US Congressman. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the US House of Representatives for 12 consecutive terms from South Carolina's 5th district from March 1933 until January 1957. Growing up, he attended local schools and Clemson College in Clemson, South Carolina. When the US entered World War I in April 1917, he served in France in the US Army's Trench Mortar Battery, Headquarters Company, 118th Regiment, 30th Division until 1919. After returning to the US, he attended the University of South Carolina at Columbia, South Carolina and graduated with a law degree in 1921 and was admitted to the bar the same year, and began practicing law in Lancaster, South Carolina. From 1923 until 1933 he served as judge of the probate court of Lancaster County, South Carolina. In 1932 he was elected as a Democrat to the US House of Representatives and remained there for 24 years. During two of his terms he served as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In 1953 he served as delegate to the Japanese Peace Conference and US delegate to the United Nations. In 1956 he decided not to run for another term and retired from Congress and was succeeded by Robert W. Hemphill. From January 1957 until January 1958 he served as special assistant to President Dwight D. Eisenhower for the Middle East. He then returned to Lancaster, South Carolina and resumed his law practice and died there at the age of 84.
US Congressman. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the US House of Representatives for 12 consecutive terms from South Carolina's 5th district from March 1933 until January 1957. Growing up, he attended local schools and Clemson College in Clemson, South Carolina. When the US entered World War I in April 1917, he served in France in the US Army's Trench Mortar Battery, Headquarters Company, 118th Regiment, 30th Division until 1919. After returning to the US, he attended the University of South Carolina at Columbia, South Carolina and graduated with a law degree in 1921 and was admitted to the bar the same year, and began practicing law in Lancaster, South Carolina. From 1923 until 1933 he served as judge of the probate court of Lancaster County, South Carolina. In 1932 he was elected as a Democrat to the US House of Representatives and remained there for 24 years. During two of his terms he served as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In 1953 he served as delegate to the Japanese Peace Conference and US delegate to the United Nations. In 1956 he decided not to run for another term and retired from Congress and was succeeded by Robert W. Hemphill. From January 1957 until January 1958 he served as special assistant to President Dwight D. Eisenhower for the Middle East. He then returned to Lancaster, South Carolina and resumed his law practice and died there at the age of 84.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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