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{{Short description|American lawyer and politician}}
{{Infobox Lt Governor
{{Infobox officeholder
|name= William Lee Cazort, Sr.
|name= William Lee Cazort, Sr.
|image=
|image= William Cazort.jpg
|imagesize=
|imagesize=
|caption=
|caption= Cazort c. 1917
|order1=5th and 7th
|order1=5th and 7th
|office1=Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
|office1=Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
|term_start1=January 9, 1933<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 287}}.</ref>
|term_start1=January 9, 1933<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 287}}.</ref>
|term_end1=January 11, 1937<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 290}}.</ref>
|term_end1=January 11, 1937<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|p= 290">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 290}}.</ref>
|governor1=[[Junius Marion Futrell]]
|governor1=[[Junius Marion Futrell]]
|predecessor1=[[Lawrence Elery Wilson|Lawrence Wilson]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 285}}.</ref>
|predecessor1=[[Lawrence Elery Wilson|Lawrence Wilson]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 285}}.</ref>
|successor1=[[Robert L. Bailey]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 290}}.</ref>
|successor1=[[Robert L. Bailey]]<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|p= 290">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 290}}.</ref>
|term_start2= January 14, 1929<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 283}}.</ref>
|term_start2= January 14, 1929<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 283}}.</ref>
|term_end2= January 12, 1931<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 285}}.</ref>
|term_end2= January 12, 1931<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 285}}.</ref>
|governor2= [[Harvey Parnell]]
|governor2= [[Harvey Parnell]]
|predecessor2= [[Harvey Parnell]]
|predecessor2= Harvey Parnell
|successor2= [[Lawrence Elery Wilson|Lawrence Wilson]]
|successor2= [[Lawrence Elery Wilson|Lawrence Wilson]]
|state_senate3 = Arkansas
|state_senate3 = Arkansas
|district3 = Fourth
|district3 = Fourth
|term_start3 = January 13, 1919<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 275}}.</ref>
|term_start3 = January 13, 1919<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|p= 275">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 275}}.</ref>
|term_end3 = January 8, 1923<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 278}}.</ref>
|term_end3 = January 8, 1923<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|p= 278">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 278}}.</ref>
|predecessor3 = [[J. M. Barker]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 275}}.</ref>
|predecessor3 = [[J. M. Barker]]<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|p= 275">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 275}}.</ref>
|successor3 = [[Robert L. Bailey|Robert Bailey]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 278}}.</ref>
|successor3 = [[Robert L. Bailey|Robert Bailey]]<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|p= 278">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 278}}.</ref>
|office4=41st [[Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives]]
|office4=41st [[Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives]]
|term_start4=January 8, 1917<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 273-274}}.</ref>
|term_start4=January 8, 1917<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|pp= 273-274">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 273-274}}.</ref>
|term_end4=January 13, 1919<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 275}}.</ref>
|term_end4=January 13, 1919<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|p= 275">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 275}}.</ref>
| predecessor4 = [[L. E. Sawyer]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 272}}.</ref>
| predecessor4 = [[L. E. Sawyer]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 272}}.</ref>
| successor4 = [[C. P. Newton]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 276}}.</ref>
| successor4 = [[C. P. Newton]]<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|p= 276">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 276}}.</ref>
|state_house5 = Arkansas
|state_house5 = Arkansas
|district5 = Johnson County
|district5 = Johnson County
|term_start5 = January 11, 1915<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 271-273}}.</ref>
|term_start5 = January 11, 1915<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|pp= 271-273">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 271-273}}.</ref>
|term_end5 = January 13, 1919<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 275}}.</ref>
|term_end5 = January 13, 1919<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|p= 275">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 275}}.</ref>
|predecessor5 = [[Heartsill Ragon]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 271}}.</ref>
|predecessor5 = [[Heartsill Ragon]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 271}}.</ref>
|successor5 = [[E. T. McConnell]]<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 276}}.</ref>
|successor5 = [[E. T. McConnell]]<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|p= 276">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|p= 276}}.</ref>
|birth_date = {{birth date|1887|12|3}}
|birth_date = {{birth date|1887|12|3}}
|birth_place = [[Lamar, Arkansas]], [[United States|USA]]
|birth_place = [[Lamar, Arkansas]], [[United States|USA]]
Line 51: Line 52:
|profession = [[Lawyer]]; [[Business]]man
|profession = [[Lawyer]]; [[Business]]man
}}
}}
'''William Lee Cazort, Sr.''' (December 3, 1887 – October 6, 1969), was a lawyer and [[Democratic Party (Arkansas)|Democratic]] politician from [[Johnson County, Arkansas|Johnson County]] in the [[Arkansas River Valley]]. Winning a seat in the [[Arkansas House of Representatives]] in 1915, Cazort became a rising star in Arkansas politics for the next eight years. He was defeated in the [[1924 Arkansas gubernatorial election|1924 Democratic gubernatorial primary]], but served as the fifth and seventh [[Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas]] from 1929 to 1931 under [[governor of Arkansas|Governor]] [[Harvey Parnell]] and from 1933 to 1937 under Governor [[Junius Marion Futrell]]. Cazort also sought the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in [[1930 Arkansas gubernatorial election|1930]] and [[1936 Arkansas gubernatorial election|1936]], but failed to gain necessary statewide support and withdrew before the primary both times.
'''William Lee Cazort, Sr.''' (December 3, 1887 – October 6, 1969) was a lawyer and [[Democratic Party (Arkansas)|Democratic]] politician from [[Johnson County, Arkansas|Johnson County]] in the [[Arkansas River Valley]]. Winning a seat in the [[Arkansas House of Representatives]] in 1915, Cazort became a rising star in Arkansas politics for the next eight years. He was defeated in the [[1924 Arkansas gubernatorial election|1924 Democratic gubernatorial primary]], but served as the fifth and seventh [[Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas]] from 1929 to 1931 under [[governor of Arkansas|Governor]] [[Harvey Parnell]] and from 1933 to 1937 under Governor [[Junius Marion Futrell]]. Cazort also sought the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in [[1930 Arkansas gubernatorial election|1930]] and [[1936 Arkansas gubernatorial election|1936]], but failed to gain necessary statewide support and withdrew before the primary both times.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Line 57: Line 58:


