Joseph W. Byrns, Sr.
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Joseph W. Byrns, Sr. | |
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41st Speaker of the United States House of Representatives | |
In office January 3, 1935 – June 4, 1936 |
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President | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
Preceded by | Henry T. Rainey |
Succeeded by | William B. Bankhead |
House Majority Leader | |
In office 1933–1935 |
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Preceded by | Henry T. Rainey |
Succeeded by | William B. Bankhead |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 5th & 6th districts |
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In office March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1933 (6th) March 4, 1933 – June 4, 1936 (5th) |
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Preceded by | John W. Gaines Ewin L. Davis |
Succeeded by | Clarence W. Turner Richard M. Atkinson |
Personal details | |
Born | Joseph Wellington Byrns July 20, 1869 Cedar Hill, Tennessee |
Died | June 4, 1936 (aged 66) Washington, D.C. |
Political party | Democratic |
Alma mater | Vanderbilt University |
Profession | Law |
Joseph Wellington "Jo" Byrns, Sr. (July 20, 1869 – June 4, 1936) was a U.S. politician. He served as a 14-term Democratic Congressman from Tennessee.
Contents
Biography
Byrns was born in Cedar Hill, Robertson County, Tennessee, son of James Henry Byrns and Mary Emily Jackson. He was named for a maternal uncle, Joseph William Green Jackson who died in the Civil War. His great-grandfather, James Byrns, Esq., figures in the legend of The Bell Witch, and is mentioned in the Authenticated History of The Bell Witch by Martin Van Buren Ingram. A graduate of public schools, he displayed a strong early interest in politics and was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1894 and reelected in 1896 and 1898. In 1900 he was elected to the Tennessee State Senate.
In 1902 he ran for district attorney of Davidson County, Tennessee but was defeated — his only unsuccessful political race in 18 efforts. In 1908, Byrns received the Democratic nomination for U.S. Representative and was elected in November of that year to a term beginning March 4, 1909. He served in the House for the rest of his life.
Byrns was widely respected and his influence grew as his seniority did. He was chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 1928 to 1935.[1] In 1931 he was appointed chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and in 1933 became House Majority Leader. In 1935 he became Speaker of the House. He was awarded the 1935-36 "Amazing Eyebrows" Cup by The New York Times.
Byrns was Speaker when he died in Washington, D.C., and had been planning to run for reelection. His funeral, attended by President Roosevelt and other dignitaries, was held in the United States Capitol. He was interred at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville. His son Jo Byrns, Jr. later served a single term in the House but never achieved the popularity of Jo, Sr.
Byrns was also an active Civitan.[2]
References
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Legacy
Jo Byrns High School, near Adams, Tennessee in his native Robertson County, is named in his honor. It was opened in 1951.
External links
United States House of Representatives | ||
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Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 6th congressional district 1909–1933 |
Succeeded by Clarence W. Turner |
Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 5th congressional district 1933–1936 |
Succeeded by Richard Merrill Atkinson |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by | Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee 1931–1933 |
Succeeded by James P. Buchanan |
Preceded by | House Majority Leader House Democratic Leader 1933–1935 |
Succeeded by William B. Bankhead |
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives January 3, 1935 – June 4, 1936 |
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- 1869 births
- 1936 deaths
- Majority Leaders of the United States House of Representatives
- Members of the Tennessee House of Representatives
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee
- Speakers of the United States House of Representatives
- Tennessee State Senators
- Tennessee Democrats
- People from Davidson County, Tennessee
- People from Robertson County, Tennessee
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives