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'''William Brockman Bankhead''' (born [[April 12]], [[1874]] in Moscow, Lamar County, died [[September 15]], [[1940]] in Washington, D. C.) was a U. S. Representative and the Speaker of the House. William followed his [[John H. Bankhead|father's]] footsteps and went into politics following a brief career as a lawyer. As a young man he was known as a brilliant public speaker and for his fun-loving personality. He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity, Inc., at the [[University of Alabama]].  He served in the U. S. House of Representatives from [[March 4]], [[1917]] until his death and as Speaker of the House from [[1936]] until his death. If Bankhead were Speaker today, he would be third in the line of Presidential succession and would be one of the highest ranking government officials from Alabama according to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. However, no such law existed until seven years after his death.  Bankhead was the only person ever elected to Alabama's 10th congressional district. The district was eliminated after apportionment based on the 1910 census. [[John Abercrombie]] had been elected at large but Bankhead was directly elected to the office. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
[[Image:William Bankhead 1937.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Portrait of William Bankhead from the cover of ''TIME'' magazine. November 29, 1937]]
'''William Brockman Bankhead''' (born [[April 12]], [[1874]] in Moscow, Lamar County; died [[September 15]], [[1940]] in Bethesda, Maryland) was a U.S. Representative and the 47th Speaker of the House.


==A Notable Family==
William was the son of his [[John H. Bankhead]] and the former [[Tallulah Brockman Bankhead|Tallulah Brockman]], and the brother of [[John H. Bankhead II]]. As a young man he was known as a brilliant public speaker and for his fun-loving personality, and considered becoming a stage actor.
In his early days, he thought about becoming an actor, a career taken up by his daughter, [[Tallulah Bankhead]], who gained quite a bit of notoriety as an actress and ''bonne vivante''. Senator [[John H. Bankhead]] was his father, and [[John H. Bankhead, II]] was his brother. His mother was Tallulah James Brockman, of the South Carolina Brockman family and the namesake of his daughter. His grandfather was Thomas Patterson Brockman, a South Carolina Senator. The William B. Bankhead National Forest is named in his honor.
 
At the [[University of Alabama]] he played on the [[1892 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|first football team]] and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity before graduating in [[1893]]. He went on to earn a law degree at Georgetown University in [[1895]], after which he was admitted to practice in [[Alabama]] and opened a law office in [[Huntsville]].
 
In [[1898]] Bankhead began serving as City Attorney for Huntsville. He was elected to the [[Alabama House of Representatives]] in [[1900]]. He moved to [[Jasper]] in [[1905]] and was appointed solicitor of the 14th Judicial Circuit of Alabama in [[1910]]. He resigned in [[1914]] to seek the Democratic nomination for U.S. Representative from the [[7th Congressional District of Alabama]], but lost to incumbent [[John Burnett]].
 
When a new [[10th Congressional District of Alabama]] was created in [[1916]], Bankhead was elected its first and only Representative, taking office on [[March 4]], [[1917]]. The 10th District was abolished by reapportionment in [[1932]], and Bankhead was elected to the 7th District seat, succeeding [[Miles Allgood]], in [[1933]]. In [[1934]] Bankhead was chosen House Majority Leader. On [[June 4]], [[1936]] he was elected to succeed Jo Byrns of Tennessee, who had died that morning, as Speaker of the House. He died in office himself on [[September 15]], [[1940]] and was succeeded by Sam Rayburn of Texas.
 
Bankhead was survived by his second wife, Florence, and his daughter, actress [[Tallulah Bankhead]]. His funeral at [[First Methodist Church of Jasper]] was [[List of presidential visits|attended]] by President Franklin Roosevelt, his cabinet, 63 members of the House, 30 senators, and tens of thousands of other mourners. He was buried at [[Oak Hill Cemetery (Jasper)|Oak Hill Cemetery]] just north of Jasper.
 
The [[William B. Bankhead National Forest]] is named in his honor. His [[William Bankhead residence|residence]], built in [[1924]] in Jasper's [[North Highlands Jasper|North Highlands]] neighborhood, is now owned by the [[Walker Area Community Foundation]] and opened to the public in [[2010]] as the [[Bankhead House and Heritage Center]].


