William Bailey Lamar

This article is about the U.S. representative. For other uses, seeWilliam Lamar.

William Bailey Lamar
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's3rddistrict
In office March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1909
Preceded by	District established
Succeeded by	Dannite H. Mays
16thFlorida Attorney General
In office January 8, 1889 – March 4, 1903
Governor	Francis P. Fleming Henry L. Mitchell William D. Bloxham William Sherman Jennings
Preceded by	Charles Merian Cooper
Succeeded by	James B. Whitfield
Member of theFlorida House of Representatives from theJeffersondistrict
In office 1886 – January 8, 1889
Personal details
Born	(1853-06-12)June 12, 1853 Monticello, Florida,US
Died	September 26, 1928(1928-09-26)(aged 75) Thomasville, Georgia,US
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ethel Healey ​ (m.1904)​
Education	Jefferson Academy University of Georgia Cumberland University
Occupation	Attorney

William Bailey Lamar(June 12, 1853 – September 26, 1928) was an American attorney and politician who served as aU.S. representativefromFloridafrom 1903 to 1909.

Early life and education

Lamar was born on June 12, 1853, inMonticello, Florida.He was a member of theLamar family,a political family fromGeorgia.Lamar attendedJefferson Academyin Monticello, and later went on to attend theUniversity of Georgia.He lived inAthens, Georgia,from 1866 until 1873, when he began attendingCumberland University's law school inLebanon,Tennessee,graduating in 1875.

That same year, Lamar was admitted into theMississippi Barand began a private practice inTupelo, Mississippi.

Political career

In 1877, Lamar returned to Florida, having been appointed clerk of theJefferson Countycourt, a position he held until 1881. In 1883, Lamar, aDemocrat,was appointed judge of the Jefferson County court, serving until 1886, when he was elected to theFlorida House of Representatives,representing Jefferson County.Lamar served as a representative until 1889, when he was appointed the 16thFlorida Attorney Generalby newly elected GovernorFrancis P. Fleming.

During his long 14-year tenure as Attorney General, Lamar oversaw theindustrializationand modernization of the formerlyagrarianFlorida economy.However, Lamar ensured that Florida would remainsegregated,as he turned a blind eye while his subordinates instituted laws banning blacks from entire towns.

U.S. Congress and later career

As a result of the1900 U.S. Census,Florida was apportioned athird U.S. House seatfor the 1902 election. Lamar received the Democratic nomination in 1902, and ran unopposed in the general election.He was reelected in 1904 after defeatingRepublicanL. M. Ware. In 1906 he faced only token opposition fromSocialistT. B. Meeker.

On December 23, 1907, one ofFlorida's U.S. Senators,Stephen Mallory, II,died in office. TheFlorida LegislatureappointedDuval CountysolicitorWilliam James Bryanto finish Mallory's term in theU.S. Senate,but Bryan died not long after, on March 22, 1908.The Legislature then appointed the former mayor ofMarianna, Florida,William Hall Milton,to the Senate seat, which was up for election later that year.

Lamar did not run for reelection for his house seat, opting instead to run for the senate seat. However, Lamar did not receive the Democratic nomination, losing to the formermayor of JacksonvilleDuncan U. Fletcher.Fletcher went on to win the seat, running unopposed in the general election.

After his loss in the Senate race, Lamar retired politically, returning to a private law practice. In 1915, he was appointed national commissioner to thePanama-Pacific International ExpositioninSan Francisco, California.

Death and burial

Lamar died on September 26, 1928, at his winter home inThomasville, Georgia.He is buried in Athens'Oconee Hill Cemetery.

Lamar married Ethel Healey on June 8, 1904, though they did not have children.

External links

• William Bailey LamaratFind a Grave