Carlos Wood Riddick (February 25, 1872 – July 9, 1960) was an American politician and businessman. He served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana's 2nd congressional district.

Carl W. Riddick
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Montana's 2nd district
In office
March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1923
Preceded byDistrict created
Succeeded byScott Leavitt
Personal details
Born
Carlos Wood Riddick

(1872-02-25)February 25, 1872
Wells, Minnesota
DiedJuly 9, 1960(1960-07-09) (aged 88)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Political partyRepublican
RelationsFlorence Riddick (sister)
Merrill K. Riddick (son)

Early life and education edit

Riddick was born in Wells, Faribault County, Minnesota, and was educated in the public schools in Michigan. He attended Albion College in Albion, Michigan and Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.[1] His sister, Florence Riddick Boys (1873–1963), was a journalist, suffragist, and state official in Indiana.[2]

Career edit

From 1899 to 1910, Riddick was editor of the Winamac Republican newspaper in Indiana. Following that he was a rancher and County Assessor of Fergus Co., Montana.

In 1918, Montana's at-large congressional district, which elected two separate members, was abolished, and the 1st and 2nd districts were created in its place. One of the at-large representatives, John M. Evans, opted to run for re-election in the 1st district, while the other, Jeannette Rankin, instead opted to run for the Senate. Riddick ran in the newly created 2nd district, and was narrowly elected over Harry B. Mitchell, the Democratic nominee. He was re-elected in a landslide over M. McCusker in 1920. Rather than seek re-election to a third term, he opted to run for the United States Senate in 1922 to replace retiring Senator Henry L. Myers. Riddick won the Republican primary over State Attorney General Wellington D. Rankin, but in the general election, he lost to Burton K. Wheeler, the Democratic nominee, by a wide margin.

After leaving politics, Riddick served as president of the National Republic, a magazine published in Washington, D.C. He was the operator of a home development at Sylvan Shores in South River, Maryland.

Personal life edit

In his later years, Riddick lived in Maryland and Florida. His son, Merrill K. Riddick, was an aviator and perennial candidate.

Riddick died on July 9, 1960, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is interred at Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ "RIDDICK, Carl Wood, (1872 - 1960)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  2. ^ "Mrs. Florence Boys Dies at Plymouth". Rushville Republican. May 11, 1963. p. 6. Retrieved October 10, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Riddick, Carlos Wood (1872-1960)". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved October 14, 2012.

External links edit

Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Montana
(Class 1)

1922
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
District created
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Montana's 2nd congressional district

1919-1923
Succeeded by