Cecil Harland Underwood (November 5, 1922 – November 24, 2008) was an American Republican Party politician from West Virginia, known for the length of his career. He was governor of West Virginia from 1957 until 1961 and from 1997 until 2001. He ran for reelection in 2000 but was defeated by Bob Wise. Underwood was both the youngest and the oldest person ever to serve as Governor of West Virginia, as well as the oldest serving governor of the sta...
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Cecil Harland Underwood (November 5, 1922 – November 24, 2008) was an American Republican Party politician from West Virginia, known for the length of his career. He was governor of West Virginia from 1957 until 1961 and from 1997 until 2001. He ran for reelection in 2000 but was defeated by Bob Wise. Underwood was both the youngest and the oldest person ever to serve as Governor of West Virginia, as well as the oldest serving governor of the state. He was also the first guest on the television game show To Tell the Truth. He was a Methodist, and former minister.
Underwood was born in Josephs Mills, West Virginia in 1922, and labored on farms during The Great Depression. He graduated from Tyler County High School in 1939.
After graduation, he became an Army reservist during World War II before enrolling Salem College in Harrison County. He graduated in 1943, where he had been elected president of the student body. After college, he instructed high school students as a biology teacher...
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