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The Political Graveyard: A Database of American History
Ruritan Politicians

Very incomplete list!

  Watkins Moorman Abbitt (1908-1998) — also known as Watkins M. Abbitt — of Appomattox, Appomattox County, Va. Born in Appomattox, Appomattox County, Va., May 21, 1908. Democrat. Lawyer; Appomattox County Commonwealth Attorney, 1932-48; candidate for Presidential Elector for Virginia; delegate to Virginia limited constitutional convention 11th District, 1945; U.S. Representative from Virginia 4th District, 1948-73; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1964, 1972; Virginia Democratic state chair, 1964-70. Baptist. Member, Ruritan; Lions; Omicron Delta Kappa; Delta Theta Phi; American Forestry Association. Died, of leukemia, at Virginia Baptist Hospital, Lynchburg, Va., July 13, 1998 (age 90 years, 53 days). Interment at Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery, Appomattox, Va.
  Relatives: Son of George Francis Abbitt and Otway C. (Moorman) Abbitt; married, March 20, 1937, to Corinne Hancock; father of Watkins Moorman Abbitt Jr..
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Find-A-Grave memorial
  John Bradie Allman (1895-1958) — also known as J. Bradie Allman — of Rocky Mount, Franklin County, Va. Born in Union Hall, Franklin County, Va., November 17, 1895. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; director, People's National Bank; president, Tobacco Board of Trade; lawyer; member of Virginia state house of delegates, 1926-31, 1948-55, 1958; died in office 1958; mayor of Rocky Mount, Va.; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1948. Methodist. Member, American Bar Association; Farm Bureau; Freemasons; Lions; Ruritan; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars. Died July 7, 1958 (age 62 years, 232 days). Interment at High Street Cemetery, Rocky Mount, Va.
  Relatives: Married to Sarah Beckham.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Edward Almer Ames Jr. (1903-1987) — also known as E. Almer Ames, Jr. — of Accomac, Accomack County, Va. Born in Onley, Accomack County, Va., January 22, 1903. Democrat. Lawyer; Accomack County Commonwealth Attorney, 1943-55; vice-president, First National Bank, Onancock, Va.; chair of Accomack County Democratic Party, 1948-67; alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1952; member of Virginia state senate 1st District, 1956-67; member of Virginia Democratic State Central Committee, 1956. Presbyterian. Member, Freemasons; Rotary; Ruritan; Order of the Coif; American Bar Association; Phi Beta Kappa; Phi Delta Phi. Died in May, 1987 (age 84 years, 0 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Edward Almer Ames and Lena E. (Trower) Ames; married, January 8, 1936, to Elizabeth Johnson Melson.
  Howard Palmer Anderson (1915-2000) — also known as Howard P. Anderson — Born in Crystal Hill, Halifax County, Va., May 25, 1915. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; FBI special agent; lawyer; member of Virginia state house of delegates, 1958-71; member of Virginia state senate 18th District, 1972-91. Member, Ruritan; Freemasons; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Farm Bureau. Died in South Boston, Halifax County, Va., November 1, 2000 (age 85 years, 160 days). Interment at Crystal Hill Cemetery, Crystal Hill, Va.
  Relatives: Son of Howard Putnam Anderson and Mary Elizabeth (Palmer) Anderson; married, February 28, 1941, to Mildred Graham Webb.
  The Howard P. Anderson Bridge (built 1989, named 1992), which takes US Route 501 over the Staunton River, between Brookneal and Halifax County, Virginia, is named for him.
  See also Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Frank Bryant Beazley (1897-1973) — also known as Frank B. Beazley — of Bowling Green, Caroline County, Va. Born in Sparta, Caroline County, Va., September 3, 1897. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; lawyer; member of Virginia state house of delegates, 1944-51. Baptist. Member, Freemasons; Scottish Rite Masons; Shriners; Elks; Ruritan; Theta Chi; Delta Theta Phi. Died December 17, 1973 (age 76 years, 105 days). Burial location unknown.
  Joseph Washington Bland (1912-1991) — also known as J. W. Bland — of Alberta, Brunswick County, Va. Born in Crewe, Nottoway County, Va., October 8, 1912. Democrat. Member of Virginia state house of delegates, 1948-53. Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Ruritan. Died March 16, 1991 (age 78 years, 159 days). Interment at Bethel Methodist Church Cemetery, Alberta, Va.
  Epitaph: "Educator, Legislator."
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  John B. Boatwright (1881-1965) — of Buckingham, Buckingham County, Va. Born in Marion, Smyth County, Va., November 27, 1881. Democrat. Lawyer; member of Virginia state house of delegates, 1922-23, 1936-59 (Buckingham & Cumberland counties 1922-23, Appomattox & Buckingham counties 1936-43, Buckingham, Appomattox & Cumberland counties 1944-59). Baptist. Member, Modern Woodmen of America; Ruritan. Died March 28, 1965 (age 83 years, 121 days). Burial location unknown.
