Wally Barron Explained

Wally Barron
Order:26th Governor of West Virginia
Term Start:January 16, 1961
Term End:January 18, 1965
Predecessor:Cecil H. Underwood
Successor:Hulett C. Smith
Office1:27th Attorney General of West Virginia
Governor1:Cecil H. Underwood
Term Start1:January 14, 1957
Term End1:January 16, 1961
Predecessor1:John Fox
Successor1:Donald Robertson
Birth Name:William Wallace Barron
Birth Date:8 December 1911
Birth Place:Elkins, West Virginia, U.S.
Death Place:Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Education:Washington and Lee University (BA)
West Virginia University (LLB)
Spouse:Opal Wilcox
Party:Democratic
Allegiance: United States
Battles:World War II
Rank:Sergeant

William Wallace Barron (December 8, 1911 – November 12, 2002) was an American Democratic politician in West Virginia. He was the state's 26th Governor from 1961 to 1965.

Life and career

He was born in Elkins, West Virginia. He attended Washington and Lee University and the West Virginia University Law School. During World War II, he served in the United States Army. In 1949, he was elected mayor of Elkins. He became a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1950 and was re-elected in 1952. He resigned his seat when appointed as Liquor Control Commissioner by Governor William C. Marland subsequent to the 1952 election. He was nominated to Attorney General in 1956.

In 1960, he was elected governor of West Virginia and continued the clean government and civil rights reforms that had been instituted by his predecessor, Cecil H. Underwood.[1]

He died on November 12, 2002, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Corruption trial and prison

On August 30, 1968, Barron was acquitted of federal charges concerning alleged money kickbacks and rigged state contract schemes in which he and several of his associates were involved. It was later realized that Barron and his wife, Opal Barron, had bribed the jury foreman. Barron was indicted, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison, albeit this was reduced to 12 years. He served four years of his sentence.[2]

See also

External links

|-|-

Notes and References

  1. Web site: William Wallace Barron.
  2. News: August 30, 1968: Wally Barron Acquitted of Federal Charges. West Virginia Public Broadcasting . Anewman. August 30, 2017. July 15, 2018.