William Madison Whittington

William Madison Whittington (May 4, 1878 – August 20, 1962) was an American politician from Mississippi. Whittington was a Representative to the 69th United States Congress in 1925, and the twelve succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1925 – January 3, 1951) as a Democrat.

Early life Whittington was born in Little Springs, Mississippi.

Career He was admitted to the bar in 1899. He moved to Roxie, Mississippi on January 1, 1901 where he was principal of a school and also started practicing law. He was reelected in 1923 for a four-year term and served from January 1 to August 16, 1924 when he resigned.

After the Great Flood of 1927 Whittington authored and successfully forwarded the Flood Control Act of 1928. Virtually all legislation on flood control between 1928 and 1951 was authored by Whittington.

In 1940 and, again, in 1941, Whittington wanted to run for the United States Senate, but was talked out of it by friends. He retired in 1951 and returned to Greenwood where he practiced law with his son Whittington Jr.

He served as delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1920, 1928, 1936, 1940, and 1948. He was a member of the American Bar Association, the Lefore County Bar Association, and the Mississippi State Bar Association.

Honors

His papers are archived at the University of Mississippi. Whittington Hall at Mississippi College was named in his honor. He was named Alumni of the Year at Mississippi College. Mississippi College gave Whittington an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Whittington Park in Greenwood, Mississippi is named in his honor.

Personal life Whittington married Lena May McGehee on September 7, 1904. They had no children and she died in September 1907. He married Anna Ward Aven of Clinton, Mississippi on July 20, 1910. She was the first female to graduate from Mississippi College where her father was the president. Their children were Charles Aven Whittington, Mary Whittington, and William Madison Whittington Jr.

He taught Sunday school at the Baptist Church and became president of the Mississippi State Baptist Convention in 1910. He was also a member of the Elks, the Kiwanis Club, the Shriners, and was a 33rd degree Mason. The Whittingtons gave the Avon Fine Arts Building to Mississippi College. In Greenwood, he donated 40 acres for park and built a pavilion there; it was named Whittinton Park.

In his later years, Whittington lost most of his eyesight and could not climb stairs. In 1962, he died at his home in Greenwood at the age of 84. He was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery.