United States Representatives from West Virginia

	ALDERSON, John Duffy (1854-1910)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born at Nicholas Court House (now Summersville), W.Va., November 29, 1854; attended the common schools; sergeant at arms of the State senate 1871-1873; doorkeeper in 1872 and 1873; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1876 and commenced practice at Nicholas Court House; appointed prosecuting attorney for the counties of Nicholas and Webster in 1876; elected prosecuting attorney for these counties, reelected in 1880 and 1884, and served until January 1, 1889; clerk of the State senate 1883-1887; elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-third Congresses (March 4, 1889-March 3, 1895); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1894 to the Fifty-fourth Congress; resumed the practice of law in Nicholas, W.Va.; delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1900 and 1908; died in Richwood, Nicholas County, W.Va., December 5, 1910; interment in a private burial ground at Summersville, W.Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Democrat 53 1893-1894 Representative Democrat 52 1891-1892 Representative Democrat 51 1889-1890

Image currently unavailable	ALLEN, Robert Edward Lee (1865-1951)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born in Lima, Tyler County, W.Va., November 28, 1865; attended the country schools, Fairmont Normal School, and Peabody College, Nashville, Tenn.; was graduated from the literary department of the University of West Virginia at Morgantown in 1894 and from its law department in 1895; was admitted to the bar in 1895 and commenced practice at Morgantown, Monongalia County, W.Va.; member of the city council from 1895 to 1917; deputy collector of internal revenue for the district of West Virginia 1917-1921; judge of the city court 1921-1923; elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-eighth Congress (March 4, 1923-March 3, 1925); was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1924 to the Sixty-ninth Congress and for election in 1926 to the Seventieth Congress; resumed the practice of law in Morgantown, W.Va., until his retirement in 1927; moved to Preston County, W.Va., and operated a summer resort at Brookside 1929-1939; resided in Aurora, W.Va., until his death in Mountain Lake Park, Md., January 28, 1951; interment in Kingwood Cemetery, Kingwood, W.Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Democrat 68 1923-1924

Image currently unavailable	ATKINSON, George Wesley (1845-1925)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born near Charleston, Kanawha County, Va. (now West Virginia), June 29, 1845; attended the public schools of Charleston and was graduated from the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware in 1870; was graduated from Mount Union College, Alliance, Ohio, and Howard University Law School, Washington, D.C.; collector of tolls on the Kanawha River Board 1869-1871; postmaster of Charleston 1871-1877; was admitted to the bar in 1875 and commenced practice in Charleston; later attended lectures on law at Columbia University; moved to Wheeling, Ohio County, W.Va., in 1877; editor of the Wheeling Standard in 1877 and 1878; internal-revenue agent of the Treasury Department 1879-1881; United States marshal for the district of West Virginia 1881-1885; successfully contested as a Republican the election of John O. Pendleton to the Fifty-first Congress and served from February 26, 1890, to March 3, 1891; declined to be a candidate for reelection in 1890; resumed the practice of law in Wheeling, W.Va.; editor of the West Virginia Journal 1891-1896; Governor of West Virginia 1897-1901; served as United States district attorney for the southern district of West Virginia from July 1, 1901, to April 18, 1905; appointed associate judge of the Court of Claims at Washington, D.C., on April 15, 1905, and served until April 16, 1916, when he retired; died in Charleston, W.Va., April 4, 1925; interment in Spring Hill Cemetery.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Republican 51 1889-1890

Image currently unavailable	AVIS, Samuel Brashear (1872-1924)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born in Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Va., February 19, 1872; attended the public schools and Staunton (Va.) Military Academy; was graduated from the law department of Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va.; was admitted to the bar in 1893 and commenced practice in Charleston, W.Va.; commissioned senior captain of Company A, Second West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, during the Spanish-American War in 1898; served until 1899, when he was honorably discharged; prosecuting attorney of Kanawha County, W.Va., from January 1, 1900, to December 31, 1912; assistant United States attorney for the southern district of West Virginia from August 22 to November 15, 1904; elected as a Republican to the Sixty-third Congress (March 4, 1913-March 3, 1915); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1914 to the Sixty-fourth Congress; resumed the practice of law; was killed by lightning in Charleston, W.Va., June 8, 1924; interment in Spring Hill Cemetery, Spring Hill, W.Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Republican 63 1913-1914

