Background
Mcfarlane, William Doddridge was born on July 17, 1894 in Greenwood, Arkansas, United States. Son of Robert William and Maggie (Harris) M.
lawyer politician representative
Mcfarlane, William Doddridge was born on July 17, 1894 in Greenwood, Arkansas, United States. Son of Robert William and Maggie (Harris) M.
Born in Greenwood, Arkansas, McFarlane attended public schools and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville 1909-1914. He returned to the University of Arkansas in 1919 and received his Bachelor of Arts that year from Kent Law School, Chicago, Illinois and his Bachelor of Laws in 1921. Later, in his seventies, he completed his Juris Doctor there in 1969.
He engaged in the mercantile business in Greenwood, Arkansas from 1914 to 1918. During the First World War he was commissioned a second lieutenant in August 1918, and served until honorably discharged on December 13, 1918. He was admitted to the bar in 1921 and commenced practice in Graham, Texas.
McFarlane was elected as a Democratic Representative for Texas"s 13th congressional district to the Seventy-third and to the two succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1939).
He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1938 to the Seventy-sixth Congress. He resumed the practice of law.
He served as special assistant to the attorney general at Texarkana, Texas from 1941 to 1944. He served as director of the Surplus Property Smaller War Plants Corporation, Washington, District of Columbia, from December 1944 to January 1946.
He served as special assistant to the Attorney General in Washington, District of Columbia, January 1946 to July 1, 1951.
He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1951 to fill the vacancy in the Eighty-second Congress. He subsequently served in the Lands Division of the Justice Department from December 1, 1951, until his retirement on August 1, 1966, when he again resumed the practice of law. He was the father of five children: Mary, Betty, Bill, Barbara and Robert.
Son Robert McFarlane was the National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan from 1983 until late 1985.
He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Member law firm McFarlane & McFarlane from 1921. Served as private, advancing to Second lieutenant, 1918. Member Texas House of Representatives, 1923-1927, Texas State Senate, 1927-1931.
Member 73d to 75th Congressgs (1933-1939), 13th Texas District
Member State and Young County bar associations, Former Mems. of Congress, Incorporated. (charter; Mason (32 degree, Shriner, recipient Master Mason 50-Year award 1969), Knights of Pythias.
Married Alma Ellen Carl, December 25, 1923 (died April. Married second, Inez Bishop, June 2, 1945. Children: Mary Ellen, Alice Jean (deceased), William Doctorate., Betty Ann, Barbara Frances, Robert Carl.