William C. Oates

William Calvin Oates ( born November 30, 1835 Bullock County, Alabama, † September 9, 1910 in Montgomery, Alabama ) was an American politician and governor of Alabama. Oates was a member of the Democratic Party.

Early years and political rise

William Calvin Oates was born on November 30, 1835 in what is now Bullock County, Alabama. He attended the Old Field schools and then high school in Lawrenceville, Alabama. Then Oates taught at a school, was a painter and worked as a carpenter. In 1858 he began studying law in Eufaula, was admitted to the bar in 1859 and opened his own law practice in Abbeville.

Oates joined in 1861 as a Captain in the 15th Alabama Infantry Regiment of the Confederate Army one. Later he was promoted to Colonel. In a battle in 1864 he lost his right arm.

After the war Oates returned to Abbeville and continued his work as a lawyer continued. He decided in 1868 to go into politics. In 1868 he was elected to the Democratic National Convention. He was also 1870-1872 in the House of Representatives of Alabama. In 1872, he lost the election for the office of the Governor of Alabama. Oates led in 1875 to the chair of the Judiciary Committee of the Alabama Constitutional Convention. Between 1881 and 1894 he was a member of the U.S. Congress.

Governor of Alabama

In a bitter contest for the governorship of Alabama Oates defeated on August 6, 1894 popular Reuben Kolb. Piston stopped in front of the Capitol from his own inauguration ceremony and fought Oates inauguration on December 1, 1894 unsuccessfully. During the tenure of Governor Oates state iron industry started to export overseas, 1895 Free- Silver Convention was held to promote the free and unrestricted Silbermünzprägung, on the Tallapoosa River flow was by water power generated as well as a prison and financial reform addressed. Oates sought re-election as governor, announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate ended in defeat.

Further CV

After the end of his term of office on December 1, 1896 Oates was active from home in the States in the Spanish -American War. While Alabama's Constitutional Convention of 1901 led Oates on the Judiciary Committee and was a member of the Committee for suffrage and elections (English Committee on Suffrage and Elections ). Oates died on September 9, 1910 in Montgomery and was buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery, Alabama. Oates was married to Sarah ( Sallie ) Toney; they had a child together.