Victor Wickersham

Victor Eugene Wickersham (February 9, 1906 – March 15, 1988) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Oklahoma.

Early life and education Born on a farm near Lone Rock, Arkansas, Wickersham was the son of Frank Morrell and Lillie Mae Sword Wickersham. He moved to Mangum, Oklahoma, with his parents in 1915 and was educated in the public schools of Oklahoma.

Career Employed in the office of the county clerk of Greer County, Oklahoma from 1924 to 1926, Wickersham was appointed as court clerk of Greer County from 1926 to 1935. On June 30, 1929, he married Jessie Blaine Stiles of Mangum. As the county clerk, he issued his own marriage license. Four children were born to the marriage, LaMelba, Nelda, Galen, and Victor Wickersham II.

Wickersham served as chief clerk of the board of affairs of the State of Oklahoma in 1935 and 1936. He engaged as a building contractor in Oklahoma City in 1937 and 1938 and in the life insurance business 1938–1941. Wickersham also worked as a real estate, insurance, and investment broker.

Congressional tenure Wickersham was elected as a Democrat to the 77th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Sam C. Massingale. He was reelected to the 78th and 79th Congresses and served from April 1, 1941, to January 3, 1947. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1946, but was reelected to the 81st and to the three succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1957). He was not renominated in 1956 and 1958. He succeeded in his election to the 87th and to the 88th Congresses (January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1965). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1964 to the 89th Congress.

Wickersham did not sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto, and voted for the Twenty-Fourth Amendment (abolishing the poll tax) in 1962, but voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

By the end of his Congressional career, Wickersham had built up a predominantly liberal voting record.

State legislature In 1984 Wickersham's wife, Jessie, died. He married Lorene Dennis in 1986. He served as member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from January 3, 1971, to January 3, 1979, and again from February 9, 1988, until his death. He was the oldest state legislator in office in 1988 at the age of 82.