Furnifold McLendel Simmons

Furnifold McLendel Simmons (January 20, 1854 – April 30, 1940) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1887 to March 4, 1889 and U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina between March 4, 1901 and March 4, 1931. He served as chairman of the powerful Committee on Finance from March 4, 1913 to March 4, 1919. He was an unsuccessful contender for the 1920 Democratic Party nomination for president. Simmons was a staunch segregationist, white supremacist and a leading perpetrator of the Wilmington insurrection of 1898.

Furnifold McLendel Simmons
United States senator from North Carolina
In office March 4, 1901 – March 4, 1931
Preceded by	Marion Butler
Succeeded by	Josiah Bailey
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889
Preceded by	James E. O'Hara
Succeeded by	Henry P. Cheatham
Personal details
Born	(1854-01-20)January 20, 1854 Pollocksville, North Carolina
Died	April 30, 1940(1940-04-30) (aged 86) New Bern, North Carolina
Political party	Democratic

Life and career

Simmons was born in Pollocksville, North Carolina, the son of Mary McLendel (Jerman) and Furnifold Greene Simmons.[1][2] As a leader of the state Democratic Party, Simmons led the 1898–1900 White Supremacy campaigns that effectively disenfranchised black voters for a half-century. From his Senate seat, he then ran a powerful political machine, using A. D. Watts "to keep the machine oiled back home," in the words of one journalist.[3]

Senator Simmons refused to endorse Al Smith, the Democratic nominee for president in 1928, winning him praise from members of the Ku Klux Klan.[4] Still, rejecting the Democratic nominee in 1928, together with the Great Depression, led to Simmons being defeated in the 1930 Democratic primary by Josiah W. Bailey, who was backed by Governor O. Max Gardner.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.

2. https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/simmons-furnifold
3. News & Observer: "What the obituary didn't say" by Rob Christensen Archived July 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
4. Chiles, Robert (2018). The Revolution of '28: Al Smith, American Progressivism, and the Coming of the New Deal. Cornell University Press. p. 115. ISBN 9781501705502.

External links

• United States Congress. "Furnifold McLendel Simmons (id: S000415)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• North Carolina History Project
• North Carolina Election of 1898
• Furnifold McLendel Simmons entry at The Political Graveyard
• Furnifold McLendel Simmons at Find a Grave

Party political offices
First	Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from North Carolina (Class 2) 1918, 1924	Succeeded by Josiah Bailey
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by James E. O'Hara	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 2nd congressional district March 4, 1887 – March 4, 1889	Succeeded by Henry P. Cheatham
U.S. Senate
Preceded by Marion Butler	U.S. senator (Class 1) from North Carolina March 4, 1901 – March 4, 1931 Served alongside: Jeter Connelly Pritchard, Lee Slater Overman, Cameron A. Morrison	Succeeded by Josiah William Bailey
Political offices
Preceded by Boies Penrose Pennsylvania	Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1919	Succeeded by Boies Penrose Pennsylvania
Honorary titles
Preceded by Francis E. Warren	Dean of the United States Senate November 24, 1929 – March 4, 1931	Succeeded by Reed Smoot
Preceded by Obadiah Gardner	Oldest living U.S. Senator July 24, 1938 – April 30, 1940	Succeeded by Fountain L. Thompson
Preceded by Henry Heitfeld	Most Senior Living U.S. Senator (Sitting or Former) October 21, 1938 – April 30, 1940	Succeeded by Reed Smoot