Robert Lee "Bob" Doughton (November 7, 1863 – October 1, 1954), of

Alleghany County, North Carolina Alleghany County (
, from the North Carolina Collection website at the

...

, sometimes known as "Farmer Bob", was a 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 house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

from

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

for 42 consecutive years (1911–1953). 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 ...

originally from

Laurel Springs, North Carolina Laurel Springs is an unincorporated community in Alleghany County, North Carolina, Alleghany County, North Carolina, United States. Laurel Springs is located at the junction of North Carolina Highway 18 and North Carolina Highway 88 near the Ashe C ...

, he was the

Dean of the United States House of Representatives The dean of the United States House of Representatives is the longest continuously serving member of the House. The current dean is Hal Rogers, a Republican Party U.S. Representative from Kentucky, who has served in the House since 1981. The d ...

for his last few months in Congress. He is the longest-serving member ever of the United States House of Representatives from the state of

. In the 1930s Doughton was a key player in the creation of the

Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...

and the passage of the

Social Security Act The Social Security Act of 1935 is a law enacted by the 74th United States Congress and signed into law by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The law created the Social Security program as well as insurance against unemployment. The law was pa ...

Family and education

Doughton's father was a captain in the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

; he named his son Robert after Confederate General

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...

. Robert earned the equivalent of a high-school diploma from the Traphill Academy. Although he never attended college, he was awarded honorary

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

s from the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

and

Catawba College Catawba College is a private college in Salisbury, North Carolina. Founded in 1851 by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in Newton, the college adopted its name from its county of origin, Catawba County, before moving to its c ...

during his political career. Doughton was married twice. His first wife, Boyd Greer, died in 1895 after only two years of marriage. He remarried in 1898 to Lillie Hix; they remained married until her death in 1946. He had two sons and two daughters. His elder brother was

Rufus A. Doughton Rufus A. Doughton (January 10, 1857 – August 17, 1946) was an American politician who served as a member of the North Carolina General Assembly from Alleghany County, North Carolina, and as speaker of the state House of Representatives for one ...

, who was at various times

Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives The Speaker of the North Carolina North Carolina House of Representatives, House of Representatives is the presiding officer of one of the houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The Speaker is elected by the members of the house when they ...

and

Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina The lieutenant governor of North Carolina is the second-highest elected official in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is the only elected official to have powers in both the legislative and executive branches of state government. A member o ...

. Doughton was a member and

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...

of the Laurel Springs Baptist Church. After his death in 1954 at the age of 90 he was buried next to his wife Lillie in the church cemetery. In the 1990s Rufus Doughton's former home in Laurel Springs was restored, and it is now a popular

bed-and-breakfast Bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B or BnB) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. Bed and breakfasts are often private family homes and typically have between four and eleven rooms, wit ...

for tourists to the region. The Robert L. Doughton House was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1979.

Business and political career

In private life, Doughton was a prosperous farmer and banker. By 1900 he owned over of land in his native

Alleghany County, North Carolina Alleghany County (
, from the North Carolina Collection website at the

...

, where he raised herds of prized Hereford and Holstein cows. He was also the owner and president of the Deposit Savings and Loan Bank in

North Wilkesboro, North Carolina North Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States, approximately 80 miles north of Charlotte. The population was 4,131 at the 2020 US Census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improveme ...

; when the bank merged in 1936 with several other banks and formed the

Northwestern Bank Northwestern Bank was a community bank based in Traverse City, Michigan that served northern Michigan. In 2014, it was acquired by Chemical Financial Corporation. History The bank was established in 1955. In September 2012, the bank entered into ...

, Doughton briefly served as the new bank's director. His interest in farming led to his being named to the North Carolina Board of Agriculture in 1903; this marked the beginning of his career in politics. Before being elected to Congress, Doughton served one term in the

North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for e ...

(1908–09) and was director of the state Prison Board (1909–11). Signing Of The Social Security Act

Congressional achievements

Doughton was for 18 years (1933–1947 and 1949–1953) the Chairman of the powerful

U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means The Committee on Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The committee has jurisdiction over all taxation, tariffs, and other revenue-raising measures, as well as a number of other program ...

, and as such he co-sponsored, held hearings on, and oversaw the passage of the

in 1935. Doughton was also instrumental in the creation of the

, America's most-traveled scenic highway. The largest park and recreational area on the parkway is named in his honor. Doughton is also known for introducing the

Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, , was a United States Act that placed a tax on the sale of cannabis. The H.R. 6385 act was drafted by Harry Anslinger and introduced by Rep. Robert L. Doughton of North Carolina, on April 14, 1937. The Seventy-fift ...

, which effectively served as a federal ban on marijuana prohibition in the United States in lieu of federal authority to directly regulate medicines or drugs.

References

External links

Congressional Biography
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Doughton, Robert L. 1863 births 1954 deaths People from Alleghany County, North Carolina Baptists from North Carolina Doughton family Democratic Party North Carolina state senators Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina Deans of the United States House of Representatives

Family and education

Business and political career

Congressional achievements

See also

References

External links