By Ray Hill For decades, Tennessee was either a largely or solidly Democratic state, especially in statewide elections.  Democrats also dominated the congressional seats from Tennessee save for the First and Second Congressional Districts.  Tennessee had only once...

By Ray Hill For the better part of two decades, Monrad C. Wallgren was one of Washington State’s most popular politicians.  The people of Washington elected Wallgren to hold the highest offices within their gift, electing him to the U.S. House of Representatives, the...

By Ray Hill Clarence Cleveland Dill lived a very long and productive life.  Throughout the seasons of Dill’s life, he was a country schoolteacher, newspaper reporter, congressman, U.S. senator and successful attorney.  Amiable, intelligent and passionate, Clarence C....

By Ray Hill Long forgotten by most, the late Congressman Robert Ashton “Fats” Everett was one of the more colorful politicians from the political pages of Tennessee’s history.  Everett was, by any measure, a political professional well before he ever was elected to...

By Ray Hill Described as a “charismatic populist” by the Washington Post, Arch Alfred Moore Jr. was the most durable Republican during a time when West Virginia remained a solidly Democratic state. Moore was also the founder of a new political dynasty that still...

By Ray Hill During his brief political career, Lewis Schwellenbach was a national figure. Loud and partisan, Schwellenbach’s failed campaign for governor of Washington State led to his election to the United States Senate at the height of the New Deal in 1934. Coming...

Where Did the Portrait Go? By Ray Hill I am a BIG believer in preservation of historical artifacts, documents, photos and memorabilia, and I think it all should be preserved for future generations.  I am invariably appalled to discover items that have been discarded...

Delaware’s Least-Known Prominent Citizen Clayton Douglass Buck By Ray Hill If ever there was a patrician in politics, it was Clayton Douglass Buck, a descendant of the State of Delaware’s oldest families.  Even then, Delaware, because of its laws, was home to more...

The Gentleman From Iowa: George A. Wilson By Ray Hill George A. Wilson served as both governor of Iowa and U.S. senator from the Hawkeye State.  Wilson embodied the sturdy Midwestern stock from which he came.  George Allison Wilson was described by TIME magazine as “a...

The Governor: Elbert Carvel of Delaware By Ray Hill At six feet and six inches, Elbert N. “Bert” Carvel was impossible to miss.  For a quarter of a century, Carvel was a political force to be reckoned with inside the First State.  Carvel’s success in business - - - he...