==Early career and Arkansas General Assembly==
==Early career and Arkansas General Assembly==
In 1916, Cazort married the former Rachel Cline of [[Newton County, Arkansas|Newton County]]. Cazort began taking over parts of the family enterprise, which had become well-known regionally. He managed an [[alfalfa]] farm and peach orchard in the River Valley, while also producing lumber and [[railroad tie]]s. Over time, his reputation grew favorably both in Johnson County and statewide.<ref name="ja">{{ cite news |author= Staff of the Clarksville Herald-Democrat |title= From the Clarksville Herald-Democrat |location= Gentry |url=https://gentrycourierjournal.newspaperarchive.com/journal-advance/1928-05-17/ |work= [[Gentry Courier-Journal|The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette]] |date= May 17, 1928 |volume=34 |number=20 |page=1 |via= NewspaperARCHIVE |oclc=18347116 }}</ref>
In 1916, Cazort married the former Rachel Cline of [[Newton County, Arkansas|Newton County]]. Cazort began taking over parts of the family enterprise, which had become well-known regionally. He managed an [[alfalfa]] farm and peach orchard in the River Valley, while also producing lumber and [[railroad tie]]s. Over time, his reputation grew favorably both in Johnson County and statewide.<ref name="ja">{{cite news |author= Staff of the Clarksville Herald-Democrat |title= From the Clarksville Herald-Democrat |location= Gentry |url= https://gentrycourierjournal.newspaperarchive.com/journal-advance/1928-05-17/ |work= [[Gentry Courier-Journal|The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette]] |date= May 17, 1928 |volume= 34 |number= 20 |page= 1 |via= NewspaperARCHIVE |oclc= 18347116 |access-date= 2018-12-07 |archive-date= 2018-12-07 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181207151059/https://gentrycourierjournal.newspaperarchive.com/journal-advance/1928-05-17/ |url-status= dead }}</ref>


