W. Wirt Courtney
Encyclopedia
William Wirt Courtney was a U.S. Representative
from Tennessee
.
, Courtney was graduated from Battle Ground Academy
, Franklin, Tennessee
, in 1907.
He attended Vanderbilt University
, Nashville, Tennessee
, and the Faculté de Droit of the Sorbonne
, Paris, France.
He studied law.
He was admitted to the bar
in 1911 and commenced practice in Franklin, Tennessee
.
City judge 1915-1917.
Enlisted in the United States Army
as a private in the One Hundred and Seventeenth Infantry, Thirtieth Division, in September 1917, and was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in June 1919.
He resumed the practice of law in Franklin, Tennessee
.
He served as adjutant general
of Tennessee in 1932.
He served as member of the Tennessee National Guard in 1933 with rank of brigadier general.
He served as circuit judge and chancellor of the Seventeenth
judicial circuit of Tennessee 1933-1939.
Courtney was elected as a Democrat
to the Seventy-sixth
Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Clarence W. Turner.
He was reelected to the Seventy-seventh
and to the three succeeding Congresses and served from May 11, 1939, to January 3, 1949.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1948.
He resumed the practice of law.
He died in Franklin, Tennessee
, April 6, 1961.
He was interred in Mount Hope Cemetery.
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 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...
.
Biography
Born in Franklin, TennesseeFranklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, Courtney was graduated from Battle Ground Academy
Battle Ground Academy
Battle Ground Academy is an independent college-preparatory school for grades K-12 located in Franklin, Tennessee, USA. Founded in 1889, the school was originally located on part of the site of the Battle of Franklin in the U.S. Civil War. BGA has two campuses. The Harpeth Campus is located on...
, Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, in 1907.
He attended Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
, Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, and the Faculté de Droit of the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
, Paris, France.
He studied law.
He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1911 and commenced practice in Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
.
City judge 1915-1917.
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...
as a private in the One Hundred and Seventeenth Infantry, Thirtieth Division, in September 1917, and was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in June 1919.
He resumed the practice of law in Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
.
He served as adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of Tennessee in 1932.
He served as member of the Tennessee National Guard in 1933 with rank of brigadier general.
He served as circuit judge and chancellor of the Seventeenth
17th United States Congress
The Seventeenth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1821 to March 3, 1823, during the fifth and sixth...
judicial circuit of Tennessee 1933-1939.
Courtney was elected as a Democrat
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...
to the Seventy-sixth
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...
Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Clarence W. Turner.
He was reelected to the Seventy-seventh
77th United States Congress
-Major events:* December 7, 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor* December 8, 1941: Joint Session of Congress met to hear President Roosevelt deliver his "Day of Infamy" speech...
and to the three succeeding Congresses and served from May 11, 1939, to January 3, 1949.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1948.
He resumed the practice of law.
He died in Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, April 6, 1961.
He was interred in Mount Hope Cemetery.