By Ray Hill James Beriah Frazier, Jr. came from one of Tennessee’s most distinguished families; young Jim was the son and namesake of a former governor and United States senator. Born June 23, 1890 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, J. B. Frazier, Jr. went through the...
Congressman Wirt Courtney
By Ray Hill William Wirt Courtney is barely remembered today and is likely an unfamiliar name to many residents of Tennessee, but for a decade, Courtney served in Congress, serving parts of Middle Tennessee. The future congressman was named for his father, who was in...
Congressman Carroll Reece Goes Back To Congress
By Ray Hill For decades Tennessee was a one-party state, dominated by the Democrats. The exceptions were the First and Second Congressional districts in East Tennessee. Despite being the minority party, Republicans were perfectly capable of fighting amongst themselves...
Key Pittman of Nevada
By Ray Hill Colorful characters are as much a part of the old West as tumbleweeds. Key Pittman was certainly a colorful character. Pittman caused a stir by using his silver handled revolver to shoot out streetlights while on a drinking spree. In fact, Key Pittman’s...
Senator Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas
By Ray Hill Joseph Taylor Robinson was Majority Leader of the United States Senate during the first one hundred days of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal. Few politicians have enjoyed the breadth and length of the career Joe T. Robinson had in Arkansas. A...
The Congressman From Crazy Town: Marion Zioncheck of Washington
By Ray Hill Polls continue to show few people have much respect for Congress and its members, but when Marion Zioncheck was first elected in 1932, most Americans had both more respect and faith in Members of Congress. Yet, Marion Zioncheck clearly suffered from some...
The Irrepressible “Happy” Chandler: A. B. Chandler of Kentucky IV
By Ray Hill Albert Benjamin Chandler had once again defeated the state machine and won election to the governorship by a record majority twenty years after having first been elected governor. Unfortunately, Happy Chandler’s second administration was not going...
A. B. Chandler of Kentucky, Part III
By Ray Hill Governor Albert B. “Happy” Chandler had badly lost his bid to defeat Senator Alben W. Barkley for the United States Senate in 1938. The death of Kentucky’s other senator, Marvel M. Logan, gave Chandler the opportunity to go to the Senate. Chandler resigned...
The Irrepressible “Happy” Chandler: A. B. Chandler of Kentucky, Part 2
By Ray Hill With his reform package having passed the state legislature and having eliminated Kentucky’s budget deficit, Albert Benjamin “Happy” Chandler was highly popular in his home state. Elected governor in 1935, Happy was beginning to think of bigger things for...
The Irrepressible “Happy” Chandler: A. B. Chandler of Kentucky
By Ray Hill Few subjects excite as much commentary as politics and sports and Albert B. Chandler played a big role in both for decades. Serving as governor, United States senator and Commissioner of Baseball, “Happy” Chandler was an institution. Like most who stayed...
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Edward Hull Crump: The Boss, Part VII
By Ray Hill Despite...
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The U.S. Senate In The Age of McKellar: 1917 – 1953
By Ray Hill Kenneth...
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The Senator’s Secretary: D. W. McKellar
By Ray Hill...
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A Feudin’ Son of Tennessee: Kenneth McKellar Chapter 1
By Ray Hill It will...
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A Feudin’ Son of Tennessee: Kenneth McKellar Chapter 2
By Ray Hill Kenneth McKellar...
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A Feudin’ Son of Tennessee: Kenneth McKellar, Chapter 3
By Ray Hill Even as a...