Archives West Finding Aid

Burton Kendall Wheeler was born February 27, 1882, at Hudson, Massachusetts. He graduated from the Hudson High School in 1900 and worked in the Boston area. Wheeler attended the University of Michigan and received his law degree from there in 1905.

In October 1905, Wheeler settled in Butte, Montana, and began work as a clerk for an established lawyer. The following year, he started his own practice. Wheeler married Lulu M. White, the daughter of John and Elizabeth White, in Albany, Illinois, on September 7, 1907. They had six children: John Leonard (b. 1909), Elizabeth Hale (b. 1912), Edward Kendall (b. 1915), Frances L. (1919-1957), Richard (b. 1920), and Marion Montana (b. 1925).

In 1910 Wheeler was elected to serve in the Montana House of Representatives as a Democrat from Silver Bow County. While in the legislature, he supported the candidacy of Thomas J. Walsh for United States Senator. For this support, Walsh arranged to have Wheeler appointed U.S. District Attorney for Montana in 1913. He served in this capacity throughout World War I and was the subject of much controversy for his actions in protecting the right of dissent. He resigned in 1918 to avert a possible Walsh defeat.

In 1920 Wheeler was defeated by Joseph M. Dixon in a bitter campaign for governor, but two years later, he was elected United States Senator. He held this senate seat until his defeat in the primary election of 1946. In 1924 Wheeler ran as the vice-presidential candidate on the Progressive Party ticket with Robert LaFollette.

During his senate career, Wheeler was a constant foe of the "interests" and was chiefly responsible for the exposure and investigation of graft in the Department of Justice (1924-1925). He was an early supporter of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal and served as chairman of the powerful Senate Interstate Commerce Committee. However, in 1937, Wheeler broke with the administration over Roosevelt's unsuccessful bid to "pack" the Supreme Court. His opposition to Roosevelt was again of major importance when Wheeler became a member of the America First Committee and supported non-involvement in the European war, which began in 1939. Because Wheeler had widespread support in the Democratic Party, he was considered a major contender for the presidential nomination in 1940, until Roosevelt announced for a third term. He was strongly considered as a running mate with Roosevelt that year, but refused to accept the nomination. Wheeler again supported non-involvement in 1945-1946, when he opposed the United Nations and loans to our allies after the war. After his defeat for reelection to the United States Senate by Leif Erickson in the 1946 primary, Wheeler retired to private law practice in partnership with his son Edward in Washington, D.C. Burton K. Wheeler died in 1975, at the age of 93.