Eugene Siler
| Eugene Siler | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 8th and 5th district |
|
|
In office 1955–1963 (8th), 1963–1965 (5th) |
|
| Preceded by | James S. Golden (8th), Brent Spence (5th) |
| Succeeded by | Tim Lee Carter |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 26, 1900 Williamsburg, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | December 5, 1987 (aged 87) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Baptist |
Eugene Siler (June 26, 1900 – December 5, 1987) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky between 1955 and 1965. He was the only member of the House of Representatives to oppose (by pairing against) the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. That resolution authorized deeper involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War.
Siler, a self-described "Kentucky hillbilly", was born in Williamsburg, Kentucky. Siler was a staunch Republican and hailed from a traditionally Republican region of Kentucky. Siler served in the United States Navy during World War I and in the United States Army as a captain during World War II. His war-time experiences left him, according to David T. Beito, "cold to most proposals to send American troops into harm's way."
Siler attended Columbia University and returned to Williamsburg to be a small-town lawyer. Siler was a devout Baptist and became a renowned preacher. He abstained from alcohol, tobacco, and profanity; and, as a lawyer, rejected clients seeking divorces or who were accused of alcohol-related crimes.
In 1945, Siler was elected a judge of the Court of Appeals of Kentucky. He refused his 150-dollar expense allotment, instead donating it to a special fund Siler set up for scholarships. As a judge, Siler frequently quoted scriptures from the bench. He did the same in his speeches during his 1951 run for governor. This, according to Beito, earned him "a statewide reputation as a 'Bible Crusader.'" Siler was the Republican nominee for Governor of Kentucky in 1951. He was defeated by Democrat Lawrence Wetherby, who won 346,345 votes (54.6%) to Siler's 288,014 (45.4%).
...
Wikipedia