Virgil Chapman

"Senator Chapman" redirects here. For other uses, see Senator Chapman (disambiguation).

Virgil Munday Chapman
United States Senator from Kentucky
In office January 3, 1949 – March 8, 1951
Preceded by	John S. Cooper
Succeeded by	Thomas R. Underwood
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky
In office March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1929
Preceded by	Joseph W. Morris
Succeeded by	Robert E. Lee Blackburn
Constituency	7th district
In office March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1949
Preceded by	Robert E. Lee Blackburn
Succeeded by	Thomas R. Underwood
Constituency	7th district (1931–35) 6th district (1935–49)
Personal details
Born	(1895-03-15)March 15, 1895 Middleton, Kentucky, US
Died	March 8, 1951(1951-03-08) (aged 55) Bethesda, Maryland, US
Political party	Democratic

Virgil Munday Chapman (March 15, 1895 – March 8, 1951) was an American attorney and Democratic politician who represented Kentucky in the United States House of Representatives and in the United States Senate.

Chapman was born in Middleton, Kentucky, in Simpson County, near the Logan County line. He practiced law in Irvine, Kentucky, then Paris, Kentucky and Lexington, Kentucky. He was married to Mary Chapman and had one daughter, Elizabeth.

In 1924 Chapman was elected to the United States House of Representatives and served two terms representing Kentucky's 7th District. He lost his seat to Republican Robert E. Lee Blackburn in the 1928 Republican landslide as Herbert Hoover was elected president, then defeated Blackburn in 1930. He was re-elected in 1932, when Kentucky members were elected statewide at large due to loss of a seat and lack of redistricting, then was elected in the 6th District in 1934. He served through 1948, when he defeated incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. John Sherman Cooper. He died in an automobile accident in Washington, DC on March 8, 1951.

Chapman was succeeded in the House and the Senate by Thomas R. Underwood, who had been editor of the Lexington Herald and managed the 1947 campaign of Gov. Earle C. Clements. Dan Quayle, William Hathaway, Henry C. Hansbrough, Jonathan Chace and Tom Udall were also succeeded by the same person in both the House and Senate.

See also

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1950–99)

References

• United States Congress. "Virgil Chapman (id: C000317)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Memorial services held in the House of Representatives together with remarks presented in eulogy of Virgil Munday Chapman, late a representative from Kentucky