Ryan DeGraffenried, Sr.

Who was Ryan DeGraffenried, Sr.?

William Ryan DeGraffenried, Sr. was an attorney and politician from Alabama. He was the son of Edward deGraffenried, former U.S. congressman from Alabama. He married Margaret Nell Maxwell in July of 1945.

A Tuscaloosan, DeGraffenried ran for Governor of Alabama on two occasions. On his first attempt, he was defeated in the Democratic primary runoff by George Wallace, who was later elected Governor.

In 1966, he ran again as a moderate, supporting racial integration. He sought to succeed Dixiecrat-style Wallace, who was prohibited from running for a second term. However, one day after qualifying for the gubernatorial race, he died in a plane crash while campaigning in northeast Alabama near Fort Payne. The nomination and governorship was won by Wallace's wife, Lurleen Wallace.

His son, Ryan DeGraffenried, Jr., was also a notable Alabama politician. He served as State Senator, Senate president pro tempore and Lieutenant Governor of Alabama under Jim Folsom, Jr..