George Timmerman
| George Bell Timmerman Jr. | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 105th Governor of South Carolina | |
|
In office January 18, 1955 – January 20, 1959 |
|
| Lieutenant | Fritz Hollings |
| Preceded by | James F. Byrnes |
| Succeeded by | Fritz Hollings |
| 76th Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina | |
|
In office January 21, 1947 – January 18, 1955 |
|
| Governor |
Strom Thurmond James F. Byrnes |
| Preceded by | Ransome Judson Williams |
| Succeeded by | Fritz Hollings |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
George Bell Timmerman Junior August 11, 1912 Anderson County, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | November 29, 1994 (aged 82) Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Resting place | Batesburg Cemetery, Batesburg, South Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Helen Dupre Ingrid Zimmer |
| Education |
The Citadel University of South Carolina, Columbia |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
George Bell Timmerman Jr. (August 11, 1912 – November 29, 1994) was an American politician and World War II veteran who served as the 105th Governor of South Carolina from 1955 to 1959. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the state's 76th Lieutenant Governor from 1947 to 1955.
Timmerman was born in Anderson County, the son of Mary Vandiver (Sullivan) and George Bell Timmerman Sr., a U.S. federal judge. He was raised in Charleston and graduated from The Citadel. After receiving a law degree from the University of South Carolina, he practiced law with his father in Batesburg. Timmerman enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an officer with the entry of the United States in World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Returning to South Carolina after the war, Timmerman ran as a Democrat for Lieutenant Governor in 1946 on the same ticket as fellow veteran Strom Thurmond. He was elected for a term beginning in 1947 and reelected in 1950 for another four-year term.
While Governor he opposed the Supreme Court's ruling in 1954 declaring segregated public schools unconstitutional. Timmerman fought the changes brought by the decision to defend "the integrity of the races" and "our customs and institutions." He urged Congress to limit the authority of the United States Supreme Court. He regarded Northern insistence on racial integration as hypocritical.
In the gubernatorial election of 1954, he faced nominal opposition in the Democratic primary and ran unopposed in the general election becoming the 105th Governor of South Carolina in 1955. He sought to thwart an order by the Interstate Commerce Commission for desegregation of long-distance travel in 1955, especially because it affected public waiting rooms. At the same time he opposed Federal court orders integrating public parks, bathing beaches and golf courses. For the desegregation of public schools, he vowed with other Southern Governors to thwart it with Congressional or state legislation.
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