William C. Marland | |
|---|---|
 Marland fromThe Monticola, 1955 | |
| 24th Governor of West Virginia | |
| In office January 19, 1953 – January 14, 1957 | |
| Preceded by | Okey Patteson |
| Succeeded by | Cecil H. Underwood |
| 24thAttorney General of West Virginia | |
| In office December 1, 1949 – February 1, 1952 | |
| Governor | Okey Patteson |
| Preceded by | Ira J. Partlow |
| Succeeded by | Chauncey Browning Sr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Casey Marland (1918-03-26)March 26, 1918 Johnston City, Illinois |
| Died | November 26, 1965(1965-11-26) (aged 47) Barrington, Illinois |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Valerie Allen Marland |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Alabama West Virginia University (LLB) |
| Profession | Politician,Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
William Casey Marland (March 26, 1918 – November 26, 1965), aDemocrat, was the 24thgovernor of West Virginia from 1953 to 1957. He is best known for his early attempts to tax companies that depleted the state's natural resources, especially coal, as well as overseeing implementation ofschool desegregation during theCivil Rights Movement when other Southern governors opposed it. Near the end of his life, he re-entered the public stage when a reporter found him driving a cab in Chicago. He responded to the negative publicity by making a public statement to the media about his recovery from alcoholism and indicated that his new, relatively humble job helped in that recovery.
Son of a mining boss, Joseph Wesley and Maude Casey Marland, he was born inJohnston City, Illinois on March 26, 1918. His family moved to thecoal town ofGlen Rogers inWyoming County, West Virginia when he was seven. DuringWorld War II, he served as aNavy lieutenant in thePacific theater, completing four tours. He attended theUniversity of Alabama, where he was a star football player, and received a law degree fromWest Virginia University in 1947. He marriedValerie Allen Marland in 1942, and they had four children: William Allen, Susan Lynn, John Wesley, and Casey Dixon.
In West Virginia, Marland was appointedlaw clerk to Federal JudgeBen Moore, and in August 1948, he was appointed the state's Assistant Attorney General. Upon resignation of former Attorney General Ira J. Partlow December 1, 1949, he was appointedAttorney General. In November 1950, he was elected to the office.[1] He announced his resignation on January 30, 1952 to run for election as governor later that year, his resignation taking effect the next day.
He beat former SenatorRush Holt by slightly more than 3% in the 1952 gubernatorial race. As Governor, Marland advocated the desegregation of schools, expansion of the state parks and other recreational facilities, improved unemployment and workers' compensation laws, and an industrial development program.[2]
He ran for the1956 special election for Senator. He lost the election to former SenatorWilliam Chapman Revercomb. In1958 he ran for the Democratic primary to another special Senate election, losing to RepresentativeJennings Randolph.[3] After his second Senate loss, Marland worked as an attorney, eventually relocating to theChicagoarea.
The pressures on Marland may have contributed to the development ofalcoholism. Accusations that he drank heavily in office or at inappropriate times during the day were made by his successor as governor, Cecil Underwood.[4]
In the early 1960s, the ex-governor gave up drinking. But it was not his fate to live out his life as a private individual. A few years after his recovery, he was recognized by aChicago Daily News reporter, Margery McElheny. Marland confirmed that he had been working as ataxicab driver since August 1962, and theDaily News published the exclusive story on March 12, 1965,[5] with thewire services following up on March 13, 1965. The story received great attention nationally.[6]
Knowing that the story was about to break and concerned about damage to his family, he called a press conference and spoke candidly about his alcoholism, how he overcame it, and his reasons for driving a taxi: to hold in check a level of ambition that may have contributed to his drinking.
His fortunes dramatically changed for the better. He was soon invited to appear onJack Paar's television talk show, and was hired to run a West Virginiahorse racing concern.
But shortly thereafter, he was diagnosed withpancreatic cancer. He died of the disease in hisBarrington, Illinois home, attended by his wife, children, other relatives, and family friends, on November 26, 1965. His widow followed him in death in 1977. William Marland is buried at Lacon Cemetery, Lacon, Illinois.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ira J. Partlow | Democratic nominee forWest Virginia Attorney General 1950 | Succeeded by John G. Fox |
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forGovernor of West Virginia 1952 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator fromWest Virginia (Class 1) 1956 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Attorney General of West Virginia 1949–1952 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of West Virginia 1953–1957 | Succeeded by |
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| International | |
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| National | |
