Cecil William Bishop (June 29, 1890 – September 21, 1971) was an American politician who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois for seven terms, from 1941 to 1955.

C. W. Bishop
Bishop in 1951
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois
In office
January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1955
Preceded byKent E. Keller
Succeeded byKenneth J. Gray
Constituency25th district (1941–1949)
26th district (1949–1953)
25th district (1953–1955)
Personal details
Born
Cecil William Bishop

(1890-06-29)June 29, 1890
West Vienna, Illinois, U.S.
DiedSeptember 21, 1971(1971-09-21) (aged 81)
Marion, Illinois, U.S.
Resting placeOakwood Cemetery, Carterville, Illinois
Political partyRepublican

Biography

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Bishop was born on a farm near West Vienna, Illinois. After attending the public schools and Union Academy in Anna, Illinois, he became a tailor. As quarterback on an elementary school football team he weighed less than 90 pounds, giving rise to the nickname "Runt."[1]

Bishop was engaged in the cleaning and tailoring business from 1910 to 1922. He later worked as a coal miner, a telephone lineman, and a player for and manager of professional football and baseball teams. He became city clerk of Carterville, Illinois in 1915, and served until 1918. He was town postmaster from 1923 to 1933.

Congress

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Bishop was elected as a Republican to the Seventy-seventh Congress and to six succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1941, to January 3, 1955. He served as chairman of the Special Committee on Campaign Expenditures in the Eighty-third Congress. He ran unsuccessfully for reelection to the Eighty-fourth Congress in 1954, and was succeeded by Kenneth J. Gray.

Later career

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After serving in Congress, Bishop held several other offices, including: Congressional liaison assistant, Post Office Department, from 1955 to 1957. Superintendent, Division of Industrial Planning and Development, State of Illinois, in 1957 and 1958. Department of Labor conciliator for the State of Illinois from 1958 to 1960.

Death and burial

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Bishop died in Marion, Illinois on September 21, 1971. He was interred in Oakwood Cemetery in Carterville.

References

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  1. ^ Newsweek Inc., Newsweek magazine, Volume 19, page 34
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  • United States Congress. "C. W. Bishop (id: B000486)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  • C. W. Bishop at Find a Grave
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Illinois's 25th congressional district
1941–1949
Succeeded by
Preceded by
District created
Illinois's 26th congressional district
1949–1953
Succeeded by
District abolished
Preceded by Illinois's 25th congressional district
1953–1955
Succeeded by

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress