James Vernon Smith
James Vernon Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 6th district | |
| In office January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1969 | |
| Preceded by | Jed Johnson, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | John Newbold Camp |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 23, 1926 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Died | June 23, 1973 (aged 46) Grady County, Oklahoma |
| Citizenship |  United States |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Mary Belle Couch Smith |
| Children | Jay Smith
Sarah Smith Lee Ann Smith |
| Alma mater | Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts |
| Profession | Attorney |
James Vernon Smith (July 23, 1926 – June 23, 1973) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Oklahoma.
Biography
Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Smith was the son of Fred O. and Josephine Meder Smith, and was educated in Tuttle public schools and attended Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts at Chickasha, Oklahoma. He married Mary Belle Couch, and the couple had three children, Jay, Sarah, and Lee Ann.[1]
Career
Smith engaged in farming and cattle raising, and served as member of the board of regents of Oklahoma Four-Year Colleges.
Elected as a Republican to the 90th Congress, Smith served from January 3, 1967 to January 3, 1969.[2] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1968. After a 1967 redistricting plan forced him into running against either fellow Republican Happy Camp or Democrat Tom Steed, he chose to take on Steed, a conservative Democrat from Shawnee. He was defeated by a 54% to 46% tally despite the fact that Nixon won a plurality in the newly drawn district.
Nominated by President Nixon to be Administrator of Farmers Home Administration and confirmed by the Senate on March 16, 1969, Smith served until his resignation in 1973.[3]
Death
Smith died in a wheat field fire at his farm, near Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma, on June 23, 1973 (age 46 years, 335 days). He is interred at Fairlawn Cemetery, Chickasha, Oklahoma.[4]
References
- ^ Hanneman, Carolyn G. "Smith, James Vernon," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, 2009. Accessed March 20, 2015.
- ^ "James Vernon Smith". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
- ^ "James Vernon Smith". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
- ^ "James Vernon Smith". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
External links
- United States Congress. "James Vernon Smith (id: S000560)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- James Vernon Smith at Find a Grave
- 1926 births
- 1973 deaths
- People from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- People from Chickasha, Oklahoma
- Oklahoma Republicans
- Farmers from Oklahoma
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma
- Accidental deaths in Oklahoma
- Deaths from fire in the United States
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- People from Tuttle, Oklahoma
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma alumni
- 20th-century American politicians