Image currently unavailable	BACHMANN, Carl George (1890-1980)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born in Wheeling, Ohio County, W.Va., May 14, 1890; attended the public schools; was graduated from Linsly Institute, Wheeling, W.Va., in 1908; attended Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, Pa., for two years; was graduated from West Virginia University at Morgantown in 1913 and from its law department in 1915; was admitted to the bar in 1915 and commenced practice in Wheeling; appointed assistant prosecuting attorney of Ohio County in January 1917; was subsequently elected prosecuting attorney in January 1921 and served until January 1925; elected as a Republican to the Sixty-ninth and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1925-March 3, 1933); minority whip (Seventy-second Congress); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1932 to the Seventy-third Congress and for election in 1934 to the Seventy-fourth Congress; resumed the practice of law in Wheeling, W.Va., served on the city council of Wheeling, W.Va., 1939-1941; member of the West Virginia State liquor control commission 1941-1944; executive director of civilian defense for State of West Virginia, 1942-1944; elected mayor of Wheeling in 1947 for the term ending June 30, 1951; engaged in banking and the practice of law; was a resident of Wheeling, W.Va., where he died January 22, 1980; interment Greenwood Cemetery, Wheeling W.Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Republican 72 1931-1932 Representative Republican 71 1929-1930 Representative Republican 70 1927-1928 Representative Republican 69 1925-1926

	BAILEY, Cleveland Monroe (1886-1965)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born on a farm near St. Marys, Pleasants County, W.Va., July 15, 1886; attended the public schools, and West Liberty State College, West Liberty, W.Va.; was graduated from Geneva College, Beaver Falls, Pa., in 1908; high school principal at Clarksburg, W.Va., in 1917 and 1918; district supervisor of schools 1919-1922; councilman of Clarksburg, W.Va., 1921-1923; Associated Press editor in Clarksburg, W.Va., 1923-1933; assistant State auditor 1933-1941; State budget director 1941-1944; delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Chicago in 1932; elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-ninth Congress (January 3, 1945-January 3, 1947); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1946 to the Eightieth Congress; State tax statistician in 1947 and 1948; elected to the Eighty-first and to the six succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1949-January 3, 1963); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1962 to the Eighty-eighth Congress; was a resident of Clarksburg, W.Va.; died in Charleston, W.Va., July 13, 1965; interment in Greenlawn Cemetery, Clarksburg, W.Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Democrat 87 1961-1962 Representative Democrat 86 1959-1960 Representative Democrat 85 1957-1958 Representative Democrat 84 1955-1956 Representative Democrat 83 1953-1954 Representative Democrat 82 1951-1952 Representative Democrat 81 1949-1950 Representative Democrat 79 1945-1946

Image currently unavailable	BENEDICT, Cleveland Keith (1935- )
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pa., March 21, 1935; attended the public schools; graduated, The Hill School, Pottstown, Pa., 1953; B.A., Princeton University, 1959; graduated, Graham School for Cattlemen, Graham, Kans., 1962; dairy farmer; chairman, West Virginia Board of Probation and Parole, 1974-1975; commissioner, finance and administration, State of West Virginia, 1975-1977; chairman, West Virginia State Republican Executive Committee, 1977-1980; delegate, West Virginia State Republican conventions, 1964-1976; delegate, Republican National Convention, 1984; elected as a Republican to the Ninety-seventh Congress (January 3, 1981-January 3, 1983); not a candidate for reelection in 1982 but was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the United States Senate; unsuccessful candidate for election to the Ninety-ninth Congress in 1984; deputy assistant secretary, U.S. Department of Energy, 1983; chairman, R.S.M., Inc., Washington, D.C., 1985-1986; West Virginia State commissioner of agriculture, 1989-1993; unsuccessful candidate for governor of West Virginia in 1992; is a resident of Lewisburg, W.Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Republican 97 1981-1982

Image currently unavailable	BLAIR, Jacob Beeson (1821-1901)
	Bio: a Representative from Virginia and from West Virginia; born in Parkersburg, Wood County, Va. (now W.Va.), April 11, 1821; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1844; lawyer, private practice; prosecuting attorney, Ritchie County, Va. (now W.Va.); elected as a Unionist from Virginia to the Thirty-seventh Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of United States Representative John S. Carlile (December 2, 1861-March 3, 1863); elected as an Unconditional Unionist from West Virginia to the Thirty-eighth Congress (December 7, 1863-March 3, 1865); United States Minister to Costa Rica, 1868-1873; associate justice of the supreme court of Wyoming, 1876-1888; probate judge for Salt Lake County, Utah, 1892-1895; surveyor general of Utah, 1897-1901; died on February 12, 1901, Salt Lake City, Utah; interment in Mount Olive Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Unconditional Unionist 38 1863-1864

