Thomas Granville Burch (July 3, 1869March 20, 1951) was an American farmer,

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

manufacturer, and politician from

Martinsville, Virginia Martinsville is an Political subdivisions of Virginia#Independent cities, independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 13, ...

. He represented

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

in the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the 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 Article One of th ...

from 1931 until 1946. In 1946 he served as a

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

after

Carter Glass Carter Glass (January 4, 1858 – May 28, 1946) was an American newspaper publisher and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician from Lynchburg, Virginia, Lynchburg, Virginia. He represented Virginia in both houses of United Stat ...

died in office until a successor was elected.

Biography

Burch was born near the community of Dyer's Store in

Henry County, Virginia Henry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 50,948. The county seat is usually identified as Martinsville; however, the administration building (where county offices are located ...

. Early in his life, he worked as a farmer and for a tobacco manufacturing company. After his move to Martinsville, where he was elected mayor, Burch worked in banking, and later in the real estate and insurance businesses, owning a business devoted to both. Burch was elected as a Democrat to the 72nd Congress in 1931, and served until May 1946, when he was appointed to the

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

. Thomas 'Tom' Burch was married April 22, 1903 to Mary Ellen Anson, the daughter of Rev. Alfred W. Anson, an Episcopal priest born at

Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a List of British royal residences, royal residence at Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, about west of central London. It is strongly associated with the Kingdom of England, English and succee ...

, son of Hon. Rev. Frederick Anson. On March 20, 1951, Burch died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

in Martinsville and was buried in the city's Oakwood Cemetery.

Elections

*1930; Burch was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives unopposed. *1932; Burch was re-elected with the Democratic slate in Virginia's at-large Congressional district, he won 8.29% in a 24-way race. *1934; Burch was re-elected with 88.18% of the vote, defeating Republican Henry P. Wilder and Socialist Ira C. Wentz. *1936; Burch was re-elected with 64.96% of the vote, defeating Republican Taylor G. Vaughan. *1938; Burch was re-elected unopposed. *1940; Burch was re-elected unopposed. *1942; Burch was re-elected with 93.14% of the vote, defeating Socialist Howard Hearnes Carwile. *1944; Burch was re-elected with 84.61% of the vote, defeating now-Independent Carwile.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Burch, Thomas G. 1869 births 1951 deaths American Episcopalians People from Martinsville, Virginia Democratic Party United States senators from Virginia People from Henry County, Virginia Mayors of places in Virginia Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia 20th-century United States senators 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives