Alabama's 8th congressional district

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Alabama's 8th congressional district (obsolete)
Population (1960) 383,625
Created 1870 Census
Eliminated 1970 Census
Years 1873-1973

Alabama's 8th congressional district, now obsolete, was established in 1877.

At present, Alabama has seven congressional districts represented in the United States House of Representatives. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Alabama was apportioned eight congressional seats as a result of the 1880 census. In 1893-1913 there were nine seats, and in 1913-1933 there were ten seats, the maximum ever for Alabama. In 1970, Alabama lost its eighth seat when population could no longer support more than seven seats.

Notable representation

A diagrammatic history of the Alabama House Delegation

Among the men who represented the District in the House was former Confederate Brigadier General Joseph Wheeler of Courtland, Alabama. Born in 1836 in Georgia, Wheeler had previously served in the United States Army but resigned to support the Confederate States of America. Wheeler led the 19th Alabama Infantry Regiment into battle at the Battle of Shiloh in the American Civil War. Wheeler was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1880 as a Democrat but was ousted after a lengthy election contest by Greenback Party candidate William M. Lowe. Lowe died after only four months in office and was succeeded by Wheeler in a special election. Wheeler did not run in 1882 but was reelected in 1884 and served seven consecutive terms before resigning in 1900.

John Sparkman served as the 8th district representative from 1937-1946. On the same day he was elected in 1946, Sparkman was also elected, in a special election, to fill the United States Senate seat of John H. Bankhead II who had died in office. Sparkman immediately resigned the House to accept the Senate seat. [Note: In 1952 Sparkman was chosen as the vice presidential running mate of the unsuccessful Democratic candidate Adlai Ewing Stevenson II.] Sparkman previously had served as Majority Whip of the United States House of Representatives in 1946.

The District was lost due to reapportionment at the end of the 92nd United States Congress in 1973. Robert E. Jones, Jr. was the district's last representative.

List of representatives

Years Representative Party Congress Electoral history
No image.svg William W. Garth Democratic March 4, 1877 –
March 3, 1879
45 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
No image.svg William M. Lowe Greenback March 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1881
46 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
JWheelerCSAGenseated.jpg Joseph Wheeler Democratic March 4, 1881 –
June 3, 1882
47 Lost contested election
No image.svg William M. Lowe Greenback June 3, 1882 –
October 12, 1882
Won contested election
Died
Vacant October 12, 1882 –
January 15, 1883
JWheelerCSAGenseated.jpg Joseph Wheeler Democratic January 15, 1883 –
March 3, 1883
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Luke Pryor.jpeg Luke Pryor Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1885
48
JWheelerCSAGenseated.jpg Joseph Wheeler Democratic March 4, 1885 –
April 20, 1900
49 Resigned
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
Vacant April 20, 1900 –
August 6, 1900
56
(continued)
75px William N. Richardson Democratic August 6, 1900 –
March 31, 1914
56
(continued)
Died
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
Vacant March 31, 1914 –
May 11, 1914
63
(continued)
No image.svg Christopher C. Harris Democratic May 11, 1914 –
March 3, 1915
63
(continued)
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
No image.svg Edward B. Almon Democratic March 4, 1915 –
June 22, 1933
64 Died
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
Vacant June 22, 1933 –
November 14, 1933
72
(continued)
No image.svg Archibald H. Carmichael Democratic November 14, 1933 –
January 3, 1937
72
(continued)
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
73
74
John J. Sparkman, c 1950.jpg John Sparkman Democratic January 3, 1937 –
November 5, 1946
75 Resigned after being elected to the U.S. Senate
76
77
78
79
Vacant November 5, 1946 –
January 28, 1947
79
(continued)
Robert E. Jones, Jr.jpg Robert E. Jones, Jr. Democratic January 28, 1947 –
January 3, 1963
79
(continued)
Redistricted to the At-large district
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
District inactive, all representatives elected at large January 3, 1963 –
January 3, 1965
88
Robert E. Jones, Jr.jpg Robert E. Jones, Jr. Democratic January 3, 1965 –
January 3, 1973
89 Redistricted from the At-large district

Redistricted to the 5th district
90
91
92
District inactive January 3, 1973 –
Present

Historic boundaries

The district was elected at-large from the entire state until the 45th Congress, when it was established as a separate district in the northwestern part of the state.[1] The district occupies an area now held by Alabama's 5th congressional district, with the exception of a portion of Morgan County, which is part of the 4th district. Franklin County, which was part of the 8th district until after the 1890 Census, is also part of the modern 4th district.

Census Year Population Counties
1870[2] 130,173 Colbert, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan
1880 168,502
1890 176,088 Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan
1900 194,491
1910 218,342
1920 254,529
1930 282,241
1940 300,112
1950 321,459
1960 383,625

References

  1. Official Congressional Directory. 45th Congress, 2nd session. 3rd edition. Page 5 (1878)
  2. At-large until 1877