Richard Thurmond Chatham
| Richard Thurmond Chatham | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 5th district |
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In office January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1957 |
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| Preceded by | John Hamlin Folger |
| Succeeded by | Ralph James Scott |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 16, 1896 Elkin, North Carolina |
| Died | February 5, 1957 (aged 60) Durham, North Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Lucy Hodgin Hanes, Patricia Firestone |
| Children | 3 |
Richard Thurmond Chatham (August 16, 1896 – February 5, 1957), who usually went by Thurmond Chatham, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, an industrialist and philanthropist. He represented North Carolina from 1949 to 1957.
Born in Elkin, North Carolina, Chatham was the only son of Hugh Gwyn and Martha Lenoir Chatham. His grandfather was Alexander Chatham, founder of Chatham Manufacturing Company. Chatham was educated in the public schools and at Woodberry Forest School in Orange, Virginia. He attended the University of North Carolina from 1915–1916 and Yale University from 1916–1917, but left college to enter the United States Navy. He served in the Navy until 1919.
In July 1919, Chatham began working for his family's company, Chatham Manufacturing, which was the world's largest manufacturer of blankets. After serving as treasurer of the company, he became president in 1929 and chairman of the board of directors in 1945. During his presidency, the company experienced considerable growth.
He served from February 1942 to November 1945, as an officer on the USS Phoenix (CL-46) in the Southwest Pacific and Atlantic. He was decorated With the Bronze Star Medal, the Secretary of the Navy's Commendation Medal, and the Royal Order of Orange-Nassau with Swords from the Dutch Government and earned the American Theater Ribbon, European Theater Ribbon, Asiatic Theater Ribbon with three battle stars, World War I Ribbon, and Victory Ribbon. He continued his service in the Naval Reserve, and in 1950 was appointed a Captain.
With his only previous political experience as a county commissioner in Forsyth County, North Carolina, Chatham was unsuccessful in his 1946 bid for the Democratic nomination for Congress. He was first elected in 1948 and re-elected three more times.
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