John Shelton Wilder

John Shelton Wilder (born June 3, 1921 in Mason , Tennessee , † January 1, 2010 in Memphis ) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ).

life and career

Wilder was born in Fayette County in 1921 . His family was from southern Tennessee, wealthy, and closely related to agriculture and agribusiness . He attended the public schools in Fayette County. At the College of Agriculture of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville , he earned a degree in agronomy . A degree in law , he graduated from the Memphis State University (now University of Memphis ) Law School. During the Second World War he served in the US Army . After the war he worked as a lawyer in Somerville . His main focus was on agricultural law and banking .

In 1958, Wilder entered state politics and was elected a senator to the Tennessee Senate. He was a member of the Senate for the first time from 1958 to 1960. During the 1960 to 1961 boycott in Fayette County, which was directed against local African-American tenants, Wilder, unlike many of his neighbors, refused to enforce eviction of black tenants or induce them to take out land loans . This initially hindered his further political career. In 1960 he did not stand for re-election.

In 1966, however, he was re-elected to the Senate for a two-year term. In 1968 he won his first four-year term. He was regularly re-elected as a senator until 2004. In January 1971 he was first elected Speaker of the Senate of Tennessee . Wilder was characterized according to the constitution of the state of Tennessee vice governor ( lieutenant governor ) of Tennessee. In 1979, Wilder and the then Speaker of the House of Representatives of Tennessee Ned McWherter were instrumental in the impeachment of then Governor Ray Blanton , three days before the actual end of his term of office. Blanton had issued a number of questionable pardons. He also eventually spent a time in prison for illegally selling alcohol licenses. Wilder and McWherter supported the early swearing in of Blanton's Republican successor, Lamar Alexander . Wilder called the matter "Impeachment ... Tennessee style."

In 1987, the Democratic majority leader Riley Darnell was originally nominated for the office of speaker by the Democratic Electoral Committee. The Republican electoral committee surprisingly put Wilder up for re-election for the office of speaker. Wilder was finally re-elected as speaker and thus as lieutenant governor with the votes of the Republicans and some Democratic defectors with a majority of 21:15 votes. Wilder's supporters, dubbed Wildercrats in the press, declined over time as a result of retirement, being voted out of office and being involved in the 2005 Tennessee Waltz corruption scandal. When he was last elected lieutenant governor, Wilder only supported two Republicans, Tim Burchett , Senator for the Knoxville constituency; and Mike Williams of the Maynardville constituency .

Wilder has served on numerous state, regional, and national associations and committees. These included the Southern Legislative Conference Executive Committee , the Tennessee Industrial and Agricultural Development Commission , the Tennessee Judicial Council , the Tennessee Bar Association, and the National Conference of State Legislatures Legislative Leaders . He was also vice chairman of the State Building Commission . In addition to his work in the various legislative bodies, he was also active in business. He was a director of Health Management, Inc. and Cumberland Savings Bank , chairman of the boards of Cumberland Bank Shares and First Federal Bank FSI Holding Company . Wilder also served in the management of Longtown Supply Co. , a family business founded in 1887. Wilder also served on the Fayette County Quarterly Court (now the County Commission ) for 18 years .

He was a farmer in his hometown, where he also pursued his hobby, aviation . Wilder had been married to Marcelle Morton since 1941, they lived in Fayette County and were active in the Methodist Church . She died in 2004 at the age of 83. They had two sons, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

John Wilder was hospitalized after suffering a stroke and died on January 1, 2010 at the age of 88.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2010/1/1/former_lt_gov_john_wilder_passes_away_at_88 Article in the Nashville Post from January 1, 2010
2. ↑ JOHN SHELTON WILDER 1921- Article in Tennessee Encyclopedia