Representative Roy Clippinger

Roy Clippinger (January 13, 1886 – December 24, 1962) was a Republican U.S. Representative from Illinois who served in the United States Congress from 1945 to 1949. He represented his southern Illinois district during the closing months of World War II and the early postwar period, contributing to the legislative process over two terms in office and participating in the broader democratic governance of the era.

Clippinger was born in Fairfield, Wayne County, Illinois, on January 13, 1886. He attended the public schools in his hometown, receiving a basic formal education typical of rural Illinois at the turn of the twentieth century. As a young man he learned the printer’s trade, acquiring technical skills that would shape his long professional life in journalism and publishing.

Building on his training in printing, Clippinger engaged in the newspaper business and became a prominent figure in regional journalism. He served as a publisher and editor from 1909 to 1961, a span of more than five decades, during which he helped shape public opinion and provide local news coverage in southern Illinois. His influence extended beyond his home state; he was the founder and president of the Board of Greater Weeklies in New York City, an organization that reflected his leadership within the weekly newspaper industry and his interest in strengthening and coordinating smaller publications.

In addition to his work in publishing, Clippinger was active in local civic and business affairs. He served as manager of the White County, Illinois, Bridge Commission from 1941 to 1961, overseeing transportation infrastructure that was vital to the regional economy. He also engaged in the furniture business from 1947 to 1950, diversifying his business interests during the postwar economic expansion. In the health-care field, he served as president of the Carmi, Illinois, Hospital Association from 1945 to 1948, demonstrating a commitment to improving medical facilities and services in his community.

Clippinger’s prominence in business and civic life led to his entry into national politics. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected to the Seventy-ninth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative James V. Heidinger. Winning the special election, he took his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 1945. He was subsequently reelected in 1946 to the Eightieth Congress, serving continuously from November 6, 1945, to January 3, 1949. During this period he represented the interests of his Illinois constituents in the House of Representatives as the nation transitioned from wartime to peacetime, addressing issues related to postwar reconversion, veterans, and regional development. He chose not to be a candidate for renomination in 1948.

After leaving Congress, Clippinger resumed his former business pursuits, returning to his longstanding work in the newspaper field and continuing his involvement in local enterprises and public service roles. He remained a resident of Carmi, Illinois, where he lived for many years and maintained his connections to the community he had served both locally and in Washington.

Roy Clippinger died in Carmi, Illinois, on December 24, 1962. He was interred in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) Cemetery in McLeansboro, Illinois, reflecting his enduring ties to southern Illinois. His career combined journalism, business leadership, civic service, and a notable, if relatively brief, tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives during a significant period in American history.