Wally Barron

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Wally Barron

|image = William Wallace Barron.jpg

|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 = {{birth date|1911|12|8}}

|birth_place = Elkins, West Virginia, U.S.

|death_date = {{nowrap|{{death date and age|2002|11|12|1911|12|8}}}}

|death_place = Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.

|education = Washington and Lee University (BA)
West Virginia University (LLB)

|spouse = Opal Wilcox

|party = Democratic

|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}

|branch = {{army|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 of West Virginia 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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wvculture.org/history/government/governors/barron.html|title = William Wallace Barron}}

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.{{Cite news|url=http://wvpublic.org/post/august-30-1968-wally-barron-acquitted-federal-charges#stream/0|title=August 30, 1968: Wally Barron Acquitted of Federal Charges|website=West Virginia Public Broadcasting |author=Anewman|date=August 30, 2017|access-date=July 15, 2018}}

References

External links

[http://www.wvculture.org/history/government/governors/barron.html Biography of William W. Barron]
[http://www.wvculture.org/history/government/governors/barronia.html Inaugural Address of William W. Barron]
[http://filsonhistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/OVH_SPRING_09.pdf William W. Barron's Influence on the West Virginia State Centennial Celebration]

{{s-ttl|title=Attorney General of West Virginia|years=1957–1961}}

{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for West Virginia Attorney General|years=1956}}

{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Governor of West Virginia|years=1960}}