W. Chapman Revercomb
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William Chapman Revercomb (July 20, 1895 - October 6, 1979) was a politician and lawyer in the state of West Virginia. He served two separate terms in the United States Senate.
He was born in Covington, Virginia and attended Washington and Lee University before entering the United States Army in World War I where he served as a corporal. Returning from the war, he transferred to the law school at the University of Virginia, graduating in 1919. He practiced law in Covington for few years, before moving to Charleston, West Virginia in 1922.
He was elected to the Senate in 1942. There he championed opposition to the foreign and domestic policies of the administration of Harry S. Truman and was a stalwart supporter of civil rights. He was defeated for re-election in 1948 and for the state's other Senate seat in 1952. In both races, his support of the national Republican party's civil rights policies were major issues.
In 1956 he won a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his opponent in the 1952 election. He won and re-entered the Senate, serving until 1958.
In 1958 he lost to Congressman Robert Byrd in his re-election bid in another racially charged election. He then lost the Republican nomination for governor in 1960 and retired from politics. He practiced law in Charleston until his death in 1979.
Revercomb was the last West Virginia Republican elected to a full term in the Senate, as well as the last West Virginia Republican to serve in the Senate in any capacity.
| Preceded by Hugh Ike Shott |
United States Senator (Class 2) from West Virginia 1943 – 1949 |
Succeeded by Matthew M. Neely |
| Preceded by William R. Laird, III |
United States Senator (Class 1) from West Virginia 1956 – 1959 |
Succeeded by Robert C. Byrd |
| United States Senators from West Virginia |  |
|---|---|
| Class 1: Van Winkle • Boreman • Caperton • Price • Hereford • Camden • Faulkner • Scott • Chilton • Sutherland • Neely • Hatfield • Holt • Kilgore • Laird • Revercomb • Byrd Class 2: Willey • Davis • Kenna • Camden • S Elkins • D Elkins • Watson • N Goff • D Elkins • G Goff • Neely • Rosier • Shott • Revercomb • Neely • Hoblitzell • Randolph • Rockefeller |