  Richard H. Bowman (1903-1993) — also known as Dick Bowman — of Rainelle, Greenbrier County, W.Va. Born in Roanoke, Va., July 14, 1903. Democrat. Member of West Virginia state house of delegates, 1955-60, 1963-64, 1967-72 (Greenbrier County 1955-60, 1963-64, 4th District 1967-72). Baptist. Member, Freemasons; Shriners; Rotary; Elks; Moose; Lions; Farm Bureau; Ruritan. Died March 17, 1993 (age 89 years, 246 days). Burial location unknown.
  Edward McPhail Bridgforth (1906-1951) — also known as E. M. Bridgforth — of Kenbridge, Lunenburg County, Va. Born in Kenbridge, Lunenburg County, Va., June 16, 1906. Democrat. Farmer; oil company agent; member of Virginia state house of delegates, 1950-51; died in office 1951. Methodist. Member, Kappa Alpha Society; Ruritan. Died December 16, 1951 (age 45 years, 183 days). Burial location unknown.
  Goodloe Edgar Byron (1929-1978) — also known as Goodloe E. Byron — of Frederick, Frederick County, Md. Born in Williamsport, Washington County, Md., June 22, 1929. Democrat. Lawyer; Frederick County Attorney, 1959-62; member of Maryland state house of delegates, 1963-66; member of Maryland state senate District 2, 1967-70; U.S. Representative from Maryland 6th District, 1971-78; defeated, 1968; died in office 1978. Episcopalian. Member, Freemasons; Shriners; Elks; Eagles; Redmen; Optimist Club; Ruritan; Kappa Alpha Order. Died near Williamsport, Washington County, Md., October 11, 1978 (age 49 years, 111 days). Interment at Antietam National Cemetery, Sharpsburg, Md.
  Relatives: Son of William Devereux Byron and Katharine Edgar Byron; married, December 20, 1952, to Beverly Barton Butcher; great-grandson of Louis Emory McComas.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  J. R. Campbell (b. 1921) — also known as Dick Campbell — of Rupert, Greenbrier County, W.Va. Born in Dawson, Greenbrier County, W.Va., August 10, 1921. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Greenbrier County, 1959-60. Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Moose; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Ruritan. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.
  Wrendo Marion Godwin (1896-1976) — also known as Wrendo M. Godwin — of Parksley, Accomack County, Va. Born in Poulson, Accomack County, Va., September 22, 1896. Democrat. Lawyer; alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1948; member of Virginia Democratic State Central Committee, 1948; member of Virginia state house of delegates from Accomack County, 1948-55. Baptist. Member, Lions; Freemasons; Shriners; Ruritan. Died in 1976 (age about 79 years). Burial location unknown.
  John William Green (b. 1925) — of Turbeville, Clarendon County, S.C. Born in Turbeville, Clarendon County, S.C., October 22, 1925. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; merchant; member of South Carolina state senate from Clarendon County, 1958-62. Methodist. Member, Ruritan; Freemasons; Shriners. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.
  Raymond R. Guest (1939-2001) — also known as Andy Guest — of Front Royal, Warren County, Va. Born in Manhattan, New York County, N.Y., September 29, 1939. Republican. Farmer; banker; member of Virginia state house of delegates, 1973-99. Episcopalian. Member, Elks; Rotary; Izaak Walton League; Ruritan. Died, of cancer, in Front Royal, Warren County, Va., April 2, 2001 (age 61 years, 185 days). Interment at Old Chapel Cemetery, Millwood, Va.
  Relatives: Son of Raymond Richard Guest and Elizabeth Polk Guest; nephew of Winston Frederick Churchill Guest; grandson of Frank Lyon Polk; fifth great-grandson of Philemon Hawkins; first cousin four times removed of William Dallas Polk Haywood; second cousin twice removed of Rufus King Polk; second cousin four times removed of James Knox Polk and William Hawkins Polk; third cousin twice removed of Paul Fletcher Faison; third cousin thrice removed of Marshall Tate Polk, Tasker Polk, Richard Tyler Polk and Edwin Fitzhugh Polk.
  Political families: Polk family; Manly-Haywood-Polk family of Raleigh, North Carolina (subsets of the Four Thousand Related Politicians).
