Wilbur Louis Adams (October 23, 1884 – December 4, 1937) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served as U.S. Representative from Delaware.

Early life

Adams was born in

Georgetown, Delaware Georgetown is a town and the county seat of Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade. Georgetown is part of the Salisbury, Marylan ...

, son of William Dunning Adams and Sarah Lavinia (Thompson) Adams. He had attended Delaware College in Newark and

Dickinson College , mottoeng = Freedom is made safe through character and learning , established = , type = Private liberal arts college , endowment = $645.5 million (2022) , president = Jo ...

Carlisle, Pennsylvania Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2020 census, the borough population was 20,118; ...

. In 1907 he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law at Philadelphia, was admitted to the Delaware Bar, and began the practice of law in Wilmington.

Political career

Adams was an unsuccessful candidate for election as state Attorney General in 1924. In 1932, the incumbent Republican U.S. Representative,

Robert G. Houston Robert Griffith Houston (October 13, 1867 – January 29, 1946) was an American lawyer, publisher and politician from Georgetown, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party, who served four terms as U.S. Representat ...

, was involved in an intra-party dispute over prohibition and failed to win the Republican nomination. As a result, Adams was able to win a narrow victory, and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1932, defeating Republican Reuben Satterthwaite Jr. Adams served with the Democratic majority in the 73rd Congress. In the U.S. House, Adams voted with the straight

New Deal The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Con ...

program. He served from March 4, 1933 until January 3, 1935, during the administration of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1934, Adams decided not to seek reelection, but rather to challenge the popular incumbent U.S. Senator

John G. Townsend Jr. John Gillis Townsend Jr. (May 31, 1871 – April 10, 1964) was an American businessman and politician from Selbyville in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party who served one term as Governor and two terms as U.S. Se ...

for his U.S. Senate seat. A thoughtful moderate Republican, Townsend had supported much of the New Deal legislation, and had demonstrated considerable effectiveness through his involvement in the establishment of such things as the

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is one of two agencies that supply deposit insurance to depositors in American depository institutions, the other being the National Credit Union Administration, which regulates and insures cr ...

. By contrast, Adams had a low profile in the House of Representatives and Townsend was able to raise questions about Adams' effectiveness for Delaware. Once again bucking national trends, Delaware had its own local Republican landslide in 1934, led by Townsend. Adams came home and moved to

where he continued the practice of law. He was also the acting Postmaster at Georgetown, from May 6, 1937, until his death.

Death and legacy

Adams died at the Beebe Hospital, Lewes, Delaware. He is buried in the Union Cemetery, located at South Race Street, Georgetown.

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. U.S. Representatives took office March 4 and have a two-year term. Since 1935 all Congressional terms began January 3.

References

Images

Encyclopedia Dickinsonia

External links

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Wilbur L. 1884 births 1937 deaths People from Wilmington, Delaware People from Georgetown, Delaware Dickinson College alumni University of Pennsylvania Law School alumni Delaware lawyers Burials in Sussex County, Delaware Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware American postmasters 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American lawyers