	BOWERS, George Meade (1863-1925)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born in Gerrardstown, Berkeley County, W.Va., September 13, 1863; educated by private tutors and attended high school; engaged in banking; member of the State house of delegates 1883-1887; supervisor of the United States census for West Virginia in 1890; delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1892; member and treasurer of the board of World’s Fair commissioners for West Virginia in 1893; Commissioner of Fisheries from 1898 to 1913, when he resigned; elected as a Republican to the Sixty-fourth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William G. Brown, Jr.; reelected to the Sixty-fifth, Sixty-sixth, and Sixty-seventh Congresses and served from May 9, 1916, to March 3, 1923; unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1922 to the Sixty-eighth Congress; president of the People’s Trust Co.; died in Martinsburg, W.Va., December 7, 1925; interment in the Presbyterian Cemetery, Gerrardstown, W.Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Republican 67 1921-1922 Representative Republican 66 1919-1920 Representative Republican 65 1917-1918 Representative Republican 64 1915-1916

Image currently unavailable	BOWMAN, Frank Llewellyn (1879-1936)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born in Masontown, Fayette County, Pa., January 21, 1879; attended the public schools; moved with his parents to Morgantown, W.Va.; was graduated from the University of West Virginia at Morgantown in 1902; teller in a bank at Morgantown from 1902 until 1904, when he resigned to take up the study of law; was admitted to the bar in 1905 and commenced practice in Morgantown, W.Va.; was also interested in coal mining; appointed postmaster of Morgantown May 25, 1911, and served until April 14, 1915, when a successor was appointed; city mayor in 1916 and 1917; declined renomination for mayor; elected as a Republican to the Sixty-ninth and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1925-March 3, 1933); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1932 to the Seventy-third Congress; organized a coal company in Washington, D.C., and served as president until appointed a member of the Board of Veterans Appeals of the Veterans’ Administration in 1935 and served until his death in Washington, D.C., on September 15, 1936; interment in Oak Grove Cemetery, Morgantown, W.Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Republican 72 1931-1932 Representative Republican 71 1929-1930 Representative Republican 70 1927-1928 Representative Republican 69 1925-1926

Image currently unavailable	BROWN, William Gay (1856-1916)
	Bio: (son of William Gay Brown [1800-1865]), a Representative from West Virginia; born in Kingwood, Preston County, Va. (now West Virginia), April 7, 1856; attended the common schools; was graduated from the University of West Virginia at Morgantown in 1877; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1877 and commenced practice in Preston County, W.Va.; also engaged in banking; elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-second, Sixty-third, and Sixty-fourth Congresses and served from March 4, 1911, until his death in Washington, D.C., March 9, 1916; interment in Kingwood Cemetery, Kingwood, W.Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Democrat 64 1915-1916 Representative Democrat 63 1913-1914 Representative Democrat 62 1911-1912

Image currently unavailable	BURNSIDE, Maurice Gwinn (1902-1991)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born near Columbia, Richland County, S.C., August 23, 1902; attended the public schools of South Carolina; attended The Citadel, Charleston, S.C., 1920-1922; graduated from Furman University Law School, Greenville, S.C., 1926; M.A., University of Texas, Austin, Tex., 1928; Ph.D., Duke University, Durham, N.C., 1937; instructor, Greenville High School, Greenville, S.C., 1931-1932; staff, Duke University Library, Durham, N.C., 1933-1935; instructor, Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn University), Auburn, Ala., 1936-1937; professor, Marshall University, Huntington, W.Va., 1937-1948; member, Parole and Probation Examination Board of West Virginia, 1939-1941; chairman of Workers Education for West Virginia, 1942-1945; elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-first and Eighty-second Congresses (January 3, 1949-January 3, 1953); unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Eighty-third Congress in 1952; branch chief, National Security Agency, Washington, D.C., 1953; elected to the Eighty-fourth Congress (January 3, 1955-January 3, 1957); unsuccessful candidate for election to the Eighty-fifth Congress in 1956; business executive; public advocate; delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1960; legislative liaison, Department of Defense, 1961-1968; author; died on February 2, 1991, in Wilson, N.C.; remains were cremated.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Democrat 84 1955-1956 Representative Democrat 82 1951-1952 Representative Democrat 81 1949-1950

