Compton I. White Jr.

Compton Ignatius White Jr. (December 19, 1920 – October 19, 1998) was a two-term congressman from northern Idaho. A Democrat, he was elected to the open seat in the first district in 1962 and re-elected in 1964.[1] White left office 54 years ago in January 1967 and is the last from the Idaho Panhandle region to represent the state in Congress.

Compton I. White Jr.
White in 1963
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Idaho's 1st district
In office January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1967
Preceded by	Gracie Pfost
Succeeded by	Jim McClure
Personal details
Born	Compton Ignatius White Jr. December 19, 1920 Spokane, Washington
Died	October 19, 1998 (aged 77) Sandpoint, Idaho
Resting place	White Family Cemetery Clark Fork, Idaho
Nationality	United States
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Florence Eulalia Waddell White
Children	5 sons, 1 daughter[1]
Residence	Clark Fork
Alma mater	University of Idaho, 1942 George Washington University
Profession	Agriculture, Mining

Early years

The son of Congressman Compton I. White and Josephine Elizabeth White (née Bunn), White was born in Spokane, Washington, and grew up in his family's hometown of Clark Fork, Idaho, and in Washington, D.C.. He attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. for his freshman year of college,[2] then transferred to the University of Idaho in Moscow, where he graduated in 1942.[3]

During World War II, White worked as an engineer for Boeing in Seattle, and also in mining, logging, and livestock breeding. After the war, he returned to Clark Fork and served on the school board. From 1958 to 1962 White served as mayor of Clark Fork.

Congress

In 1960, White announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Henry Dworshak, but was third of five in the Democratic primary.[4][5] Runner-up Bob McLaughlin of Mountain Home won the runoff over leader Gregg Potvin of American Falls,[6][7] but lost the general election. That seat was open again in 1962 after Dworshak's death in July, and Gracie Pfost was the Democratic nominee, vacating her first district seat in the House. White won the Democratic primary and general election, the same seat his father held for eight terms.

White was re-elected in the Democratic landslide of 1964,[8] but was defeated for a third term in 1966 by Republican state senator Jim McClure of Payette, who defeated him again in 1968.

U.S. House elections (Idaho's 1st district): Results 1962–1968

Year		Democrat	Votes	Pct		Republican	Votes	Pct
1962		Compton I. White Jr.	51,422	53.0%		Erwin H. Schwiebert	45,552	47.0%
1964		Compton I. White Jr. (inc.)	56,203	51.7%		John Mattmiller	52,468	48.3%
1966		Compton I. White Jr. (inc.)	65,446	48.2%		Jim McClure	70,410	51.8%
1968		Compton I. White Jr.	62,002	40.6%		Jim McClure (inc.)	90,870	59.4%

Source:[9]

After Congress

White secured a position as a consultant with the U.S. Treasury Department in 1967. Unopposed for the Democratic nomination in 1968, he ran again against the incumbent McClure, but lost by a large margin. Afterwards, White returned to Clark Fork and served on its city council, as well as working in ranching once again.

His grandson, Ryan M. White, currently serves as Legislative Director for Idaho Senator Jim Risch.[10]

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.

1. "Compton 'Comp' White Jr". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. October 22, 1998. p. D5.
2. Doyle, Randall Jordan (1996). The life and career of Congressman Compton White, Jr. and the Idaho Democratic Party in the 1960s (Ph.D.). University of Idaho. p. 30. OCLC 43774727.
3. "Seniors". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1942. p. 310.
4. Wakeley, Daniel A. (June 8, 1960). "Northerners differ from Idaho vote in race". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 14.
5. "McLaughlin lead reduced". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). June 11, 1960. p. 3.
6. "Potvin leads Idaho race". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. June 8, 1960. p. 5.
7. Wakeley, Daniel A. (June 29, 1960). "Northern Idaho prefers Potvin". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 6.
8. "White says his race close because of Barry's showing". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 5, 1964. p. 5.
9. "Office of the Clerk: Election statistics". U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
10. http://www.idahostatesman.com/273/story/571750.html

External links

• United States Congress. "Compton I. White Jr. (id: W000362)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• University of Idaho Library – Compton I. White Jr. papers, 1963-1966
• Compton I. White Jr. at Find a Grave