William J. Driver

William Joshua Driver (March 2, 1873 – October 1, 1948) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Arkansas.

This article is about the U.S. Representative from Arkansas. For the American administrator, see William J. Driver (administrator). For the U.S. ship captain who coined the phrase "Old Glory" for the U.S. flag, see William Driver.
William Joshua Driver
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arkansas's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1921 – January 3, 1939
Preceded byThaddeus H. Caraway
Succeeded byEzekiel C. Gathings
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
from the Mississippi district
In office
January 11, 1897[1] – January 9, 1899[2]
Preceded byHenry C. Dunavant[3]
Succeeded byThomas A. Matthews[4]
In office
1899[Note 1] – January 14, 1901[6]
Preceded byThomas A. Matthews[7]
Succeeded byJames K.P. Hale[8]
Personal details
BornMarch 2, 1873 (1873-03-02)
Osceola, Arkansas
DiedOctober 1, 1948 (1948-11) (aged 75)
Osceola, Arkansas
Citizenship United States
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Clara Haynes Driver
ProfessionAttorney, politician, judge, banker

Biography

Born near Osceola, Arkansas, Driver was the son of John B. and Margaret Ann Bowen Driver and attended the public schools. He studied law at eighteen years of age, in the office of Judge G. W. Thomason; was admitted to the bar in 1894, and commenced practice in Osceola, Arkansas. He married Clara Haynes on June 2, 1897 and they had one child.[9]

Career

Driver won election to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1896. He served in the 31st Arkansas General Assembly, which was contained only Democratic members (a common occurrence during the Solid South period). Thomas A. Matthews won the seat the following cycle, but resigned. The governor appointed Driver to fill the vacancy for the 32nd Arkansas General Assembly.

He was judge of the second judicial circuit of Arkansas from 1911 to 1918, and a member of the State constitutional convention in 1918. He served as delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1932.[10]

Driver was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-seventh and to the eight succeeding Congresses serving from March 4, 1921 to January 3, 1939.[11] An unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1938, he resumed the practice of law and also engaged in the banking business in Osceola, Arkansas, until his death.

Death

Driver died in Osceola, Mississippi County, Arkansas, on October 1, 1948 (age 75 years, 213 days). He is interred at Violet Cemetery, Osceola, Arkansas.[12]

Notes
  1. Appointed when Matthews resigned.[5]

References
  1. "SOS" (1998), pp. 257-258.
  2. "SOS" (1998), pp. 258-259.
  3. "SOS" (1998), p. 255-256.
  4. "SOS" (1998), pp. 258-259.
  5. "SOS" (1998), p. 259.
  6. "SOS" (1998), p. 270.
  7. "SOS" (1998), p. 255-256.
  8. "SOS" (1998), p. 260-261.
  9. "William J. Driver". The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  10. "William J. Driver". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  11. "William J. Driver". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  12. "William J. Driver". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  • Priest, Sharon (1998). Runnells, Jonathan (ed.). Historical Report of the Arkansas Secretary of State. Office of the Arkansas Secretary of State. OCLC 40157815.


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

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Thaddeus H. Caraway		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arkansas's 1st congressional district
1921–1939		 Succeeded by
Ezekiel C. Gathings
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