Claude VanCleve PARSONS, Congress, IL (1895-1941)

PARSONS, Claude VanCleve, a Representative from Illinois; born on a farm near McCormick, Pope County, Ill., October 7, 1895; attended the public schools; taught in the rural schools of Pope County, Ill., 1914-1922; was graduated from Southern Illinois State Normal School at Carbondale in 1923; moved to Golconda, Pope County, Ill., in 1922 to become county superintendent of schools, in which capacity he served until 1930; was also engaged as an editor and newspaper publisher from 1924 to 1930; elected on November 4, 1930, as a Democrat to the Seventy-first Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas S. Williams and on the same day was elected to the Seventy-second Congress; reelected to the Seventy-third and to the three succeeding Congresses and served from November 4, 1930, to January 3, 1941; unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1940 to the Seventy-seventh Congress; appointed first assistant administrator of the United States Housing Authority February 14, 1941, and served until his death in Washington, D.C., May 23, 1941; interment in Zion Church Cemetery, near Ozark, Ill.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present