	BYRD, Robert Carlyle (1917-2010)
	Bio: a Representative and a Senator from West Virginia; born in North Wilkesboro, Wilkes County, N.C., November 20, 1917; attended West Virginia public schools; student at Beckley College, Concord College, Morris Harvey College, and Marshall College, all in West Virginia, and George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C.; graduated, American University Law School 1963; received Bachelor’s degree in political science from Marshall University 1994; member of the West Virginia house of delegates 1947-1950; member of the West Virginia senate 1951-1952, resigning when elected to Congress; elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-third, Eighty-fourth, and Eighty-fifth Congresses (January 3, 1953-January 3, 1959); elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1958 for the term commencing January 3, 1959, and served from January 3, 1959, until his death; reelected in 1964, 1970, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000, and again in 2006 for the term ending January 3, 2013; Secretary, Senate Democratic Conference 1967-1971; Democratic whip 1971-1977; Majority Leader 1977-1980, 1987-1988; Minority Leader 1981-1986; President pro tempore (1989-1995, June 6, 2001-January 3, 2003, 2007-June 28, 2010); chair, Committee on Appropriations (One Hundred First through One Hundred Third Congresses; One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 3-20, 2001; June 6, 2001-January 3, 2003]; One Hundred Tenth Congress); died June 28, 2010; lay in repose in the Senate Chamber July 1, 2010; interment in Columbia Gardens Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Senator Democrat 111 2009-2010 Senator Democrat 110 2007-2008 Senator Democrat 109 2005-2006 Senator Democrat 108 2003-2004 Senator Democrat 107 2001-2002 Senator Democrat 106 1999-2000 Senator Democrat 105 1997-1998 Senator Democrat 104 1995-1996 Senator Democrat 103 1993-1994 Senator Democrat 102 1991-1992 Senator Democrat 101 1989-1990 Senator Democrat 100 1987-1988 Senator Democrat 99 1985-1986 Senator Democrat 98 1983-1984 Senator Democrat 97 1981-1982 Senator Democrat 96 1979-1980 Senator Democrat 95 1977-1978 Senator Democrat 94 1975-1976 Senator Democrat 93 1973-1974 Senator Democrat 92 1971-1972 Senator Democrat 91 1969-1970 Senator Democrat 90 1967-1968 Senator Democrat 89 1965-1966 Senator Democrat 88 1963-1964 Senator Democrat 87 1961-1962 Senator Democrat 86 1959-1960 Representative Democrat 85 1957-1958 Representative Democrat 84 1955-1956 Representative Democrat 83 1953-1954

Image currently unavailable	CAPEHART, James (1847-1921)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born in Point Pleasant, Mason County, Va. (now West Virginia), March 7, 1847; attended the public schools and Marietta College, Ohio; studied at Duff’s Commercial College, Pittsburgh, Pa.; clerk and bookkeeper in his father’s store; engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock breeding 1867-1903; president of Mason County Court in 1871, 1872, and again 1880-1885; delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1888; elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-second and Fifty-third Congresses (March 4, 1891-March 3, 1895); was not a candidate for reelection in 1894; president of the Point Pleasant National Bank in 1901; after 1903 he became interested in fruit growing in Brevard County, Fla.; resided in Cocoa, Fla., until his death on April 28, 1921; interment in Lone Oak Cemetery, Point Pleasant, W.Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Democrat 53 1893-1894 Representative Democrat 52 1891-1892

	CAPITO, Shelley Moore (1953- )
	Bio: (daughter of Arch Alfred Moore, Jr.), a Representative from West Virginia; born in Glendale, Marshall County, W.Va., November 26, 1953; B.S., Duke University, Durham, N.C., 1975; M.Ed., University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va., 1976; college counselor; member, West Virginia state house of representatives, 1997-2001; elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Seventh and to the six succeeding Congresses (January 3, 2001-present).
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Republican 113 2013-2014 Representative Republican 112 2011-2012 Representative Republican 111 2009-2010 Representative Republican 110 2007-2008 Representative Republican 109 2005-2006 Representative Republican 108 2003-2004 Representative Republican 107 2001-2002

Image currently unavailable	COOPER, Edward (1873-1928)
	Bio: a Representative from West Virginia; born in Treverton, Northumberland County, Pa., February 26, 1873; moved with his parents to Fayette County, W.Va., in 1875; attended public and private schools; was graduated from Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va., in 1892, and subsequently from the law department of the same university; was admitted to the bar in 1894 and practiced law for three years in Bramwell, Mercer County, W.Va.; member of the town council for eight years; on the death of his father abandoned the practice of law and engaged in the development of coal properties in West Virginia; delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1912; elected as a Republican to the Sixty-fourth and Sixty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1915-March 3, 1919); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1918 to the Sixty-sixth Congress; again engaged in the production of coal in Mercer and McDowell Counties, W.Va., and served as a director in several coal companies; died in Bluefield, W.Va., March 1, 1928; interment in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Va.
Position Party Session of Congress Years Representative Republican 65 1917-1918 Representative Republican 64 1915-1916