William J. Sears

For other people named William Sears, see William Sears (disambiguation).
William J. Sears.

William Joseph Sears (December 4, 1874 – March 30, 1944) was a U.S. Representative from Florida.

Born in Smithville, Georgia, Sears moved with his parents to Ellaville, Georgia, and thence to Kissimmee, Florida, in January 1881. He attended the public schools. He was graduated from Florida State College at Lake City in 1895 and from Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, in 1896. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1905 and commenced practice in Kissimmee, Florida. He served as mayor of Kissimmee 1907-1911. Superintendent of public instruction of Osceola County 1905-1915.

Sears was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-fourth and to the six succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1929). He served as chairman of the Committee on Education (Sixty-fifth Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1928. He resumed the practice of his legal profession at Kissimmee, Florida. He moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and continued the practice of law.

Sears was elected to the Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth Congresses (March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1937). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1936. He served as associate member of the Board of Veterans' Appeals of the Veterans' Administration in Washington, D.C., from 1937 until his retirement in October 1942. He died in Kissimmee, Florida, March 30, 1944. He was interred in Rose Hill Cemetery.

References

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
District created		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 4th congressional district
1915 – 1929 		Succeeded by
Ruth Bryan Owen
Preceded by
Seat inactive		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's at-large congressional district
1933 – 1937 		Succeeded by
Seat inactive

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

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