In 1914, Cazort officially entered politics by running for the Johnson County seat in the [[Arkansas House of Representatives]]. With the exception of privately practicing law from 1922-1924, Cazort sought or held political office over the next 23 years. Cazort won the election for the seat previously filled by [[Heartsill Ragon]], who became a powerful [[United States Congress]]man. He took the oath of office in January 1915 for the [[40th Arkansas General Assembly|40th General Assembly]].<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 271-273}}.</ref> After winning reelection in November 1916, Cazort was elected as the [[List of Speakers of the Arkansas House of Representatives|42nd Speaker of the Arkansas House]] by his House colleagues for the [[41st Arkansas General Assembly|41st General Assembly]].<ref>{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 273-274}}.</ref> At twenty-nine, he was in 1917 the youngest ever Arkansas House Speaker.<ref name=ency/> While in the House, he introduced what became the Tick Eradication Act and sponsored legislation which provide taxpayer-funded textbooks for the first eight grades in Arkansas public schools.
In 1914, Cazort officially entered politics by running for the Johnson County seat in the [[Arkansas House of Representatives]]. With the exception of privately practicing law from 1922 to 1924, Cazort sought or held political office over the next 23 years. Cazort won the election for the seat previously filled by [[Heartsill Ragon]], who became a powerful [[United States Congress]]man. He took the oath of office in January 1915 for the [[40th Arkansas General Assembly|40th General Assembly]].<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|pp= 271-273">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 271-273}}.</ref> After winning reelection in November 1916, Cazort was elected as the [[List of Speakers of the Arkansas House of Representatives|42nd Speaker of the Arkansas House]] by his House colleagues for the [[41st Arkansas General Assembly|41st General Assembly]].<ref name="harvp|SOS|1998|pp= 273-274">{{harvp|"SOS"|1998|pp= 273-274}}.</ref> At twenty-nine, he was in 1917 the youngest ever Arkansas House Speaker.<ref name=ency/> While in the House, he introduced what became the Tick Eradication Act and sponsored legislation which provide taxpayer-funded textbooks for the first eight grades in Arkansas public schools.


Cazort won election to the [[Arkansas Senate]] in November 1918, representing the Fourth District (Johnson and [[Pope County, Arkansas|Pope]] counties), a largely agricultural district which also included the growing cities of [[Clarksville, Arkansas|Clarksville]] and [[Russellville, Arkansas|Russellville]]. He won reelection in November 1920, and was elected [[List of Presidents of the Arkansas Senate|President of the Arkansas Senate]] for the [[43rd Arkansas General Assembly|43rd General Assembly]]. At age thirty-three in 1921, he was the youngest ever President of the Arkansas Senate.<ref name=ency/> After his service as state senator ended in 1922, Cazort returned to his law practice in Little Rock. Much of his early practice centered on representing veterans of [[World War I]] with insurance claims.
Cazort won election to the [[Arkansas Senate]] in November 1918, representing the Fourth District (Johnson and [[Pope County, Arkansas|Pope]] counties), a largely agricultural district which also included the growing cities of [[Clarksville, Arkansas|Clarksville]] and [[Russellville, Arkansas|Russellville]]. He won reelection in November 1920, and was elected [[List of Presidents of the Arkansas Senate|President of the Arkansas Senate]] for the [[43rd Arkansas General Assembly|43rd General Assembly]]. At age thirty-three in 1921, he was the youngest ever President of the Arkansas Senate.<ref name=ency/> After his service as state senator ended in 1922, Cazort returned to his law practice in Little Rock. Much of his early practice centered on representing veterans of [[World War I]] with insurance claims.


==Statewide politics==
==Statewide politics==
Line 67: Line 68:


===1924 gubernatorial bid===
===1924 gubernatorial bid===
In 1924, Cazort sought the governorship among a crowded Democratic field. Cazort won the [[Ku Klux Klan]] 'gubernatorial primary' over [[James G. Ferguson|James Ferguson]], another candidate seeking the Democratic nomination.<ref>{{cite web |title=Klan in Southwest Faces Another Test |publisher= New York Times Company |work= [[The New York Times]] |date= August 11, 1924 |page= 2 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Cazort was active in the Klan, and openly endorsed the Klan's platform during the primary.<ref>{{ cite web |title= Klan Loses in Arkansas |publisher= New York Times Company |work= [[The New York Times]] |date= August 14, 1924 |page= 2 |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref> [[Tom Terral]], who had been ousted from the Klan but did not take a hard anti-Klan stance, ultimately won the [[1924 Arkansas gubernatorial election#Democratic primary|1924 Democratic primary]].
In 1924, Cazort sought the governorship among a crowded Democratic field. Cazort won the [[Ku Klux Klan]] 'gubernatorial primary' over [[James G. Ferguson|James Ferguson]], another candidate seeking the Democratic nomination.<ref>{{cite web |title=Klan in Southwest Faces Another Test |work= [[The New York Times]] |date= August 11, 1924 |page= 2 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Cazort was active in the Klan, and openly endorsed the Klan's platform during the primary.<ref>{{ cite web |title= Klan Loses in Arkansas |work= [[The New York Times]] |date= August 14, 1924 |page= 2 |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref> [[Tom Terral]], who had been ousted from the Klan but did not take a hard anti-Klan stance, ultimately won the [[1924 Arkansas gubernatorial election#Democratic primary|1924 Democratic primary]].


