John W. Byrnes
John William Byrnes (June 12, 1913 – January 12, 1985) was an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from Wisconsin.
John W. Byrnes | |
|---|---|
circa 1956 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 8th district | |
| In office January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1973 | |
| Preceded by | LaVern Dilweg |
| Succeeded by | Harold Vernon Froehlich |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 2nd district | |
| In office 1941–1945 | |
| Preceded by | Michael F. Kresky Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Harold A. Lytie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John William Byrnes June 12, 1913 Green Bay, Wisconsin |
| Died | January 12, 1985 (aged 71) Marshfield, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Barbara Preston Byrnes |
| Children | 6 (3 sons, 3 daughters) |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin, Madison (BA, LLB) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Byrnes was the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district from 1945 to 1973. During this time he was the chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee from 1959 to 1965 and was later the ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means from 1963 to 1972.[1]
Life and career edit
Byrnes was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the son of Harriet (Schumacher) and Charles W. Byrnes.[2] Byrnes contracted polio as a small child.[3] He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1936, and then attended its law school.[4] After graduation, Byrnes practiced law in Green Bay, and served as deputy commissioner of the state's department of banking from 1938 to 1941. He served in the state senate from 1941 to 1945, representing the 2nd District.[5]
Byrnes was elected in 1944 as a Republican to the 79th Congress from Wisconsin's 8th district. He defeated one-term incumbent LaVern Dilweg, a notable former professional football player with the Green Bay Packers. Byrnes was reelected to the thirteen succeeding Congresses, and served 28 years from January 1945 to January 1973, making him the 8th district's longest serving representative. In 1964, the Wisconsin delegates to the 1964 Republican National Convention were pledged to support Byrnes, but he released the delegates to support the candidates they individually chose.[6] He did not seek a fifteenth term in 1972 to the 93rd Congress. Byrnes voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,[7] 1960,[8][9] 1964,[10][11] and 1968,[12][13] as well as the establishment of the Wisconsin Islands Wilderness,[14] the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[15][16][17]
After Congress, stayed in Washington to practice law and continued to reside in Arlington, Virginia. While traveling to Wisconsin for a medical check-up at the Marshfield Clinic, he had a stroke at the Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee[18] and died several days later in Marshfield on January 12, 1985.[3][19] He was buried in Green Bay at Allouez Catholic Cemetery.
References edit
- ^ John W. Byrnes papers, 1938-1972. OCLC 71806163.
- ^ Nelson, Charles C.; Madisen, Erik L. (1951). "The Wisconsin Magazine".
- ^ a b "Byrnes, ex-member of Congress, dies". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. January 14, 1985. p. 2, part 2.
- ^ https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A5MPC2C75NJZEK8Z/pages/AQYGHDA5QN4WGV9C
- ^ John Byrnes, Wisconsin Historical Society
- ^ Foran, Christopher. "Our Back Pages: At 1964 political conventions, Wisconsin 'candidates' played a role". jsonline.com. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ "HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "HR 8601. PASSAGE".
- ^ "HR 8601. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1960. APPROVAL BY THE HOUSE OF THE SENATE'S AMENDMENTS".
- ^ "H.R. 7152. PASSAGE".
- ^ "H.R. 7152. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION (H. RES. 789) PROVIDING FOR HOUSE APPROVAL OF THE BILL AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE".
- ^ "TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES".
- ^ "TO PASS H. RES. 1100, A RESOLUTION PROVIDING THAT IMMEDIATELY ON THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION, THE BILL (H.R. 2516) PRESCRIBING PENALTIES FOR INTERFERING WITH ANY PERSON IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS CIVIL RIGHTS, AND MAKING CERTAIN ANTIRIOT LEGISLATION, SHALL, TOGETHER WITH A SENATE AMENDMENT THERETO, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR DISCRIMINATION IN THE SALE OR RENT OF HOUSING, BE TAKEN FROM THE SPEAKER'S TABLE, TO THE END THAT SAID AMENDMENT IS AGREED TO".
- ^ Seeks islands wilderness, Door County Advocate, Volume 107, Number 13, May 7, 1968, page 1
- ^ "S.J. RES. 29. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN THE USE OF POLL TAX AS A REQUIREMENT FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT".
- ^ "TO AGREE TO CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 1564, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT".
- ^ "Ex-congressman on critical list after stroke". Milwaukee Sentinel. January 9, 1985. p. 13, part 1.
- ^ "Former Rep. Byrnes, 71, dies after stroke". Milwaukee Sentinel. January 14, 1985. p. 9, part 1.
External links edit
- United States Congress. "John W. Byrnes (id: B001216)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- Byrnes at Politicalgraveyard.com
- John W. Byrnes at Find a Grave