==References==
==References==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_B._Bankhead&oldid=184835034 William B. Bankhead]. (2008, January 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:52, February 26, 2008.
* "[http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~alwalker/ThneBankheadFamily.htm William B. Bankhead]" obituary (September 19, 1940) ''The Mountain Eagle'' - via rootsweb.ancestry.com
* Heacock, Walter J. (1952) "William Brockman Bankhead: A Biography." PhD dissertation. University of Wisconsin
* Heacock, Walter J. (August 1955) "William B. Bankhead and the New Deal." ''Journal of Southern History''. No. 21, pp. 347-59
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_B._Bankhead William B. Bankhead] (September 13, 2010) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia - accessed September 13, 2010
* {{Frederickson-2021}}


==External links==
==External links==
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[[Category:1940 deaths]]
[[Category:1940 deaths]]
[[Category:Alabama School of Law alumni]]
[[Category:Alabama School of Law alumni]]
[[Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football players]]
[[Category:Attorneys]]
[[Category:U.S. Representatives]]
[[Category:U.S. Representatives]]
[[Category:Oak Hill (Jasper) burials]]

Revision as of 16:59, 16 February 2022

Portrait of William Bankhead from the cover of TIME magazine. November 29, 1937

William Brockman Bankhead (born April 12, 1874 in Moscow, Lamar County; died September 15, 1940 in Bethesda, Maryland) was a U.S. Representative and the 47th Speaker of the House.

William was the son of his John H. Bankhead and the former Tallulah Brockman, and the brother of John H. Bankhead II. As a young man he was known as a brilliant public speaker and for his fun-loving personality, and considered becoming a stage actor.

At the University of Alabama he played on the first football team and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity before graduating in 1893. He went on to earn a law degree at Georgetown University in 1895, after which he was admitted to practice in Alabama and opened a law office in Huntsville.

In 1898 Bankhead began serving as City Attorney for Huntsville. He was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1900. He moved to Jasper in 1905 and was appointed solicitor of the 14th Judicial Circuit of Alabama in 1910. He resigned in 1914 to seek the Democratic nomination for U.S. Representative from the 7th Congressional District of Alabama, but lost to incumbent John Burnett.

When a new 10th Congressional District of Alabama was created in 1916, Bankhead was elected its first and only Representative, taking office on March 4, 1917. The 10th District was abolished by reapportionment in 1932, and Bankhead was elected to the 7th District seat, succeeding Miles Allgood, in 1933. In 1934 Bankhead was chosen House Majority Leader. On June 4, 1936 he was elected to succeed Jo Byrns of Tennessee, who had died that morning, as Speaker of the House. He died in office himself on September 15, 1940 and was succeeded by Sam Rayburn of Texas.

Bankhead was survived by his second wife, Florence, and his daughter, actress Tallulah Bankhead. His funeral at First Methodist Church of Jasper was attended by President Franklin Roosevelt, his cabinet, 63 members of the House, 30 senators, and tens of thousands of other mourners. He was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery just north of Jasper.

The William B. Bankhead National Forest is named in his honor. His residence, built in 1924 in Jasper's North Highlands neighborhood, is now owned by the Walker Area Community Foundation and opened to the public in 2010 as the Bankhead House and Heritage Center.

References

  • "William B. Bankhead" obituary (September 19, 1940) The Mountain Eagle - via rootsweb.ancestry.com
  • Heacock, Walter J. (1952) "William Brockman Bankhead: A Biography." PhD dissertation. University of Wisconsin
  • Heacock, Walter J. (August 1955) "William B. Bankhead and the New Deal." Journal of Southern History. No. 21, pp. 347-59
  • William B. Bankhead (September 13, 2010) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia - accessed September 13, 2010
  • Frederickson, Kari A. (2021) Deep South Dynasty: The Bankheads of Alabama. University of Alabama Press ISBN 9780817321109

External links

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