===Lieutenant governor===
===Lieutenant governor===
Cazort served on the Penitentiary Commission from 1927–1928, seeking the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 1928. The lieutenant governor position offered power; recently having been reestablished in 1926 after remaining vacant for twelve years while the position's legitimacy was disputed. The lieutenant governor assumed the full duties of the governor when he was out of state, incapacitated, or resigned. Recent events had further increased the profile of the nascent lieutenant governorship. [[Harvey Parnell]], who won the first lieutenant governorship since 1914, ascended to the governorship in March 1928 following [[John Ellis Martineau]]'s resignation and was now seeking the [[1930 Arkansas gubernatorial election#Democratic Primary|1930 Democratic gubernatorial nomination]]. A campaign advertisement from a [[Benton County, Arkansas|Benton County]] newspaper mentioned the succession of Parnell while making the case for Cazort.<ref>{{ cite news |author= Benton county Cazort supporters |title=A Record That Will Stand Inspection (Campaign Advertisement) |location= Gentry |url=https://gentrycourierjournal.newspaperarchive.com/journal-advance/1928-08-02/page-7/ |work= The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette |date= August 2, 1928 |volume=34 |page=7 |via= NewspaperARCHIVE |oclc=18347116 }}</ref>
Cazort served on the Penitentiary Commission from 1927 to 1928, seeking the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 1928. The lieutenant governor position offered power; recently having been reestablished in 1926 after remaining vacant for twelve years while the position's legitimacy was disputed. The lieutenant governor assumed the full duties of the governor when he was out of state, incapacitated, or resigned. Recent events had further increased the profile of the nascent lieutenant governorship. [[Harvey Parnell]], who won the first lieutenant governorship since 1914, ascended to the governorship in March 1928 following [[John Ellis Martineau]]'s resignation and was now seeking the [[1930 Arkansas gubernatorial election#Democratic Primary|1930 Democratic gubernatorial nomination]]. A campaign advertisement from a [[Benton County, Arkansas|Benton County]] newspaper mentioned the succession of Parnell while making the case for Cazort.<ref>{{cite news |author= Benton county Cazort supporters |title= A Record That Will Stand Inspection (Campaign Advertisement) |location= Gentry |url= https://gentrycourierjournal.newspaperarchive.com/journal-advance/1928-08-02/page-7/ |work= The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette |date= August 2, 1928 |volume= 34 |page= 7 |via= NewspaperARCHIVE |oclc= 18347116 |access-date= 2018-12-07 |archive-date= 2018-12-07 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181207102937/https://gentrycourierjournal.newspaperarchive.com/journal-advance/1928-08-02/page-7/ |url-status= dead }}</ref>


Cazort emerged victorious from a four-candidate field for the Democratic nomination, which was [[tantamount to election]] during the [[Solid South]] period. He bested Dr. A.C. Millar of Little Rock, Thornberry A. Gray of Batesville, and Tom A. Hill of Pine Bluff in the Democratic primary.<ref>{{ cite news |author= Staff of The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette |title= List of Candidates for Various State and District Offices |location= Gentry |url=https://gentrycourierjournal.newspaperarchive.com/journal-advance/1928-06-28/page-4/ |work=The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette |date= June 28, 1928 |volume=34 |page=4 |via= NewspaperARCHIVE |oclc=18347116 }}</ref>
Cazort emerged victorious from a four-candidate field for the Democratic nomination, which was [[tantamount to election]] during the [[Solid South]] period. He bested Dr. A.C. Millar of Little Rock, Thornberry A. Gray of Batesville, and Tom A. Hill of Pine Bluff in the Democratic primary.<ref>{{cite news |author= Staff of The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette |title= List of Candidates for Various State and District Offices |location= Gentry |url= https://gentrycourierjournal.newspaperarchive.com/journal-advance/1928-06-28/page-4/ |work= The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette |date= June 28, 1928 |volume= 34 |page= 4 |via= NewspaperARCHIVE |oclc= 18347116 |access-date= 2018-12-07 |archive-date= 2018-12-07 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181207102931/https://gentrycourierjournal.newspaperarchive.com/journal-advance/1928-06-28/page-4/ |url-status= dead }}</ref>


