John Jarman
Encyclopedia
John Jarman was a member of the United States House of Representatives
from Oklahoma
for 26 years from January, 1951 to January, 1977.
and graduated from Yale University
in 1937 and from Harvard Law School
in 1941. Jarman was admitted to the bar
in 1941 and began his law practice
in Oklahoma City
. Jarman enlisted in the United States Army
in January, 1942 (about a month after the Japan
ese Attack on Pearl Harbor
. He served in the Security Intelligence Corps during World War II
and was eventually discharged from military service in December, 1945. He was married to Ruth Virginia Bewley and had three children, John Henry Jarman III, Susan Jarman and Steve Jarman.
Jarman was later elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives
and then later the Oklahoma State Senate; Jarman was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1950 as a Democrat.
from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party
in protest of the removals of Felix Edward Hébert
, Wright Patman
and William R. Poage
from their committee chairmanships. Jarman claimed that the Democratic Party Caucus had changed over the years and that certain elements of the Caucus "force their liberal views on this Congress and on this country by nullifying the seniority system and punishing those who do not adhere to the liberal party line as laid down by the caucus."
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...
from Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
for 26 years from January, 1951 to January, 1977.
Early life and career
Jarman was born in Sallisaw, OklahomaSallisaw, Oklahoma
Sallisaw is a city in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,880 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Sequoyah County. It has three highways running through it: U.S. 59, or Kerr Boulevard,...
and graduated from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1937 and from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1941. Jarman was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1941 and began his law practice
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
. Jarman enlisted in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in January, 1942 (about a month after the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. He served in the Security Intelligence Corps during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was eventually discharged from military service in December, 1945. He was married to Ruth Virginia Bewley and had three children, John Henry Jarman III, Susan Jarman and Steve Jarman.
Jarman was later elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Oklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members are responsible for introducing and voting on bills and resolutions, providing legislative oversight for state agencies, and helping to craft the...
and then later the Oklahoma State Senate; Jarman was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1950 as a Democrat.
Jarman switches parties
After barely surviving a political challenge from political newcomer Mickey Edwards, on January 23, 1975, Jarman switched partiesParty switching in the United States
In the United States politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office...
from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party
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...
in protest of the removals of Felix Edward Hébert
Felix Edward Hébert
Felix Edward Hébert , known as F. Edward Hébert, was the longest-serving member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Louisiana, having represented the New Orleans-based First Congressional District as a Democrat from 1941 until his retirement in 1977.Hébert was born in...
, Wright Patman
Wright Patman
John William Wright Patman was a U.S. Congressman from Texas in Texas's 1st congressional district and chair of the United States House Committee on Banking and Currency .-Early life:...
and William R. Poage
William R. Poage
William Robert Poage was a Texas politician.Poage was born in Waco, Texas and served in the United States Navy during World War I. He served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1925 to 1929, and in the Texas Senate from 1931 to 1937.In 1936, Poage was elected to the House of Representatives...
from their committee chairmanships. Jarman claimed that the Democratic Party Caucus had changed over the years and that certain elements of the Caucus "force their liberal views on this Congress and on this country by nullifying the seniority system and punishing those who do not adhere to the liberal party line as laid down by the caucus."
Retirement and death
Jarman declined to seek re-election to the House in 1976. After leaving Congress, he decided to resume his practice of law in Oklahoma City, where he remained until his death there on January 15, 1982. Jarman was laid to rest at Rose Hill Burial Park. Jarman spent much of his later life in Mexico and with his children and their families in Hawaii, Pennsylvania and Colorado. He loved animals, horseback riding, the rough wilderness of Wyoming, Oklahoma and Colorado.See also
- Politics of OklahomaPolitics of OklahomaPolitics of Oklahoma takes place in a framework of a presidential republic modeled after the United States, whereby the Governor of Oklahoma is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform two-party system. Executive power is exercised by the Governor and the government...
- Oklahoma Congressional DistrictsOklahoma Congressional DistrictsAs of the 2000 census, there are five Oklahoma United States congressional districts. Previous to the 2000 Census, Oklahoma had six congressional districts. Oklahoma was one of eight states to lose one seat in the House of Representatives that year....
- Party switching in the United StatesParty switching in the United StatesIn the United States politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office...