Randolph Carpenter

William Randolph Carpenter (April 24, 1894 in Marion, Kansas – July 26, 1956 in Topeka, Kansas) was a U.S. Representative from Kansas and a U.S. Army World War I veteran. He died in Topeka, Kansas, July 26, 1956 and was interred in Highland Cemetery, Marion, Kansas.

Biography

Carpenter attended local public and high schools in Marion, Kansas. He graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1917, where he was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity.^[1] He was admitted to the bar that same year and commenced his practice in Marion, Kansas. He continued his family's agricultural pursuits by maintaining his farm.^[1]

World War I

He joined the U. S. Army National Guard in Marion in 1917 as a Second Lieutenant and helped organize Company M under the Third Regiment Infantry, Kansas National Guard. During the First World War he was called to active duty and was transferred to Company M, One Hundred Thirty-ninth Infantry Regiment, Thirty-fifth Infantry Division which deployed to France in early 1918. He was promoted to first lieutenant during the Argonne offensive, and served until his discharge on May 8, 1919.^[1]

Marriage

He married Helen Frances Williams (born 20 November 1896 in Marion, Kansas - died January 1994 in Topeka, Kansas) daughter of Fred Reed & Frances Elizabeth (née Skidmore) Williams on 15 July 1920 in Marion, Kansas.^[1][2]

Community service^[1]

• He served as member of the Marion Board of Education 1925–1933.
• He served in the State house of representatives 1929–1933.
• Carpenter was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth Congresses (March 4, 1933–January 3, 1937). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1936 and he resumed the practice of law.
• He was the United States Attorney for the district of Kansas 1945–1948.
• He was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Governor in 1948.
• He served as member of the United States Motor Carrier Claims Commission 1950–1952.

References

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas
1st district	Phillips Anderson Morrill Broderick Curtis Anthony Lambertson Cole H. Miller Avery Dole Sebelius Roberts Moran Huelskamp Marshall (elect)
2nd district	Goodin Haskell Funston H. Moore O. Miller M. Peters Bowersock Scott Mitchell Taggart E. Little Guyer C. Little Guyer Scrivner George Ellsworth Avery Mize Roy Keys Jeffries Slattery Brownback Ryun Boyda Jenkins
3rd district	Brown Ryan Perkins Clover Hudson Kirkpatrick Ridgely A. Jackson Campbell Sproul McGugin Patterson Winter Meyer George Hargis McVey Ellsworth Winn Meyers Snowbarger D. Moore Yoder
4th district	Ryan Kelley Otis Curtis J. Miller F. Jackson Doolittle Hoch Carpenter E. Rees Shriver Glickman Tiahrt Pompeo
5th district	Anderson Davis Calderhead Vincent Calderhead R. Rees Helvering Strong Ayres Houston Hope Breeding Skubitz Whittaker Nichols
6th district	Hanback Turner Baker McCormick Reeder Young Connelly White Sparks McCarthy Carlson Smith Dole
7th district	S. Peters Simpson Long Simpson Long Murdock Madison Neeley Shouse Tincher Hope
8th district	Murdock Ayres Bird Ayres
At-large	Conway Wilder Clarke Lowe (1873–1875: Lowe Cobb Phillips) (1883–1885: Hanback Morrill Perkins S. Peters) Harris Blue Botkin Bailey Scott
Territory	Whitfield Parrott

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