A. Frank Lever
Asbury Francis Lever | |
---|---|
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's7thdistrict | |
In office November 5, 1901 – August 1, 1919 | |
Preceded by | J. William Stokes |
Succeeded by | Edward C. Mann |
Chairman of theHouse Committee on Agriculture | |
In office March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1919 | |
Preceded by | John Lamb |
Succeeded by | Gilbert N. Haugen |
Chairman of theHouse Committee on Education | |
In office March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1913 | |
Preceded by | James F. Burke |
Succeeded by | Dudley M. Hughes |
Member of theSouth Carolina House of Representatives | |
In office 1901 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Le xing ton County, South Carolina | January 5, 1875
Died | April 28, 1940 Le xing ton County, South Carolina | (aged 65)
Nationality | American |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Lucile Scurry Butler |
Children | Two |
Alma mater | Newberry College Georgetown University Law School |
Profession | Attorney |
Asbury Francis "Frank" Lever(January 5, 1875 – April 28, 1940) was a member of theUnited States House of RepresentativesfromSouth Carolina.[1][2]
Early life
[edit]Frank Lever was born near Springhill,Le xing ton County,South Carolina on January 5, 1875. He was the son of a farmer, Asbury Francis Washington Lever, and Mary Elvira Derrick. He attended the county schools and graduated fromNewberry Collegewith honors in 1895. He taught school for two years.[1][2]
He moved toWashington, D.C.as the private secretary to RepresentativeJ. William Stokesfrom 1897 to 1901. He graduated from the Law Department ofGeorgetown University,Washington, D.C.,in 1899 and was admitted to the bar in South Carolina the same year but did not practice.[1][2]
He married Lucile Scurry Butler in 1911. They had two children.[1]
Political career
[edit]He was a delegate to the Democratic State conventions in 1896 and 1900. He was elected a member of theSouth Carolina House of Representativesin 1901. He was elected as aDemocratto theFifty-seventh Congressto fill the vacancy caused by the death of J. William Stokes was reelected to the Fifty-eighth and to the eight succeeding Congresses and served from November 5, 1901, until August 1, 1919.[1][2]
Lever was the chairman of the House Committee on Education from 1911 to 1913 (Sixty-second Congress) and Committee on Agriculture (Sixty-thirdthroughSixty-fifth Congresses).[3][4]His major legislative achievements were in the area of state and federal efforts in agricultural and rural life. Major bills were theSmith-Lever Act of 1914that established theCooperative Extension Service,theCotton Futures Actof 1914, the Cotton Warehouse Act of 1916,Federal Farm Loan Actof 1916 that created theFarm Credit Administration,and theFood and Fuel Control Actof 1917 that created a Food Administration and a Fuel Administration forWorld War I.[1]
He resigned from Congress to become a member of theFederal Farm Loan Board,in which capacity he served until 1922. He briefly ran for the Democratic nomination forGovernor of South Carolinain 1930, but sickness ended his campaign.[1]
Later life
[edit]He was a Chair of the Board of Trustees of Newberry College and Life Trustee ofClemson Collegefrom 1913 to 1940.[5]He was elected president of the First Carolinas Joint Stock Land Bank atColumbia,South Carolina, in 1922 and was a field representative of Federal Farm Board. He was a director of the public relations administration of theFarm Credit Administrationuntil his death.[1]
He died on April 28, 1940, at “Seven Oaks,” in Le xing ton County, South Carolina. He is interred at Woodland Cemetery (Cemetery Hill), on campus ofClemson Agricultural College of South Carolina,Clemson, South Carolina.[5]
Legacy
[edit]TheCooperative Extension Serviceis a legacy to Lever. This helped transform rural America. TheLiberty ShipSSA. Frank Leverwas named after Lever.[6]Lever Hall, a high-rise dormitory on the Clemson University campus, is named after Lever.[7]
The Clemson University Library has Lever's papers.[8]
References
[edit]- ^abcdefghEdgar, Walter (2006).South Carolina Encyclopedia.Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press. pp. 551–552.ISBN978-1-57003-598-2.
- ^abcd"LEVER, Asbury Francis, (1875 - 1940)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.U.S. Congress.Retrieved31 January2009.
- ^House Committee on Education and Labor."Committee on Education (1883-1947)".Committee History.US Congress.Archived fromthe originalon 29 January 2009.Retrieved31 January2009.
- ^House Committee on Agriculture."Chairmen of the Committee (1819-2004)".Committee History.US Congress.Archived fromthe originalon 29 January 2009.Retrieved31 January2009.
- ^abParsons, Sam (Spring 2004)."Lever's great act".Clemson World.57(2).Clemson, South Carolina:Clemson University.Retrieved31 January2009.
- ^Gerhardt, Frank A."SS A. Frank Lever".Retrieved31 January2009.
- ^"Lever Hall".Clemson Campus Album.Clemson University.Archived fromthe originalon 25 November 2004.Retrieved31 January2009.
- ^"Frank Lever papers 1895-1964 1900-1940".Clemson University.Retrieved31 January2009.