===Lieutenant governor and 1930 gubernatorial bid===
===Lieutenant governor and 1930 gubernatorial bid===
Line 83: Line 84:


==Personal==
==Personal==
The couple had four children, all now deceased: William L. Cazort, Jr. (died 1999), Bettie Belle Cazort Vaughan Emery Stover (1918–2011), Cornelia Cazort Phillips, and Ronald Cazort. A former resident of [[Wynne, Arkansas|Wynne]] and a one-time employee of the Arkansas Legislative Council, Bettie Stover was the [[Cross County, Arkansas|Cross County]] chairman of the [[Winthrop Rockefeller]] gubernatorial campaigns.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ruebelfuneralhome.com/obituaryindividual.php?id=1006|title=Bettie Belle Cazort Vaughan Emery Stover|publisher=ruebelfuneralhome.com|accessdate=April 15, 2012}}</ref>
The couple had four children, all now deceased: William L. Cazort, Jr. (died 1999), Bettie Belle Cazort Vaughan Emery Stover (1918–2011), Cornelia Cazort Phillips, and Ronald Cazort. A former resident of [[Wynne, Arkansas|Wynne]] and a one-time employee of the Arkansas Legislative Council, Bettie Stover was the [[Cross County, Arkansas|Cross County]] chairman of the [[Winthrop Rockefeller]] gubernatorial campaigns.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ruebelfuneralhome.com/obituaryindividual.php?id=1006|title=Bettie Belle Cazort Vaughan Emery Stover|publisher=ruebelfuneralhome.com|accessdate=April 15, 2012|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204546/http://www.ruebelfuneralhome.com/obituaryindividual.php?id=1006|url-status=dead}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
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{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cazort, William Lee}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cazort, William Lee}}
[[Category:1887 births]]
[[Category:1887 births]]
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[[Category:Arkansas lawyers]]
[[Category:Arkansas lawyers]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Arkansas]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Arkansas]]
[[Category:Members of the Arkansas House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Speakers of the Arkansas House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Speakers of the Arkansas House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Arkansas state senators]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the Arkansas House of Representatives]]
⚫
[[Category:Democratic Party Arkansas state senators]]
[[Category:Lieutenant Governors of Arkansas]]
[[Category:Lieutenant Governors of Arkansas]]
⚫
[[Category:Arkansas Democrats]]
[[Category:20th-century American politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American politicians]]
[[Category:Ku Klux Klan members]]
[[Category:American Ku Klux Klan members]]

Revision as of 20:47, 24 September 2023

William Lee Cazort, Sr.
Cazort c. 1917
5th and 7th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
In office
January 9, 1933[1] – January 11, 1937[2]
GovernorJunius Marion Futrell
Preceded byLawrence Wilson[3]
Succeeded byRobert L. Bailey[2]
In office
January 14, 1929[4] – January 12, 1931[5]
GovernorHarvey Parnell
Preceded byHarvey Parnell
Succeeded byLawrence Wilson
Member of the Arkansas Senate
from the Fourth district
In office
January 13, 1919[6] – January 8, 1923[7]
Preceded byJ. M. Barker[6]
Succeeded byRobert Bailey[7]
41st Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives
In office
January 8, 1917[8] – January 13, 1919[6]
Preceded byL. E. Sawyer[9]
Succeeded byC. P. Newton[10]
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
from the Johnson County district
In office
January 11, 1915[11] – January 13, 1919[6]
Preceded byHeartsill Ragon[12]
Succeeded byE. T. McConnell[10]
Personal details
Born(1887-12-03)December 3, 1887
Lamar, Arkansas, USA
DiedOctober 6, 1969(1969-10-06) (aged 81)
Little Rock, Arkansas
Resting placeOakland Cemetery in Little Rock
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseRachel Cora Cline Cazort (married 1916)
ChildrenFour children, all deceased:

