William Willett, Jr.

William Forte Willett, Jr. (November 27, 1869 – February 12, 1938) was a U.S. Representative from New York.

Biography

William Willett was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 27, 1869. He attended the public schools of his native city and graduated from the law department of New York University, New York City, in 1895. He was admitted to the bar the following year and commenced the practice of his profession in New York City.

Willett was elected as a Democrat to the Sixtieth and Sixty-first Congresses (March 4, 1907 - March 3, 1911). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1910.

On January 18, 1909, Congressman Willett denounced President Theodore Roosevelt in a speech that was so outrageous that he was ordered to sit down, and the House voted 126 to 78 against allowing him to continue.^[1] On January 27, the House, by voice vote, expunged the speech from the Congressional Record for "language improper and in violation fo the privileges of debate".^[2]

He engaged in the real estate business. He died in New York City, on February 12, 1938 and was interred in Evergreen Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

References

^ "Roosevelt Scored- Representative Willett Makes Sensational Attack", Washington Post, January 19, 1909, p.1
^ Mark Grossman, Political Corruption in America: An Encyclopedia of Scandals, Power, and Greed (ABC-CLIO, 2003), p.369

William Willett, Jr. at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Charles A. Towne	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 14th congressional district March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1911	Succeeded by John J. Kindred

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

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Name	Willett, William Forte, Jr.
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Date of birth	November 27, 1869
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Date of death	February 12, 1938
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