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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Alabama's 8th Congressional District

34°52′53.13″N 87°13′3.76″W / 34.8814250°N 87.2177111°W / 34.8814250; -87.2177111

Alabama's 8th congressional district
Obsolete district
Population (1960)383,625
Created1870
Eliminated1970
Years active1873-1973

Alabama's 8th congressional district, now obsolete, was established in 1877.

Alabama currently has seven congressional districts represented in the United States House of Representatives.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Alabama was apportioned eight congressional seats as a result of the 1880 census. In 1893-1913 there were nine seats, and in 1913-1933 there were ten seats, the maximum ever for Alabama. In 1970, Alabama lost its eighth seat when population growth slowed to qualify for only seven seats.

The 8th seat was elected at-large from the entire state until the 45th Congress, when an 8th district was established as a separate district in the northwestern part of the state. The district occupied an area now held by Alabama's 5th congressional district, with the exception of a portion of Morgan County, which is part of the 4th district. Franklin County, which was part of the 8th district until after the 1890 census, is also part of the modern 4th district.

The district was eliminated in reapportionment at the end of the 92nd United States Congress in 1973. Robert E. Jones Jr. was the district's last representative.

History

The district was eliminated in the 1970 redistricting cycle after the 1970 United States census.

List of members representing the district

Member Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history Population / Counties
District created March 3, 1877

William W. Garth
(Huntsville)
Democratic March 4, 1877 –
March 3, 1879
45th Elected in 1876.
Lost re-election.
1877–1883:
Population 130,173
Colbert, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan

William M. Lowe
(Huntsville)
Greenback March 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1881
46th Elected in 1878.
Lost re-election.

Joseph Wheeler
(Wheeler)
Democratic March 4, 1881 –
June 3, 1882
47th Elected in 1880.
Lost election contest.

William M. Lowe
(Huntsville)
Greenback June 3, 1882 –
October 12, 1882
Won election contest.
Died.
Vacant October 12, 1882 –
January 15, 1883

Joseph Wheeler
(Wheeler)
Democratic January 15, 1883 –
March 3, 1883
Elected January 3, 1883 to finish Lowe's term and seated January 15, 1883.
Had not been elected to the next term.

Luke Pryor
(Athens)
Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1885
48th Elected in 1882.
Retired.
1883–1893:
Population 168,502
Colbert, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan

Joseph Wheeler
(Wheeler)
Democratic March 4, 1885 –
April 20, 1900
49th
50th
51st
52nd
53rd
54th
55th
56th
57th
Elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Resigned.
1893–1903:
Population 176,088
Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan
Vacant April 20, 1900 –
August 6, 1900
57th

William N. Richardson
(Huntsville)
Democratic August 6, 1900 –
March 31, 1914
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
63rd
Elected to finish Wheeler's term.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Died.
1903–1913:
Population 194,491
Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan
1913–1923:
Population 218,342
Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan
Vacant March 31, 1914 –
May 11, 1914
63rd

Christopher C. Harris
(Decatur)
Democratic May 11, 1914 –
March 3, 1915
Elected to finish Richardson's term.
Retired.

Edward B. Almon
(Tuscumbia)
Democratic March 4, 1915 –
June 22, 1933
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
73rd
Elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Re-elected in 1932.
Died.
1923–1933:
Population 254,529
Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan
1923–1943:
Population 282,241
Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan
Vacant June 22, 1933 –
November 14, 1933
73rd

Archibald H. Carmichael
(Tuscumbia)
Democratic November 14, 1933 –
January 3, 1937
73rd
74th
Elected to finish Almon's term.
Re-elected in 1934.
Retired.

John Sparkman
(Huntsville)
Democratic January 3, 1937 –
November 5, 1946
75th
76th
77th
78th
79th
Elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946 but resigned when elected U.S. Senator.
1943–1953:
Population 300,112
Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan
Vacant November 5, 1946 –
January 28, 1947
79th

Robert E. Jones Jr.
(Scottsboro)
Democratic January 28, 1947 –
January 3, 1963
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
Elected to finish Sparkman's term.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Redistricted to the at-large district.
1953–1963:
Population 321,459
Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan
District inactive January 3, 1963 –
January 3, 1965
88th All representatives elected at large.

Robert E. Jones Jr.
(Scottsboro)
Democratic January 3, 1965 –
January 3, 1973
89th
90th
91st
92nd
Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Redistricted to the 5th district.
1965–1973:
Population 383,625
Colbert, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan
District eliminated January 3, 1973
A diagrammatic history of the Alabama House Delegation

References

Specific
  1. ^ Official Congressional Directory. 45th Congress, 2nd session. 3rd edition. Page 5 (1878)
General
  • Population data from U.S. Census Bureau: Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990
  • 1880 and 1870 Census data from U.S. Census Bureau: Compendium of the Tenth Census, Volume 1. (1883)
  • Additional population data and counties from the Official Congressional Directories of the 45th Congress (1878); 48th Congress (1883); 53rd Congress (1893); 58th Congress (1903); 81st Congress (1950); 83rd Congress (1953); and 89th Congress (1965).
  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
  • Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present