Ernest Rankin Fite (September 1, 1916 – November 6, 1980) was an

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

state legislator and attorney.

Biography

Fite was born in

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 202 ...

to Ernest Baxter and Minnie Watt Fite. His grandfather, Bloomer Rankin Fite, established a firm and practiced law in the

Hamilton, Alabama Hamilton is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Alabama, United States. It incorporated in 1896 and since 1980 has been the county's largest city, surpassing Winfield. It was previously the largest town in 1910. At the 2020 census, ...

area in the 1880s, with four of his sons, including Ernest Rankin's father. Ernest Baxter Fite also served in the

Alabama House of Representatives The Alabama State House of Representatives is the lower house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of state of Alabama. The House is composed of 105 members representing an equal number of districts, with each constituency contain ...

and

Alabama Senate The Alabama State Senate is the upper house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The body is composed of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, with each district contai ...

for

Marion County, Alabama Marion County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the population was 29,341. The county seat is Hamilton. The county was created by an act of the Alabama Territorial General Assembly on February 13, 1818. The coun ...

. Fite graduated from the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publi ...

with a LL.B degree in 1939 and joined his family firm after being

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

. He was commissioned as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 1 ...

for

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

where he went overseas to fly as a navigator. After the war, he returned to law practice in 1945. He was elected to the

in 1946 and served as a floor leader. He ran successfully for the House of Representatives in 1950 and served five consecutive terms there, serving as

speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...

on two occasions. While serving in the house and senate, Fite also served as bank director for the Bank of Hackleburg and president of the Marion County Banking Company. During his time in the house, he sought improvements to his hometown of Hamilton, revamping streets and sewer systems. On February 16, 1968, Fite, then Speaker of the House, placed the ceremonial first

9-1-1 , usually written 911, is an emergency telephone number for the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Palau, Argentina, Philippines, Jordan, as well as the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), one of eight N11 codes. Like other emergency n ...

call from the town of Haleyville. The emergency system had been rushed into service by the Alabama Telephone Company in an effort to show the innovative prowess of the independent telephone industry. Fite's call was answered by then-Congressman

Tom Bevill Tom Donald Fike Bevill (March 27, 1921 – March 28, 2005) was an American attorney, politician, and Democratic fifteen-term U.S. congressman who represented Alabama's 4th Congressional District and Alabama's 7th congressional district from 1967 ...

. He retired from politics in 1974 due to failing health, having suffered from

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

prior to retiring. He died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which m ...

in 1980. He was married in 1941 to Ruby Alene Morris with whom he had one son, Ernest Adams. On February 16, 1968, Fite, then Speaker of the House, placed the ceremonial first 9-1-1 call from the town of Haleyville. The emergency system had been rushed into service by the Alabama Telephone Company in an effort to show the innovative prowess of the independent telephone industry. Upon his death in 1980, Fite was described as "one of the most masterful members of the state legislature". Former governor

George C. Wallace George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Alabama for four terms. A member of the Democratic Party, he is best remembered for his staunch segregationist and ...

commented that "

oday was Uday or Odai is a masculine name in Arabic as well as several Indian languages. In many Indian languages it means 'dawn' or 'rise'. The Arabic name (عدي) means 'runner' or 'rising'. List of people * Uday Benegal, Indian musician * Raja Uday Prat ...

truly a sad day, as we experience the loss of a man who in legislative circles had already become a legend".

References

1916 births 1980 deaths Members of the Alabama House of Representatives Alabama state senators Speakers of the Alabama House of Representatives 20th-century American lawyers People from Hamilton, Alabama 20th-century American politicians {{Alabama-politician-stub