Wesley Abner D'Ewart (October 1, 1889 – September 2, 1973) was a

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

who served in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

from

Montana's 2nd congressional district Montana's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the United States House of Representatives that was apportioned after the 2020 United States census. The first candidates ran in the 2022 elections for a seat in the 118th Uni ...

from June 5, 1945, to January 3, 1955.

Early life

Wesley D'Ewart was born in

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Englan ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

to William John D'Ewart and Mary Elizabeth Barnard.Scott, Kim Allen. “Historical Note.” Wesley D’Ewart Papers, 1936-1973. Montana State University, Special Collections and Archival Informatics, 2009. He attended Washington State College at Pullman. In 1910, D'Ewart moved to Wilsall,

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

, where he settled in Park County. Before entering politics, D'Ewart worked in ranching and for the Forest Service.“D'Ewart, Wesley Abner.” History, Art & Archives: United States House of Representatives, 2021. https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/12176.

Political career

Throughout his career, D’Ewart was a staunch member of the Republican Party. In 1936, D’Ewart was elected to the

Montana House of Representatives The Montana House of Representatives is, with the Montana Senate, one of the two houses of the Montana Legislature. Composed of 100 members, the House elects its leadership every two years. Composition of the House :''67th Legislature – 2021� ...

. He served there for three years, then was elected to the

Montana Senate The Montana Senate is the upper house of the Montana Legislature, the state legislative branch of the U.S. state of Montana. The body is composed of 50 senators elected for four years. Composition of the Senate :''67th Legislature – 2021–202 ...

in 1940. D’Ewart served in the Senate from 1941 to 1945. When United States Congressman

James F. O'Connor James Francis O'Connor (May 7, 1878 – January 15, 1945) was a U.S. Representative from Montana. Biography O'Connor was born on a farm near California Junction, Iowa, and attended grade school and normal school in Iowa. He graduated from the ...

, who represented

died on January 15, 1945, a special election was held to replace him, which D'Ewart won.Barrett, Evan. “Montana Voices: Special Election? That Sounds Familiar.” Missoula Current. Missoula Current, 2017. https://missoulacurrent.com/opinion/2017/03/montana-special-election-congress-evan-barrett/?print=print. He was re-elected in

1946 Events January * January 6 - The 1946 North Vietnamese parliamentary election, first general election ever in Vietnam is held. * January 7 – The Allies recognize the Austrian republic with its 1937 borders, and divide the country into f ...

against Democratic nominee John J. Holmes by a wide margin, and in

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...

, he defeated Willard E. Fraser to narrowly win re-election. D'Ewart was re-elected in

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 cr ...

and

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, becomes m ...

against John J. Holmes. Rather than seek re-election, D'Ewart ran for the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

against incumbent Democratic Senator

James E. Murray James Edward Murray (May 3, 1876March 23, 1961) was an American politician and United States Senator from Montana, and a liberal leader of the Democratic Party. He served in the United States Senate from 1934 until 1961. Background Born on a f ...

1954 Events January * January 1 – The Soviet Union ceases to demand war reparations from West Germany. * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown-IBM experiment: The fir ...

. Following a close and contentious election, Murray narrowly defeated D'Ewart to win his final term in the Senate.Design. “Senator James E. Murray of Montana - The Knoxville Focus.” The Knoxville Focus. The Knoxville Focus, August 17, 2014. https://knoxfocus.com/archives/senator-james-e-murray-montana/. D'Ewart served as an assistant to the

United States Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organi ...

from January 1955 to September 1955. He was in charge of lands and reclamation.Van, Dusen George. “Politics of ‘Partnership’: The Eisenhower Administration and Conservation, 1952-60,” 1974. He was Assistant Secretary of the

Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...

from October 1955 to July 1956. From August 1956 to October 1958 he was a special representative for the Secretary of Agriculture. When incumbent Governor

J. Hugo Aronson John Hugo Aronson (September 1, 1891 – February 25, 1978) was an American businessman and politician from the United States Republican Party, Republican Party and the List of governors of Montana, 14th Governor of the State of Montana. Biogra ...

declined to seek reelection as

Governor of Montana The governor of Montana is the head of government of MontanaMontana Constitution, Article VI, Section 4. and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. state, state's Montana National Guard, military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, ...

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...

, D'Ewart ran to succeed him, and lost to former

State Senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...

Donald Grant Nutter Donald Grant Nutter (November 28, 1915January 25, 1962) was an American politician. A recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross in World War II, Nutter served in the Montana Senate and as the chair of the state Republican Party prior to bein ...

in the

primary by fewer than five hundred votes. (Nutter went on to win the general election.)

Publications

* D'Ewart, Wesley Abner. ''Promoting the interests of the Fort Fall Indian irrigation project, Idaho.'' House Report: 80th Congress, 2nd Session, June 15, 1948. * D'Ewart, Wesley Abner. ''Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands.'' House Report: 83rd Congress, 2nd Session, July 9, 1954. * D'Ewart, Wesley. ''Eisenhower Administration Project.'' ew York Columbia University Oral History Research Office, 1967.

Later years

D’Ewart retired from politics and lived in Wilsall, Montana. During his retirement, D’Ewart remained active in the Republican Party. He followed Montana elections closely and worked as an activist and strategist. D'Ewart was a director of the National Water Resources Association, and he served on the Western States Water Council from 1966 to 1969. He died in

Livingston, Montana Livingston is a city and county seat of Park County, Montana, United States. It is in southwestern Montana, on the Yellowstone River, north of Yellowstone National Park. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 8,040. History T ...

, on September 2, 1973. D'Ewart was buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Livingston.Our Campaigns - Candidate - Wesley Abner D'Ewart. Accessed April 5, 2021. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=47272. His papers are now held by the Montana State University Library's Archives and Special Collections.

References

External links

* Wesley A. D'Ewart Papers, (1936-1973),

Merrill G. Burlingame Merrill G. Burlingame (March 13, 1901 – November 14, 1994) was a history professor at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana who specialized in Montana history and the history of the American West. He was instrumental in the founding ...

Special Collections,

Montana State University Montana State University (MSU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Bozeman, Montana. It is the state's largest university. MSU offers baccalaureate degrees in 60 fields, master's degrees in 6 ...

br>Library.

The Reminiscences of Wesley A. D'Ewart: Oral History, 1972.
Interview conducted by Roy Huffman and Jeffrey J. Safford, both employed by Montana State University during the 1970s. Held at Montana State University'
Archives and Special Collections
* * Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands
Readex online.
* Fort Hall Indian Irrigation Project
Readex online.
{{DEFAULTSORT:DEwart, Wesley A. 1889 births 1973 deaths Politicians from Worcester, Massachusetts Washington State University alumni People from Park County, Montana Republican Party members of the Montana House of Representatives Republican Party Montana state senators Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Montana 20th-century American politicians Notable residents of Montana