William Wirt Courtney (1889–1961) was an American politician, attorney, and judge, best known for serving in the U.S. House of Representatives (1939–49,) representing Tennessee’s 6th and 7th districts.
Born in Franklin, Tennessee, he attended Battle Ground Academy before studying at Vanderbilt University and the Sorbonne in Paris. Admitted to the Tennessee bar in 1911, he began his legal career in Franklin. He later served as city judge (1915–17) before enlisting in the U.S. Army during World War I, rising to first lieutenant.
After the war, Courtney resumed his law practice and became Tennessee’s adjutant general (1932.) Appointed circuit judge and chancellor of the 17th judicial circuit (1933–39,) he then entered Congress. As a Democratic representative, he supported New Deal policies and contributed to World War II foreign affairs discussions.
Defeated in his 1948 re-election bid, he returned to private law practice until his death in 1961.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by W. Wirt Courtney
He is a great simpleton who imagines that the chief power of wealth is to supply wants. In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred it creates more wants than it supplies.
—W. Wirt Courtney
Topics: Wealth
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