V.V. Whittington
Encyclopedia
Volney Voss Whittington, known as V.V. Whittington or Voss Whittington (September 26, 1893—February 4, 1974), was a banker from Bossier Parish in northwestern Louisiana
who served as a Democratic
member of the Louisiana State Senate
from 1928 to 1932.
Whittington was born in Ivan in Bossier Parish but resided most of his life in the parish seat of Benton
, north of Bossier City
. He served in the United States Navy
during World War I
and was thereafter affiliated with both the American Legion
and another veterans organization, the Forty and Eight
. He was a Baptist
, a Mason
, and a member of the Lions Club.
After his state senate service, Whittington was the Bossier parish treasurer. Whittington was the president of the since defunct Bossier Bank and Trust Company, a state-chartered institution founded in 1923. BB&T was ultimately closed on Friday, June 13, 1986, by the Louisiana Banking Commission. It had assets at the time of $204.4 million. BB&T was absorbed by the First National Bank of Shreveport BB&T ultimately became part of the Chase
network.
From 1948 to 1949, Whittington was president of the Louisiana Bankers Association, one of five Bossier Parish bankers to have served in the top position. The others were John J. Doles, Sr.
(1956–1957) of Plain
Dealing
(1956–1957), who held Whittington's Senate seat from 1952 to 1956, J. A. "Sonny" Dunnam, Jr., of Benton (1966–1967), John J. Doles, Jr.
, of Plain Dealing (1982–1983), and Will C. Hubbard (born 1946) of Citizen’s National Bank in Bossier City, who served from 1997 to 1998.
Whittington was also a president of the Louisiana State Fair held each fall in Shreveport
and the Red River Waterway Association, an industrial trade association
that lobbied for navigation of the Red River through northwestern Louisiana.
Whittington and his wife, the former Anna Harris (1884–1982), resided in Benton. He died at the age of eighty. They are interred at Hillcrest Cemetery in Haughton
east of Bossier City. The Whittingtons had two daughters. Ann W. Graham (1921–1983) and her husband, James E. Graham, Sr. (1920–2003), owned Graham's Hardware and had considerable property in Bossier City. They had two sons, Voss Whittington Graham (born 1948), a motivational speaker in Cordova
, near Memphis
, Tennessee
, and James E. Graham, Jr., of Dallas
, Texas
. Florence, or "Flo" (1923–2009) was first married to State Representative
Walter O. Bigby
(1927–1980) of Bossier City. They had a son, Walter O. "Walt" Bigby, Jr. (born 1964), a business consultant from Bossier City. Seventeen years after Bigby's death, Florence, a businesswoman in her own right, married Judge Oscar E. Price.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
who served as a 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...
member of the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1928 to 1932.
Whittington was born in Ivan in Bossier Parish but resided most of his life in the parish seat of Benton
Benton, Louisiana
The town of Benton is the parish seat of Bossier Parish, in the US state of Louisiana. The population was 2,035 at the 2000 census. The larger Bossier City is located south of Benton...
, north of Bossier City
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
. He served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was thereafter affiliated with both the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
and another veterans organization, the Forty and Eight
Forty and Eight veterans organization
The Forty and Eight is an organization of veterans of the United States armed forces. Its official name is "La Société des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux," which is French, and translates as "The Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses."-History:...
. He was a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, a Mason
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
, and a member of the Lions Club.
After his state senate service, Whittington was the Bossier parish treasurer. Whittington was the president of the since defunct Bossier Bank and Trust Company, a state-chartered institution founded in 1923. BB&T was ultimately closed on Friday, June 13, 1986, by the Louisiana Banking Commission. It had assets at the time of $204.4 million. BB&T was absorbed by the First National Bank of Shreveport BB&T ultimately became part of the Chase
Chase (bank)
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., doing business as Chase, is a national bank that constitutes the consumer and commercial banking subsidiary of financial services firm JPMorgan Chase. The bank was known as Chase Manhattan Bank until it merged with J.P. Morgan & Co. in 2000...
network.
From 1948 to 1949, Whittington was president of the Louisiana Bankers Association, one of five Bossier Parish bankers to have served in the top position. The others were John J. Doles, Sr.
John J. Doles
John Jones Doles, Sr. , was a banker in Plain Dealing in northern Bossier Parish who served in the Louisiana State Senate from 1952 to 1956, the tenure corresponding with the administration of Governor Robert F. Kennon...
(1956–1957) of Plain
Dealing
Plain Dealing, Louisiana
Plain Dealing is a town in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States best known as the birthplace of former U.S. Representative Joe D. Waggonner, Jr. The population was 1,071 at the 2000 census...
(1956–1957), who held Whittington's Senate seat from 1952 to 1956, J. A. "Sonny" Dunnam, Jr., of Benton (1966–1967), John J. Doles, Jr.
John J. Doles
John Jones Doles, Sr. , was a banker in Plain Dealing in northern Bossier Parish who served in the Louisiana State Senate from 1952 to 1956, the tenure corresponding with the administration of Governor Robert F. Kennon...
, of Plain Dealing (1982–1983), and Will C. Hubbard (born 1946) of Citizen’s National Bank in Bossier City, who served from 1997 to 1998.
Whittington was also a president of the Louisiana State Fair held each fall in Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
and the Red River Waterway Association, an industrial trade association
Trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
that lobbied for navigation of the Red River through northwestern Louisiana.
Whittington and his wife, the former Anna Harris (1884–1982), resided in Benton. He died at the age of eighty. They are interred at Hillcrest Cemetery in Haughton
Haughton, Louisiana
Haughton is a town in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,792 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Haughton is located at ....
east of Bossier City. The Whittingtons had two daughters. Ann W. Graham (1921–1983) and her husband, James E. Graham, Sr. (1920–2003), owned Graham's Hardware and had considerable property in Bossier City. They had two sons, Voss Whittington Graham (born 1948), a motivational speaker in Cordova
Cordova, Tennessee
Cordova is a community in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. Cordova lies on Memphis' northeast side, north of Germantown, and northwest of Collierville....
, near Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and James E. Graham, Jr., of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Florence, or "Flo" (1923–2009) was first married to State Representative
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
Walter O. Bigby
Walter O. Bigby
Walter Oliver Bigby, Sr. , was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Bossier Parish, having served from 1968 until 1979. Often called the "Dean of the House" because of his reputation for integrity, fairness, and hard work, Bigby was a son-in-law of banker and former...
(1927–1980) of Bossier City. They had a son, Walter O. "Walt" Bigby, Jr. (born 1964), a business consultant from Bossier City. Seventeen years after Bigby's death, Florence, a businesswoman in her own right, married Judge Oscar E. Price.