Clarence F. Lea

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Clarence Frederick Lea

| image = Rep. Clarence Lea, Calif. LCCN2016871101 Crop.jpg

| caption = Lea in 1937

| state1 = California

| district1 = 1st

| term_start1 = March 4, 1917

| term_end1 = January 3, 1949

| preceded1 = William Kent

| succeeded1 = Hubert B. Scudder

| office2 = District Attorney of Sonoma County

| term_start2 = 1907

| term_end2 = 1917

| birth_date = {{birth date|1874|07|11}}

| birth_place = Highland Springs, California, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1964|06|20|1874|07|11}}

| death_place = Santa Rosa, California, U.S.

| party = Democratic

| spouse =

| children =

| religion =

| occupation =

| residence =

| education = Lakeport Academy
Stanford University
University of Denver

}}

Clarence Frederick Lea (July 11, 1874 – June 20, 1964) was an American lawyer and politician who served 16 terms as a U.S. Representative from California from 1917 to 1949.

Biography

File:Clarence Frederick Lea in 1917 Trim.jpg

Lea was born near Highland Springs, California, in southwestern Lake County on July 11, 1874. He attended Lakeport Academy in Lakeport and Stanford University before obtaining a law degree from the University of Denver in 1898. Lea was admitted to the bar the same year and began practicing in Santa Rosa, California. He served as district attorney of Sonoma County, 1907–1917, and as president of the District Attorney's Association of California in 1916 and 1917.

=Congress =

He was elected as a Democrat to the 65th U.S. Congress and to the 15 succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1917 – January 3, 1949). Lea served as chairman of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (75th through 79th Congresses). After Congress, Lea engaged in public relations work in Washington, D.C. from 1949 to 1954.

=Death=

Lea died in Santa Rosa, California on June 20, 1964.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Clarence Lea, 89, Served In House |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/06/22/clarence-lea-89-served-in-house.html?mtrref=query.nytimes.com&gwh=8AD62B3279B7E77D5C3ED19CF7181DE2&gwt=pay |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 22, 1964 }} He is interred at Franklin Avenue Odd Fellows Cemetery.

Legacy

Lea is known for having led the group of congressmen who passed the resolution calling for the internment of Italian-Americans, Japanese-Americans and German-Americans during World War II.{{Cite web|url=http://www.prisonersamongus.com/StudyGuide.pdf|title=Prisoners Among Us|publisher=NIAF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406082825/http://www.prisonersamongus.com/StudyGuide.pdf|archive-date=2017-04-06|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/guard-us/ch5.htm|title=Chapter V: Japanese Evacuation From the West Coast|website=www.history.army.mil|access-date=2016-08-16|archive-date=2020-10-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025085705/https://history.army.mil/books/wwii/guard-us/ch5.htm|url-status=dead}}

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline|Clarence Frederick Lea}}

{{US House succession box

| state=California

| district=1

| before=William Kent

| after=Hubert B. Scudder

| years=1917–1949}}

Category:1874 births

Category:1964 deaths

Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California

Category:Stanford University alumni

Category:University of Denver alumni

Category:People from Lake County, California

Category:20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives