Claude A. Swanson

The Honorable Claude Augustus Swanson
45th United States Secretary of the Navy
In office March 5, 1933 – July 7, 1939
President	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	Charles F. Adams III
Succeeded by	Charles Edison
United States Senator from Virginia
In office August 1, 1910 – March 4, 1933
Preceded by	John W. Daniel
Succeeded by	Harry F. Byrd
45th Governor of Virginia
In office February 1, 1906 – February 10, 1910
Lieutenant	James Taylor Ellyson
Preceded by	Andrew J. Montague
Succeeded by	William Hodges Mann
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 5th district
In office March 4, 1893 – January 30, 1906
Preceded by	Posey G. Lester
Succeeded by	Edward W. Saunders
Personal details
Born	(1862-03-31)March 31, 1862 Swansonville, Virginia, U.S.
Died	Rapidan Camp, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Deane Lyons
Alma mater	Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College Randolph-Macon College University of Virginia
Profession	Politician, Lawyer, Teacher

Claude Augustus Swanson (March 31, 1862 – July 7, 1939) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician from Virginia.

He served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1893 until 1906, was the 45th Governor of Virginia from 1906 until 1910, and represented Virginia as a United States Senator from 1910 until 1933. Swanson lived most of his life at his estate Eldon in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, built by the Whittle family for whom Chatham's Whittle Street is named.

He was Secretary of the Navy under Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 until his death in 1939, at Herbert Hoover's Rapidan Camp (which was then available for use by the Roosevelt Administration) at age 77.

Electoral history

• 1892; Swanson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 53.91% of the vote, defeating Populist Benjamin T. Jones.

• 1894; Swanson was re-elected with 52.34% of the vote, defeating Republican G.W.Cornett, Independent G.W. Hale, and Populist W.T. Shelton.

• 1896; Swanson was re-elected with 50.98% of the vote, defeating Republican John Robert Brown.

• 1898; Swanson was re-elected with 57.02% of the vote, defeating Republican Edmund Parr, Populist R.A. Bennett, Independent Republican R.O. Martin, and Independent C.T. Seay

• 1900; Swanson was re-elected with 58.14% of the vote, defeating Republican John R. Whitehead.

• 1902; Swanson was re-elected with 60.8% of the vote, defeating Republican Beverly A. Davis and Populist Dan Dickerson.

• 1904; Swanson was re-elected with 64.98% of the vote, defeating Republican J.B. Stovall.

• 1905; Swanson was elected Governor of Virginia with 64.51% of the vote, defeating Republican Lewis L. Lunsford and Socialist Labor B.D. Downey.

Memorials

The Swanson Middle School in Arlington, Virginia is named for him.

USS Swanson (DD-443) is named for him.

Short-lived Swanson County, Oklahoma, was also named for him, while he was still alive.

Further reading

• Claude A. Swanson of Virginia: A Political Biography, Henry C. Ferrell Jr., The University Press of Kentucky, 1985

External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
• Claude A. Swanson at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2009-05-16
• A Guide to the Executive Papers of Governor Claude A. Swanson, 1902-1913 (bulk 1906-1909) at The Library of Virginia

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Posey G. Lester	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 5th congressional district March 4, 1893 – January 30, 1906	Succeeded by Edward W. Saunders
Political offices
Preceded by Andrew J. Montague	Governor of Virginia February 1, 1906 – February 10, 1910	Succeeded by William H. Mann
United States Senate
Preceded by John W. Daniel	U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Virginia August 1, 1910 – March 4, 1933 Served alongside: Thomas S. Martin, E. Carter Glass	Succeeded by Harry F. Byrd
Government offices
Preceded by Charles F. Adams III	United States Secretary of the Navy March 6, 1933 – July 7, 1939	Succeeded by Frank Knox

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