Cecil F. White

Cecil F. White
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 9th district
In office
January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1951
Preceded by Bertrand W. Gearhart
Succeeded by Allan O. Hunter
Personal details
Born (1900-12-12)December 12, 1900
Temple, Texas
Died March 29, 1992(1992-03-29) (aged 91)
San Francisco, California
Political party Democratic

Cecil Fielding White (December 12, 1900 – March 29, 1992) 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.[1] 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.[2]

Background

White was born in Temple, Texas 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.[3] 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.[3] 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.[3] After going back to California, he became the owner and operator of his own ranch, under his name in Devils Den, California.[3]

Politics

As a 47-year-old cotton rancher, White ran for the United States House of Representatives 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.[4] 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.[5] White again ran for a seat in the House of Representatives in 1966, this time as a Republican for California's 16th congressional district.[6] The Democratic incumbent Bernice F. Sisk defeated White in a lopsided 71.3%–28.6% election.[6]

White remained a resident of San Francisco, California until his death on March 29, 1992.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Lawrence Kestenbaum. "Cecil Fielding White Information". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
  2. ↑ "Face of the Victor". Time Magazine. November 15, 1948. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Cecil Fielding White Profile". United States Congress. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
  4. ↑ John L. Moore, ed. (1994). Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly. p. 1543. ISBN 0-87187-996-4. pg. 1209
  5. ↑ Moore (1994), pg. 1214
  6. 1 2 Moore (1994), pg. 1254

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Bertrand W. Gearhart		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 9th congressional district
1949–1951 		Succeeded by
Allan O. Hunter
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