Wade H. Kitchens

Wade Hampton Kitchens (December 26, 1878 – August 22, 1966) was an Arkansas lawyer and politician. He served as an infantryman and officer in the Arkansas State Guard and the United States Army during three conflicts and practiced law on two continents before entering politics in Arkansas. Kitchens served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1929 to 1933, and won election to the United States House of Representatives in 1936.

Wade Kitchens
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arkansas's 7th district
In office
January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1941
Preceded byTilman B. Parks
Succeeded byOren Harris
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
from the Columbia County district
In office
January 14, 1929[1] – January 9, 1933[2]
Preceded byBonnie Davis[3]
Succeeded byJoe L. Davis[2]
Personal details
Born(1878-12-26)December 26, 1878
Falcon, Arkansas, Nevada County, Arkansas
DiedAugust 22, 1966(1966-08-22) (aged 87)
Magnolia, Arkansas
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Lillie Dempsey
​
​
(m. 1906; died 1966)​
Children2
ResidenceMagnolia, Arkansas
EducationUniversity of Arkansas
Cumberland School of Law (LLD)
ProfessionLawyer, politician
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service Arkansas State Guard
 United States Army
Years of service1989; 1900-1902; May 18, 1917-1918
Rank Captain
Unit2nd Infantry
Battles/warsSpanish–American War
Philippine–American War
World War I

Early life and career

Born on a farm near Falcon, Nevada County, Arkansas, Kitchens attended the common schools and Southern Academy.

He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville between 1895 and 1898.[4] In 1898 Kitchens served as a sergeant in the Arkansas State Guard (1st Arkansas Volunteer Infantry), during the Spanish–American War. Kitchens returned home and graduated from Cumberland School of Law at Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1900 and was admitted to the bar. Kitchens enlisted in the United States Army as a private (Company E, Twentieth and Second United States Infantry) to serve in the Philippine–American War from 1900 to 1902. He remained in the Philippines, practicing law at Manila and Lingayen.[5]

Kitchens married Lillie Dempsey in 1906 and returned to the United States in 1909. Now living in Magnolia, Arkansas, Kitchens established a law practice and began to become involved in the community.[4] He served as a delegate to the Democratic state conventions at Little Rock, Arkansas in 1910 and 1912.

During World War I, he enlisted in the United States Army on May 18, 1917. Kitchens was commissioned August 5, 1917 as an infantry captain, and served overseas. He returned to Arkansas in 1918 and resumed practicing law.[5]

Political career

Arkansas House of Representatives

Kitchens won election to the Arkansas House of Representatives in November 1928. He would enter the 47th Arkansas General Assembly, which was entirely controlled by the Democratic Party (typical during the Solid South period). He would serve alongside Garland Pearce, who had represented Columbia County's other House seat since 1927.[3] Kitchens was re-elected for the 48th Arkansas General Assembly, this time serving Columbia County alongside S. A. Crumpler, but did not seek reelection after his second term.

House of Representatives

Kitchens was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-fifth and Seventy-sixth Congresses (January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1941).[5]

He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1940.

Later life and death

After defeat, Kitchens resumed the practice of law in Magnolia. He died there August 22, 1966, and was interred in Columbia Cemetery, near Waldo, Arkansas.[5]

References
  1. "SOS" (1998), pp. 283–284.
  2. "SOS" (1998), pp. 286–288.
  3. "SOS" (1998), pp. 282–283.
  4. Pruden III, William H. (October 30, 2014). "Wade Hampton Kitchens (1878–1966)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Little Rock: Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  5. "Wade H. Kitchens (id: K000248)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. Retrieved September 13, 2020.

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

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