William L. Cazort, Jr. (died 1999)
Bettie Belle Cazort Vaughan Emery Stover (1918–2011)
Cornelia Cazort Phillips

Ronald Cazort
Alma materHendrix College

University of Arkansas

Washington and Lee University School of Law
ProfessionLawyer; Businessman

William Lee Cazort, Sr. (December 3, 1887 – October 6, 1969) was a lawyer and Democratic politician from Johnson County in the Arkansas River Valley. Winning a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1915, Cazort became a rising star in Arkansas politics for the next eight years. He was defeated in the 1924 Democratic gubernatorial primary, but served as the fifth and seventh Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 1929 to 1931 under Governor Harvey Parnell and from 1933 to 1937 under Governor Junius Marion Futrell. Cazort also sought the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1930 and 1936, but failed to gain necessary statewide support and withdrew before the primary both times.

Early life

One of eight children, Cazort was born in Johnson County near Cabin Creek, now Lamar, the son of John Robert Cazort and the former Belle Gardner. His father held interests in land, lumber, cotton, livestock, and mercantile trade. The family-owned Cazort Brothers operated throughout Arkansas and into neighboring states. Cazort attended the public school in Lamar but graduated from high school in Fort Smith, the seat of Sebastian County and traditionally the second-largest city in the state. From 1903 to 1904, Cazort attended Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. In 1907, he enrolled at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. In 1910, he received his legal degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia. He practiced law in Fort Smith and maintained orchards on Big Danger Mountain in Johnson County.[13]

Early career and Arkansas General Assembly

In 1916, Cazort married the former Rachel Cline of Newton County. Cazort began taking over parts of the family enterprise, which had become well-known regionally. He managed an alfalfa farm and peach orchard in the River Valley, while also producing lumber and railroad ties. Over time, his reputation grew favorably both in Johnson County and statewide.[14]

In 1914, Cazort officially entered politics by running for the Johnson County seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives. With the exception of privately practicing law from 1922 to 1924, Cazort sought or held political office over the next 23 years. Cazort won the election for the seat previously filled by Heartsill Ragon, who became a powerful United States Congressman. He took the oath of office in January 1915 for the 40th General Assembly.[11] After winning reelection in November 1916, Cazort was elected as the 42nd Speaker of the Arkansas House by his House colleagues for the 41st General Assembly.[8] At twenty-nine, he was in 1917 the youngest ever Arkansas House Speaker.[13] While in the House, he introduced what became the Tick Eradication Act and sponsored legislation which provide taxpayer-funded textbooks for the first eight grades in Arkansas public schools.

Cazort won election to the Arkansas Senate in November 1918, representing the Fourth District (Johnson and Pope counties), a largely agricultural district which also included the growing cities of Clarksville and Russellville. He won reelection in November 1920, and was elected President of the Arkansas Senate for the 43rd General Assembly. At age thirty-three in 1921, he was the youngest ever President of the Arkansas Senate.[13] After his service as state senator ended in 1922, Cazort returned to his law practice in Little Rock. Much of his early practice centered on representing veterans of World War I with insurance claims.

Statewide politics

Beginning in 1924, Lee Cazort sought or held statewide office throughout the next 13 years. In 1928, he was described as having good statewide name recognition following a successful tenure in the General Assembly, combined with the name recognition of his families wide-ranging business dealings.[14]

1924 gubernatorial bid

In 1924, Cazort sought the governorship among a crowded Democratic field. Cazort won the Ku Klux Klan 'gubernatorial primary' over James Ferguson, another candidate seeking the Democratic nomination.[15] Cazort was active in the Klan, and openly endorsed the Klan's platform during the primary.[16] Tom Terral, who had been ousted from the Klan but did not take a hard anti-Klan stance, ultimately won the 1924 Democratic primary.

