Representative Percy Lee Gassaway

Percy Lee Gassaway (August 30, 1885 – May 15, 1937) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he served one term in the United States Congress from 1935 to 1937, representing the interests of his Oklahoma constituents during a significant period in American history marked by the New Deal and the nation’s recovery from the Great Depression.

Gassaway was born on August 30, 1885, and came of age in the closing years of the nineteenth century, a time when Oklahoma was transitioning from Indian Territory toward statehood. His early life was shaped by the rural and frontier conditions of the region, which helped inform his later understanding of agricultural, land, and economic issues that were central to many of his constituents. Growing up in this environment, he became familiar with the challenges faced by farmers, ranchers, and small-town residents, experiences that later influenced his public service.

As a young man, Gassaway pursued the education and training necessary to enter the legal profession, a common pathway into public life in his era. He studied law and prepared for admission to the bar, gaining the legal knowledge and practical skills that would underpin his later work in both local affairs and national legislation. His legal background gave him a grounding in statutory interpretation and civil procedure, which proved valuable when he later engaged in the legislative process in Congress.

Before his election to the United States House of Representatives, Gassaway built a career that combined law and public service in Oklahoma. Practicing law in the state, he became acquainted with the legal and economic concerns of his community, including property disputes, commercial matters, and issues arising from the rapid development of Oklahoma’s towns and agricultural lands. His professional work and growing reputation in local and state circles helped establish him as a credible candidate for higher office within the Democratic Party, which was then the dominant political force in Oklahoma.

Gassaway was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-fourth Congress and served from 1935 to 1937. His tenure coincided with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s early New Deal years, when Congress was deeply engaged in efforts to stabilize the economy, reform financial institutions, and provide relief to those affected by the Great Depression. As a member of the House of Representatives, Percy Lee Gassaway participated in the democratic process and contributed to the legislative work of this transformative period, representing the interests of his Oklahoma constituents in debates and votes on national policy. During his single term, he took part in shaping federal responses to the economic and social challenges of the mid-1930s, aligning with the broader Democratic agenda of recovery and reform.

After leaving Congress in 1937 at the conclusion of his term, Gassaway’s public career was cut short by his death later that year. He died on May 15, 1937, not long after his service in the House had ended. His career in national office, though brief, placed him among the Oklahoma lawmakers who served during one of the most consequential eras in twentieth-century American governance, and his work in Congress reflected both his legal training and his longstanding familiarity with the needs and concerns of the people of Oklahoma.