William Chester LANKFORD, Congress, GA (1877-1964)

LANKFORD, William Chester, a Representative from Georgia; born in Camp Creek Community, Clinch County, Ga., December 7, 1877; attended the public schools in Clinch County and Abbeville, Ga.; taught school for several years in his native county; was graduated from Jasper Normal Institute, Jasper, Fla., in 1897, from the Georgia Normal College and Business Institute, Abbeville, Ga., in 1900, and from the law department of the University of Georgia at Athens in 1901; moved to Douglas, Ga., in 1901 and commenced the practice of law; mayor of Douglas in 1906; member of the board of education of Douglas 1907-1918; judge of the city court from January 1, 1908, until May 1, 1916, when he resigned to seek the Democratic nomination for Congress, but was an unsuccessful candidate; elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-sixth and to the six succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1919-March 3, 1933); unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1932; resumed the practice of law; with General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C., from January 1935 to October 1942; died in Twin Lakes, Ga., December 10, 1964; interment in Douglas Cemetery, Douglas, Ga.

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