Lieutenant governor

Cazort served on the Penitentiary Commission from 1927 to 1928, seeking the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 1928. The lieutenant governor position offered power; recently having been reestablished in 1926 after remaining vacant for twelve years while the position's legitimacy was disputed. The lieutenant governor assumed the full duties of the governor when he was out of state, incapacitated, or resigned. Recent events had further increased the profile of the nascent lieutenant governorship. Harvey Parnell, who won the first lieutenant governorship since 1914, ascended to the governorship in March 1928 following John Ellis Martineau's resignation and was now seeking the 1930 Democratic gubernatorial nomination. A campaign advertisement from a Benton County newspaper mentioned the succession of Parnell while making the case for Cazort.[17]

Cazort emerged victorious from a four-candidate field for the Democratic nomination, which was tantamount to election during the Solid South period. He bested Dr. A.C. Millar of Little Rock, Thornberry A. Gray of Batesville, and Tom A. Hill of Pine Bluff in the Democratic primary.[18]

Lieutenant governor and 1930 gubernatorial bid

In 1930, as the sitting lieutenant governor, and with the KKK no longer an issue, Cazort challenged Governor Parnell. He questioned Parnell's spending and cronyism in the state highway department. Prior to the primary, Cazort withdrew to support Brooks Hays, later a U.S. Representative from Little Rock. Parnell was also Cazort's predecessor as lieutenant governor. Cazort was again elected lieutenant governor in 1932 and 1934, when he drew no opposition.

1936 gubernatorial bid

In 1936, Cazort once more ran for governor but again withdrew from the race when Carl Edward Bailey gained the advantage.[13]

After he left the lieutenant governorship for the final time, he was from 1937 to 1962 a bankruptcy referee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Cazort died in a Little Rock hospital in 1969 and is interred there at Oakland Cemetery.[13]

Personal

The couple had four children, all now deceased: William L. Cazort, Jr. (died 1999), Bettie Belle Cazort Vaughan Emery Stover (1918–2011), Cornelia Cazort Phillips, and Ronald Cazort. A former resident of Wynne and a one-time employee of the Arkansas Legislative Council, Bettie Stover was the Cross County chairman of the Winthrop Rockefeller gubernatorial campaigns.[19]

References

  1. ^ "SOS" (1998), p. 287.
  2. ^ a b "SOS" (1998), p. 290.
  3. ^ "SOS" (1998), p. 285.
  4. ^ "SOS" (1998), pp. 283.
  5. ^ "SOS" (1998), pp. 285.
  6. ^ a b c d "SOS" (1998), p. 275.
  7. ^ a b "SOS" (1998), p. 278.
  8. ^ a b "SOS" (1998), pp. 273–274.
  9. ^ "SOS" (1998), p. 272.
  10. ^ a b "SOS" (1998), p. 276.
  11. ^ a b "SOS" (1998), pp. 271–273.
  12. ^ "SOS" (1998), p. 271.
  13. ^ a b c d e "William Lee Cazort (1887-1969)". encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
  14. ^ a b Staff of the Clarksville Herald-Democrat (May 17, 1928). "From the Clarksville Herald-Democrat". The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette. Vol. 34, no. 20. Gentry. p. 1. OCLC 18347116. Archived from the original on 2018-12-07. Retrieved 2018-12-07 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  15. ^ "Klan in Southwest Faces Another Test". The New York Times. August 11, 1924. p. 2. ISSN 0362-4331. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  16. ^ "Klan Loses in Arkansas". The New York Times. August 14, 1924. p. 2. ISSN 0362-4331. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  17. ^ Benton county Cazort supporters (August 2, 1928). "A Record That Will Stand Inspection (Campaign Advertisement)". The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette. Vol. 34. Gentry. p. 7. OCLC 18347116. Archived from the original on 2018-12-07. Retrieved 2018-12-07 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  18. ^ Staff of The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette (June 28, 1928). "List of Candidates for Various State and District Offices". The Journal-Advance and Benton County Gazette. Vol. 34. Gentry. p. 4. OCLC 18347116. Archived from the original on 2018-12-07. Retrieved 2018-12-07 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  19. ^ "Bettie Belle Cazort Vaughan Emery Stover". ruebelfuneralhome.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
January 9, 1933 – January 11, 1937 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
January 14, 1929 – January 12, 1931 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Harry L. Ponder
 President of the Arkansas State Senate
1921 – 1922 		Succeeded by
Jacob R. Wilson
Preceded by
J. M. Barker
 Arkansas Senate
Fourth District
January 13, 1919 – January 8, 1923 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
L. E. Sawyer
 Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives
January 8, 1917 – January 13, 1919 		Succeeded by
C. P. Newton
Preceded by Arkansas House of Representatives
Johnson County District
January 11, 1915 – January 13, 1919 		Succeeded by
E. T. McConnell
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