George, Walter F. (Walter Franklin), 1878-1959

Walter Franklin George was born on a farm near Preston, Webster County, Georgia on 29 January 1878. He graduated from Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, in 1900 and from its law department in 1901. He was admitted to the bar in 1901 and commenced practice in Vienna, Georgia . He served as Solicitor General of the Cordele judicial circuit 1907-1912 and Judge of the Superior Court 1912-1917. From that bench he was elevated to Judge of the Court of Appeals of Georgia from January to October 1917. He was again elevated to the bench as an Associate Justice of the State Supreme Court, 1917-1922. Walter F. George was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1922 to fill the vacancy created by the death of Thomas E. Watson. He was reelected in 1926, 1932, and 1938. 1938 proved to be one of Senator George's toughest re-election campaigns as he opposed some of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies, and the president strongly supported his opponent Lawrence Camp. George triumphed, however, and defeated both Camp and Eugene Talmadge. He went on to be reelected in 1944 and again in 1950, serving until January 2, 1957. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1956. During his years in office Walter George served as president pro tempore of the Senate, chairman of the Committee on Privileges and Elections, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Finance, the Joint Committee on Internal Revenue Taxation, the Select Committee on Case Influence, and the Special Committee on Foreign Assistance. Senator George never forgot his rural roots and supported rural legislation such as REA and TVA. After retiring from the Senate in 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Senator George as special ambassador to NATO. He was still serving in this position when he died in Vienna, Georgia, on August 4, 1957. Walter F. George is buried in Vienna Cemetery.