Milton Horace West (June 30, 1888 – October 28, 1948) was a seven-term Democratic member of 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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

representing

Texas's 15th congressional district Texas's 15th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes a thin section of the far south of the state of Texas. The district's current Representative is Democrat Vicente Gonzalez, who was first elected in 2 ...

from 1933 until his death in 1948.

Early life

Milton Horace West was born on a farm near Gonzales, Texas on June 30, 1888. As a child he attended the local public schools in

Gonzales County Gonzales County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, adjacent to Greater Austin-San Antonio. As of the 2020 census, its population was 19,653. The county is named for its county seat, the city of Gonzales. The county was created in 1836 a ...

and later enrolled at

West Texas Military Academy TMI Episcopal is a private school in San Antonio. Previously known as Texas Military Institute, TMI is a selective coeducational Episcopal college preparatory school with a military tradition in San Antonio, Texas for boarding and day students. ...

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

. After graduation West served with the Texas Rangers from 1911 to 1912. In 1915, after being admitted to the Texas state bar, he opened his first legal practice in

Floresville, Texas Floresville is a city in Wilson County, Texas, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population was at 7,203 at the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of Wilson County. The city is also part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statis ...

Political career

From 1922 to 1925, West served as district attorney for Texas's 28th judicial district and later as assistant district attorney from 1927 to 1930. He won his first public office in 1930 when he was elected to the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abo ...

where he served as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

from 1930 to 1933. In 1933 West became a U.S. Representative when he was elected to replace John Nance Garner after his resignation (due to Garner being elected

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

). He was later reelected to seven of his own terms in congress. He was reelected unopposed in 1942, 1944, and 1946 and did not stand for reelection in 1948. He died in office on October 28, 1948. He was a longtime resident of Brownsville, Texas where his body was buried in Buena Vista Cemetery. Future U.S. Senator and

Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...

Lloyd Bentsen won the special election to fill West's vacant seat.

References

External links

The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: West to Westbrook
at politicalgraveyard.com {{DEFAULTSORT:West, Milton H. 1888 births 1948 deaths Democratic Party members of the Texas House of Representatives Members of the Texas Ranger Division County district attorneys in Texas Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas 20th-century American politicians People from Gonzales, Texas TMI Episcopal alumni

Early life

Political career

See also

References

External links