Cecil F. White
Encyclopedia
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, and defeating seven-term incumbent Republican Bertrand W. Gearhart
.
on December 12, 1900. His family moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas
, and White grew up and went through the city's public schooling system there. At the age of sixteen, he joined the United States Army
and served on the border with Mexico
. During World War I
, White went off to fight in France
as a sergeant in the 39th Division of the 142nd Field Artillery] from 1916 to 1919. After the war, White worked in the Los Angeles office of a cotton broker and later worked with cotton mills in Arkansas
, California
and Tennessee
. After going back to California, he became the owner and operator of his own ranch, under his name in Devils Den, California.
seat in California's 9th congressional district
. He faced seven-term Republican incumbent Bertrand W. Gearhart
in the election. Gearhart had previously only faced one Democratic challenger in his six previous re-election bids. White defeated Gearhart after capturing a 51.3% majority with a margin of victory of more than 6,000 votes. After his first term as a member of the House, he was challenged by Republican Allan O. Hunter
, a man who ironically also had no prior political experience. Hunter, who would only serve two terms in Congress, but would later become the president and chairman of the Federal National Mortgage Association
, defeated the Democrat, White, by capturing 52.0% of the votes in the election, in comparison to 48% for White. White again ran for a seat in the House of Representatives in 1966, this time as a Republican
for California's 16th congressional district
. The Democratic incumbent Bernice F. Sisk defeated White in a lopsided 71.3%–28.6% election.
White remained a resident of San Francisco, California
until his death on March 29, 1992.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
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...
. The Democrat
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...
White 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...
for one term, from 1949 to 1951. White was a cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
broker and owned his own ranch before getting into politics at the age of 47, and defeating seven-term incumbent Republican Bertrand W. Gearhart
Bertrand W. Gearhart
Bertrand Wesley "Bud" Gearhart 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.-Background:...
.
Background
White was born in Temple, TexasTemple, Texas
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
on December 12, 1900. His family moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
, and White grew up and went through the city's public schooling system there. At the age of sixteen, he joined the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and served on the border with Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. 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...
, White went off to fight in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as a sergeant in the 39th Division of the 142nd Field Artillery] from 1916 to 1919. After the war, White worked in the Los Angeles office of a cotton broker and later worked with cotton mills in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. After going back to California, he became the owner and operator of his own ranch, under his name in Devils Den, California.
Politics
As a 47-year-old cotton rancher, White 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...
. He faced seven-term Republican incumbent Bertrand W. Gearhart
Bertrand W. Gearhart
Bertrand Wesley "Bud" Gearhart 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.-Background:...
in the election. Gearhart had previously only faced one Democratic challenger in his six previous re-election bids. White defeated Gearhart after capturing a 51.3% majority with a margin of victory of more than 6,000 votes. After his first term as a member of the House, he was challenged by Republican Allan O. Hunter
Allan O. Hunter
Allan Oakley Hunter was an American lawyer and politician. Hunter, a Republican, served as the United States Representative for California's 9th congressional district from 1951 to 1953 and for California's 12th congressional district from 1953 to 1955...
, a man who ironically also had no prior political experience. Hunter, who would only serve two terms in Congress, but would later become the president and chairman of the Federal National Mortgage Association
Federal National Mortgage Association
The Federal National Mortgage Association , commonly known as Fannie Mae, was founded in 1938 during the Great Depression as part of the New Deal. It is a government-sponsored enterprise , though it has been a publicly traded company since 1968...
, defeated the Democrat, White, by capturing 52.0% of the votes in the election, in comparison to 48% for White. White again ran for a seat in the House of Representatives in 1966, this time as 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...
for California's 16th congressional district
California's 16th congressional district
California's 16th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers part of Santa Clara County and includes much of central San Jose.The district is currently represented by Democrat Zoe Lofgren....
. The Democratic incumbent Bernice F. Sisk defeated White in a lopsided 71.3%–28.6% election.
White remained a resident of San Francisco, California
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...
until his death on March 29, 1992.
External links
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States CongressBiographical Directory of the United States CongressThe Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress as well as its predecessor, the Continental Congress...
- The Political Graveyard profile for Cecil F. White