By John W. McCauley, Lexington
I was fortunate to have known and, on occasion, worked with the distinguished gentleman from Bowling Green, Congressman William H. Natcher. During his career in the U.S. House of Representatives, he maintained a high level of character and dignity for the office and the people he represented, and he set a high bar for those who were to follow.
Born on Sept. 11, 1909, in Bowling Green, Natcher was the son of Joseph McCormack and Blanche Geneva (Hays) Natcher. He attended high school at Ogden Preparatory and college at Western Kentucky University, earning a bachelor of arts degree in 1930. He attended law school at The Ohio State University, where he earned an bachelor of laws degree in 1933.
He married Virginia C. Reardon on June 17, 1937, and they had two daughters, Celeste and Louise. He served honorably in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Natcher, a Democrat, served as Warren County Attorney and as the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Kentucky’s 8th judicial district prior to his 1953 special election to the U.S. House of Representatives to fill an unexpired term due to the death of Congressman Garrett L. Withers.
Congressman Natcher, who represented Kentucky’s 2nd congressional district for more than 40 years, was always accessible to the people, and he did not accept campaign contributions. He was known for never missing a roll call vote and cast 18,401 consecutive votes until his final days in office when his health had declined and he was unable to return to the U.S. Capitol.
His accolades are far too many to mention in this article, but Natcher supported numerous road projects, including securing federal dollars for the construction of a cable-stayed bridge between Maceo, Kentucky, and Rockport, Indiana, that connects U.S. 231 between the states. The bridge was not completed until 2002, eight years after his death, and was named in his honor.
He was an outspoken proponent for federal funding to support public libraries and literacy programs. He knew that our nation’s future depended on proper support for our educational system.
Today, the Kentucky Library Association still presents the William H. Natcher Award to individuals and businesses whose philanthropic support benefits Kentucky’s libraries. Past winners include Mary Bingham, William T. Young and Dr. Thomas D. Clark.
Natcher supported the Voting Rights Act of 1965, landmark legislation that has had a profound and lasting impact on our society. In addition, he was an outspoken proponent for agricultural and health programs. During his distinguished career in Congress, he served as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and he was known for returning unused dollars from his congressional budget to the taxpayers each year.
In 1984, I served on the staff of Kentucky’s senior U.S. senator, Walter D. Huddleston. We were working on a project, and the senator asked me to contact Congressman Natcher’s office. When I called the congressman’s office, it was Natcher who answered the telephone. When I told Huddleston that Natcher had answered the telephone and that I talked directly with him, the senator was not surprised.
On another occasion, I was traveling with Sen. Huddleston when we met Congressman Natcher for an event at Nolin Lake. When Congressman Natcher was called upon to speak, he introduced his primary opponent, State Sen. Frank Miller from Bowling Green, and graciously invited him to speak. Natcher went on to carry all 18 counties in the district and handily won the race. In my personal experience, Natcher always conducted himself in a professional and dignified manner. He truly was “The Gentleman from Kentucky.”
Natcher died of heart failure on March 29, 1994, at the age of 84, in Bethesda, Maryland. Just 25 days earlier, he had been presented the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton. At the time of his passing, Natcher had served in Congress longer than any other Kentuckian. He was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia, and they are buried in Fairview Cemetery in Bowling Green.
Today, I can still hear Congressman Natcher, as if it were yesterday, beginning his speech with “Ladies and Gentlemen, My Friends,” and he, through his contributions and service, was a longtime friend to many Kentuckians.