phi
and Zeta Psi
fraternities. Gearhart was admitted to the California state bar the previous year, and had commenced his law practice
in Fresno. During World War I
, he served overseas as a second lieutenant in the 609th Aero Squadron from 1917 to 1919. Gearhart was among one of the founders for the American Legion
, an organization of war veterans, in 1919. After the war, he first served as the assistant district attorney, and later the district attorney
of Fresno County
until 1923. In 1932, he served as a member of the board of directors of the California Veterans' Home.
seat in California's 9th congressional district
for the 74th United States Congress
. Democratic
incumbent Denver S. Church
was not a candidate for renomination in 1934, and so Gearhart ran unopposed in the election. He captured all 77,650 votes cast in the election. Gearhart ran unopposed and captured nearly 100% of the vote in 1936, 1938, 1940, 1942 and 1944. In Congress, he was known as being a staunch Republican conservative
, and as Harry S. Truman
said, Gearhart was "one of the worst obstructionists in Congress". Gearhart was one of the few strong supporters of the Merchant Seamen's Bill Of Rights. He faced his first Democratic challenger in the 1946 United States House elections when he was put up against Democrat Hubert Phillips. Gearhart defeated Phillips in the election, capturing 53.7% of the votes cast, in comparison to Phillips' 46.3%.
In a personal jab at Gearhart, President
Truman said:
Months later, Gearhart was beaten in the 1948 House elections by a political newcomer, 47-year-old Democratic cotton rancher Cecil F. White
, with the seven-term representative obtaining only 46.9% of the vote while White received 51.3%. After losing the election, Gearhart went back to Fresno to resume his law practice. He continued until the time of his death on October 11, 1955 in a San Francisco
hospital. He was then interred in Mountain View Cemetery in Fresno.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politician
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
. Gearhart, a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, served as the United States Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for California's 9th congressional district
California's 9th congressional district
California's 9th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers a significant portion of the East Bay portion of the San Francisco Bay Area...
from 1935 to 1949.
Background
Gearhart was born the son of John Wesley Gearhart and Mary Elizabeth Johnson Gearhart in Fresno, CaliforniaFresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
on May 31, 1890. After attending public school in Fresno, he went on to Boone's University School in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
and graduated from there in 1910. He then went to University of Southern California Law School
University of Southern California Law School
The University of Southern California Law School , located in Los Angeles, California, is a law school within the University of Southern California...
to obtain his Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree, which he completed in 1914. While he was there, Gearhart was a member of Phi Delta Phi
Phi Delta Phi
Phi Delta Phi, ΦΔΦ, is the world's second largest legal fraternity. Phi Delta Phi is the second oldest legal organization in continuous existence in the United States and third oldest in North America...
and Zeta Psi
Zeta Psi
The Zeta Psi Fraternity of North America was founded June 1, 1847 as a social college fraternity. The organization now comprises about fifty active chapters and twenty-five inactive chapters, encompassing roughly fifty thousand brothers, and is a founding member of the North-American...
fraternities. Gearhart was admitted to the California state bar the previous year, and had commenced his law practice
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
in Fresno. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he served overseas as a second lieutenant in the 609th Aero Squadron from 1917 to 1919. Gearhart was among one of the founders for the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, an organization of war veterans, in 1919. After the war, he first served as the assistant district attorney, and later the district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
of Fresno County
Fresno County, California
Fresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
until 1923. In 1932, he served as a member of the board of directors of the California Veterans' Home.
Politics
A year later, Gearhart ran for the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
seat in California's 9th congressional district
California's 9th congressional district
California's 9th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers a significant portion of the East Bay portion of the San Francisco Bay Area...
for the 74th United States Congress
74th United States Congress
-House:Also 2 Delegates, 3 Resident Commissioners-Senate:*President of the Senate: John N. Garner *President pro tempore: Key Pittman -Majority leadership:*Majority leader: Joseph T. Robinson...
. Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
incumbent Denver S. Church
Denver S. Church
Denver Samuel Church was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Folsom City, California, Church attended the common schools.He was graduated from Healdsburg College in 1885.He studied law....
was not a candidate for renomination in 1934, and so Gearhart ran unopposed in the election. He captured all 77,650 votes cast in the election. Gearhart ran unopposed and captured nearly 100% of the vote in 1936, 1938, 1940, 1942 and 1944. In Congress, he was known as being a staunch Republican conservative
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
, and as Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
said, Gearhart was "one of the worst obstructionists in Congress". Gearhart was one of the few strong supporters of the Merchant Seamen's Bill Of Rights. He faced his first Democratic challenger in the 1946 United States House elections when he was put up against Democrat Hubert Phillips. Gearhart defeated Phillips in the election, capturing 53.7% of the votes cast, in comparison to Phillips' 46.3%.
In a personal jab at Gearhart, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Truman said:
Months later, Gearhart was beaten in the 1948 House elections by a political newcomer, 47-year-old Democratic cotton rancher Cecil F. White
Cecil F. White
Cecil Fielding White was an American farmer and politician. The Democrat White served as the United States Representative for California's 9th congressional district for one term, from 1949 to 1951. White was a cotton broker and owned his own ranch before getting into politics at the age of 47,...
, with the seven-term representative obtaining only 46.9% of the vote while White received 51.3%. After losing the election, Gearhart went back to Fresno to resume his law practice. He continued until the time of his death on October 11, 1955 in a San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
hospital. He was then interred in Mountain View Cemetery in Fresno.