W. Wirt Courtney

William Wirt Courtney (September 7, 1889 - April 6, 1961) was a U.S. Representative from Tennessee.

Born in Franklin, Tennessee, Courtney was graduated from Battle Ground Academy, Franklin, Tennessee, in 1907.He attended Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, and the Faculté de Droit of the Sorbonne, Paris, France.He studied law.He was admitted to the bar in 1911 and commenced practice in Franklin, Tennessee. City judge 1915-1917. Enlisted in the United States Army as a private in the One Hundred and Seventeenth Infantry, Thirtieth Division, in September 1917, and was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in June 1919.He resumed the practice of law in Franklin, Tennessee.He served as adjutant general of Tennessee in 1932.He served as member of the Tennessee National Guard in 1933 with rank of brigadier general.He served as circuit judge and chancellor of the seventeenth judicial circuit of Tennessee 1933-1939.

Courtney was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-sixth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Clarence W. Turner.He was reelected to the Seventy-seventh and to the three succeeding Congresses and served from May 11, 1939, to January 3, 1949.He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1948.He resumed the practice of law.He died in Franklin, Tennessee, April 6, 1961.He was interred in Mount Hope Cemetery.

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