  Raymond R. 'Andy' Guest Jr. Shenandoah River State Park, in Warren County, Virginia, is named for him.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Burr Powell Harrison (1904-1973) — also known as Burr P. Harrison — of Winchester, Va. Born in Winchester, Va., July 2, 1904. Democrat. Lawyer; Frederick County Commonwealth Attorney, 1932-40; member of Virginia state senate 25th District, 1940-43; circuit judge in Virginia 17th Circuit, 1942-46; U.S. Representative from Virginia 7th District, 1946-63. Episcopalian. Member, Elks; Odd Fellows; Moose; Kiwanis; Ruritan. Died in Winchester, Va., December 29, 1973 (age 69 years, 180 days). Interment at Mt. Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Va.
  Relatives: Son of Thomas Walter Harrison and Nellie (Cover) Harrison; married, January 5, 1942, to Dorothy W. Green.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Find-A-Grave memorial
  William T. Milleson (b. 1907) — of Springfield, Hampshire County, W.Va. Born in Springfield, Hampshire County, W.Va., September 16, 1907. Democrat. Farmer; aviator; director, First National Bank of Romney; member of West Virginia state house of delegates, 1937-42, 1975-80 (Hampshire County 1937-42, 34th District 1975-80). Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Grange; Theta Chi; Alpha Zeta; Ruritan; Lions; Farm Bureau. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Silas Milleson and Susie French (Taylor) Milleson; married, December 26, 1940, to Avery Heiskel Pancake.
  William J. Oates Jr. (1936-1980) — of Romney, Hampshire County, W.Va. Born in Mineral County, W.Va., February 8, 1936. Democrat. School teacher; lawyer; member of West Virginia state senate 16th District, 1973-80; died in office 1980; delegate to Democratic National Convention from West Virginia, 1976. Episcopalian. Member, Freemasons; Shriners; Farm Bureau; Ruritan; Rotary; Moose. Died September 23, 1980 (age 44 years, 228 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of William J. Oates and Irene (Welch) Oates; married, December 23, 1961, to Nancy Hockensmith.
  Otey Roy Parker (1902-1991) — also known as O. Roy Parker — of Union, Monroe County, W.Va. Born in Wayside, Monroe County, W.Va., March 15, 1902. Democrat. School principal; farmer; member of West Virginia state senate 10th District, 1955-66. Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Odd Fellows; Rotary; Ruritan. Died March 1, 1991 (age 88 years, 351 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of O. B. Parker and Martha (Nelson) Parker; married, June 4, 1932, to Margaret Julia Oxley; father of Frederick L. Parker.
John I. Rogers John I. Rogers (1910-1994) — of Keyser, Mineral County, W.Va. Born in Keyser, Mineral County, W.Va., July 10, 1910. Republican. Transfer business; funeral director; farmer; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Mineral County, 1939-48, 1951-54; defeated, 1934; member of West Virginia state senate 16th District, 1969-72; defeated, 1966, 1972. United Brethren; later Presbyterian. Member, Rotary; Lions; Odd Fellows; Ruritan. Died January 13, 1994 (age 83 years, 187 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Albin I. Rogers and Dessie Grace (Alt) Rogers; married, October 21, 1931, to Hazel V. Shumaker.
  Image source: West Virginia Blue Book 1951
William M. Tuck William Munford Tuck (1896-1983) — also known as William M. Tuck — of South Boston, Halifax County, Va. Born near High Hill, Halifax County, Va., September 28, 1896. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War I; member of Virginia state house of delegates, 1924-32; member of Virginia state senate 10th District, 1932-41; candidate for Presidential Elector for Virginia; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1940 (alternate), 1948, 1952; Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, 1942-46; Governor of Virginia, 1946-50; U.S. Representative from Virginia 5th District, 1953-69. Member, American Bar Association; Sons of the American Revolution; Sons of Confederate Veterans; Omicron Delta Kappa; Sigma Phi Epsilon; Phi Delta Phi; American Legion; Forty and Eight; Freemasons; Elks; Eagles; Woodmen; Moose; Redmen; Lions; Ruritan. Died in South Boston, Halifax County, Va., June 9, 1983 (age 86 years, 254 days). Interment at Oak Ridge Cemetery, South Boston, Va.
  Relatives: Son of Virginia Susan (Fitts) Tuck and Robert James Tuck; married 1929 to Eva Ellis Lovelace.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — National Governors Association biography — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: Who's Who in United States Politics (1950)
  Dallas Wolfe (b. 1895) — of Grafton, Taylor County, W.Va.; Rowlesburg, Preston County, W.Va. Born in Colebank, Preston County, W.Va., September 1, 1895. Republican. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War I; school teacher; farmer; millwright; lumber business; service station operator; restaurant owner; motel owner; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Taylor County, 1935-36; member of West Virginia state senate 15th District, 1961-72. Baptist. Member, Freemasons; Knights Templar; Shriners; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Lions; Ruritan. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Oliver Wolfe and Beuna (Lindsey) Wolfe; married, October 2, 1928, to Virginia Jones; married, June 28, 1971, to Gladys McDaniel.
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