William D. McFarlane
Encyclopedia
William Doddridge McFarlane (July 17, 1894 - February 18, 1980) was a United States Representative
from Texas
.
Born in Greenwood, Arkansas
, McFarlane attended public schools and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 1909-1914. He engaged in the mercantile business in Greenwood, Arkansas
from 1914 to 1918. During the First World War he was commissioned a second lieutenant in August 1918, and served until honorably discharged on December 13, 1918. He returned to the University of Arkansas
in 1919 and received his B.A. that year from Kent Law School, Chicago, Illinois and his LL.B. in 1921; later, in his seventies, he completed his J.D. there in 1969. He was admitted to the bar
in 1921 and commenced practice in Graham, Texas
.
He served as member of the State house of representatives from 1923 to 1927, and then in the State senate from 1927 to 1931.
McFarlane was elected as a Democratic
Representative for Texas's 13th congressional district to the Seventy-third
and to the two succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1933-January 3, 1939). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1938 to the Seventy-sixth
Congress.
He resumed the practice of law. He served as special assistant to the attorney general at Texarkana, Texas
from 1941 to 1944. He served as director of the Surplus Property Smaller War Plants Corporation, Washington, D.C.
, from December 1944 to January 1946. He served as special assistant to the Attorney General in Washington, D.C.
, January 1946 to July 1, 1951.
He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1951 to fill the vacancy in the Eighty-second
Congress. He subsequently served in the Lands Division of the Justice Department from December 1, 1951, until his retirement on August 1, 1966, when he again resumed the practice of law.
He was the father of five children: Mary, Betty, Bill, Barbara and Robert. Son Robert McFarlane
was the National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan
from 1983 until late 1985. William McFarlane and his wife Inez resided in Graham, Texas
, where he died February 18, 1980. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.
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...
from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Born in Greenwood, Arkansas
Greenwood, Arkansas
Greenwood is a city in and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States, perhaps best known locally for its Arkansas high school football...
, McFarlane attended public schools and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 1909-1914. He engaged in the mercantile business in Greenwood, Arkansas
Greenwood, Arkansas
Greenwood is a city in and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States, perhaps best known locally for its Arkansas high school football...
from 1914 to 1918. During the First World War he was commissioned a second lieutenant in August 1918, and served until honorably discharged on December 13, 1918. He returned to the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
in 1919 and received his B.A. that year from Kent Law School, Chicago, Illinois and his LL.B. in 1921; later, in his seventies, he completed his J.D. there in 1969. He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1921 and commenced practice in Graham, Texas
Graham, Texas
Graham is a city in north central Texas. It is the county seat of Young County, and as of the 2010 Census had a population of 8,903.-History:...
.
He served as member of the State house of representatives from 1923 to 1927, and then in the State senate from 1927 to 1931.
McFarlane was elected as a 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...
Representative for Texas's 13th congressional district to the Seventy-third
73rd United States Congress
The Seventy-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1935, during the first two years...
and to the two succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1933-January 3, 1939). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1938 to the Seventy-sixth
76th United States Congress
The Seventy-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1939 to January 3, 1941, during the seventh and...
Congress.
He resumed the practice of law. He served as special assistant to the attorney general at Texarkana, Texas
Texarkana, Texas
Texarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue...
from 1941 to 1944. He served as director of the Surplus Property Smaller War Plants Corporation, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, from December 1944 to January 1946. He served as special assistant to the Attorney General in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, January 1946 to July 1, 1951.
He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1951 to fill the vacancy in the Eighty-second
82nd United States Congress
The Eighty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1951 to January 3, 1953, during the last two years...
Congress. He subsequently served in the Lands Division of the Justice Department from December 1, 1951, until his retirement on August 1, 1966, when he again resumed the practice of law.
He was the father of five children: Mary, Betty, Bill, Barbara and Robert. Son Robert McFarlane
Robert McFarlane
Robert Carl "Bud" McFarlane was a National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan, serving from 1983 through 1985.After a career in the Marines, he became part of the Reagan administration, and was a leading architect of the Strategic Defense Initiative for defending the United States...
was the National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
from 1983 until late 1985. William McFarlane and his wife Inez resided in Graham, Texas
Graham, Texas
Graham is a city in north central Texas. It is the county seat of Young County, and as of the 2010 Census had a population of 8,903.-History:...
, where he died February 18, 1980. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.