William Kettner
| William Kettner | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 11th district |
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In office March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1921 |
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| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | Phil Swing |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 20, 1864 Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| Died | November 11, 1930 (aged 65) San Diego, California |
| Political party | Democratic |
William "Bill" Kettner (November 20, 1864 – November 11, 1930) was a former US Democratic politician from San Diego, California. He served four terms in Congress from 1913 through 1921 and is credited with bringing many U.S. Navy facilities to San Diego.
Kettner was born in 1864 in Ann Arbor, Michigan to John F. and Frederika Kettner. His parents moved to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1873. His father died when he was 13, so he had to leave school to work, first as a bell boy, then he drove a dray horse. He came to San Diego when he was 21, in the middle of an economic boom in the late 1880s, and worked various odd jobs around the state.
In 1893 he married Ida B. Griffs in Visalia, California and went into the real estate and insurance business there. The couple divorced in 1904.
Kettner married Marion Morgan in 1905, and they lived in Visalia until moving to San Diego in 1907. William Kettner set up an insurance business, and later became involved with real estate and banking. He was a member of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, and served as its Director.
Kettner was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1912. Because of his popularity with the Chamber of Commerce, he was supported by Republicans, including the conservative San Diego Union, and Democrats. Republicans used the slogan "Why not Kettner?"
During his four terms in Congress, 1913–1921, he spent much effort bringing Naval bases to San Diego. His first accomplishment, achieved even before he was sworn in as a member of Congress, was a federal appropriation to dredge San Diego Bay to allow large ships to enter.
Kettner won friends easily with his warm personality and addressed colleagues as "brother", earning him the nickname of "Brother Bill" in San Diego and Washington. He courted many congressmen and officials, and became friends with Franklin D. Roosevelt, then Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Roosevelt visited San Diego during the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and came away impressed with the area. He helped Kettner's efforts to establish bases in San Diego as assistant Naval secretary and later as President.
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