Milton Horace West (June 30, 1888 – October 28, 1948) was an American lawyer, Texas Ranger and politician who served eight terms as a Democratic member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

representing Texas's 15th congressional district from 1933 until his death in 1948.

Early life

Milton Horace West was born on a farm near

Gonzales, Texas Gonzales is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, with a population of 7,165 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Gonzales County, Texas, Gonzales County. Gonzales was the site of several integral events in the T ...

on June 30, 1888. As a child he attended the local public schools in Gonzales County 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 Church in the United States of America, Episcopal university preparatory school#North America, college prepa ...

San Antonio, Texas San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...

. 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, its 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 sta ...

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. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...

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 (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

from 1930 to 1933.

Congress

In 1933 West became a U.S. Representative when he was elected to replace

John Nance Garner John Nance Garner III (November 22, 1868 – November 7, 1967), known among his contemporaries as "Cactus Jack", was the 32nd vice president of the United States, serving from 1933 to 1941, under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A member of the ...

after his resignation (due to Garner being elected

Vice President A vice president or 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 vi ...

). 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.

Death and burial

He died in office on October 28, 1948. He was a longtime resident of

Brownsville, Texas Brownsville ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County, located on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border, border with Matamoros, Tamaulipas ...

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 Lloyd Millard Bentsen Jr. (February 11, 1921 – May 23, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 69th United States secretary of the treasury under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1994. He served as a United States senator from ...

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

Electoral history

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 People from Gonzales, Texas TMI Episcopal alumni 20th-century members of the Texas Legislature 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives