George S. Williams
Encyclopedia
George Short Williams was an American office administrator and politician from Millsboro, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party, who served as U.S. Representative from Delaware.
, Michigan
High School from 1902 until 1904. He then became engaged in the lumber business in Delaware and North Carolina from 1905 until 1923. He was also interested in banking. Williams was Mayor of Millsboro, Delaware from 1921 until 1927, Treasurer of the State of Delaware from 1929 until 1933, President of the State Board of Education from 1927 until 1934, and deputy Motor Vehicle Commissioner from 1935 until 1937. In 1940 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
.
Williams was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1938, defeating incumbent Democrat U.S. Representative William F. Allen. He served in the Republican minority in the 76th Congress, and lost his bid for a second term in 1940 to Democrat, Philip A. Traynor. Williams served from January 3, 1939 until January 3, 1941, during the second administration of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Subsequently he was the Delaware Motor Vehicle Commissioner from 1941 until 1946 and then was an administrative aide to U.S. Senator John J. Williams
from 1947 until 1959.
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
|-
! Office
! Type
! Location
! Began office
! Ended office
! notes
|-
|Mayor
|Executive
|Millsboro
|1921
|1923
|
|-
|Mayor
|Executive
|Millsboro
|1923
|1925
|
|-
|Mayor
|Executive
|Millsboro
|1925
|1927
|
|-
|State Treasurer
|Executive
|Dover
|January 15, 1929
|January 15, 1931
|
|-
|State Treasurer
|Executive
|Dover
|January 15, 1931
|January 15, 1933
|
|-
|U.S. Representative
|Legislature
|Washington
|January 3, 1939
|January 3, 1941
|
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |United States Congressional service
|-
! Dates
! Congress
! Chamber
! Majority
! President
! Committees
! Class/District
|-
|1939–1941
|76th
|U.S. House
|Democratic
|Franklin D. Roosevelt
|
|at-large
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
|-
| Year
| Office
|
| Subject
| Party
| Votes
| %
|
| Opponent
| Party
| Votes
| %
|-
|1938
|U.S. Representative
|
| |George S. Williams
| |Republican
| |60,661
| |56%
|
| |William F. Allen
| |Democratic
| |46,989
| |43%
|-
|1940
|U.S. Representative
|
| |George S. Williams
| |Republican
| |64,384
| |48%
|
| |Philip A. Traynor
| |Democratic
| |68,205
| |51%
|-
Early life and family
Williams was born in Ocean View, Delaware. He attended the public schools and Wilmington Conference Academy, in Dover, Delaware, and graduated from Dickinson College, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1900.Professional and political career
Williams was an instructor at IronwoodIronwood, Michigan
Ironwood is a city in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan, about south of Lake Superior. The population was 6,293 at the 2000 census. The city is on US 2 and is situated opposite the Montreal River from Hurley, Wisconsin. It is the westernmost city in Michigan, situated on the same line...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
High School from 1902 until 1904. He then became engaged in the lumber business in Delaware and North Carolina from 1905 until 1923. He was also interested in banking. Williams was Mayor of Millsboro, Delaware from 1921 until 1927, Treasurer of the State of Delaware from 1929 until 1933, President of the State Board of Education from 1927 until 1934, and deputy Motor Vehicle Commissioner from 1935 until 1937. In 1940 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
.
Williams was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1938, defeating incumbent Democrat U.S. Representative William F. Allen. He served in the Republican minority in the 76th Congress, and lost his bid for a second term in 1940 to Democrat, Philip A. Traynor. Williams served from January 3, 1939 until January 3, 1941, during the second administration of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Subsequently he was the Delaware Motor Vehicle Commissioner from 1941 until 1946 and then was an administrative aide to U.S. Senator John J. Williams
John J. Williams (senator)
John James "Whispering Willie" Williams was an American businessman and politician from Millsboro, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party, who served four terms as U.S. Senator from Delaware....
from 1947 until 1959.
Death and legacy
Williams died at Millsboro, Delaware. He is buried in the Union Cemetery at Georgetown, Delaware, located at South Race Street. Take Route 113 south to Route 9 east into Georgetown. Follow Route 9 through the roundabout in center of town, then go right on South Race Street. Union Cemetery is at dead end.Almanac
Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. The State Treasurer takes office the third Tuesday of January for a two year term. U.S. Representatives take office January 3rd and also have a two year term.{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
|-
! Office
! Type
! Location
! Began office
! Ended office
! notes
|-
|Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
|Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
|Millsboro
Millsboro, Delaware
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,360 people, 1,045 households, and 619 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,367.9 people per square mile . There were 1,153 housing units at an average density of 668.3 per square mile...
|1921
|1923
|
|-
|Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
|Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
|Millsboro
Millsboro, Delaware
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,360 people, 1,045 households, and 619 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,367.9 people per square mile . There were 1,153 housing units at an average density of 668.3 per square mile...
|1923
|1925
|
|-
|Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
|Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
|Millsboro
Millsboro, Delaware
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,360 people, 1,045 households, and 619 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,367.9 people per square mile . There were 1,153 housing units at an average density of 668.3 per square mile...
|1925
|1927
|
|-
|State Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
|Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|January 15, 1929
|January 15, 1931
|
|-
|State Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
|Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|January 15, 1931
|January 15, 1933
|
|-
|U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
|Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
|Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
|January 3, 1939
|January 3, 1941
|
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |United States Congressional service
|-
! Dates
! Congress
! Chamber
! Majority
! President
! Committees
! Class/District
|-
|1939–1941
|76th
76th United States Congress
The Seventy-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1939 to January 3, 1941, during the seventh and...
|U.S. House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
|Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
|
|at-large
Delaware's At-large congressional district
Delaware's At-large congressional district is a congressional district that includes the entire U.S. state of Delaware.It is currently represented by Democrat John C. Carney, Jr., the former Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.-Voting:-History:...
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
|-
| Year
| Office
|
| Subject
| Party
| Votes
| %
|
| Opponent
| Party
| Votes
| %
|-
|1938
|U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
|
| |George S. Williams
| |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
| |60,661
| |56%
|
| |William F. Allen
William F. Allen
William Franklin "Lovebird" Allen was an American businessman and politician from Seaford, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as U. S...
| |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
| |46,989
| |43%
|-
|1940
|U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
|
| |George S. Williams
| |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
| |64,384
| |48%
|
| |Philip A. Traynor
Philip A. Traynor
Dr. Philip Andrew Traynor was an American dentist and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party and served two terms as U.S. Representative from Delaware....
| |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
| |68,205
| |51%
|-
External links
- Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Delaware's Members of Congress
- The Political Graveyard
Places with more information
- Delaware Historical SocietyDelaware Historical SocietyThe Delaware Historical Society began in 1864 as an effort to preserve documents from the Civil War. Since then, it has expanded into a state-wide historical institution with several venues and a major museum in Wilmington and the historic Read House & Gardens in New Castle.The society...
; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161 - University of DelawareUniversity of DelawareThe university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965 - Newark Free Library 750 Library Ave., Newark, Delaware (302) 731-7550.