Lawyer and Alabama State Representative
William H. Quillin, lawyer and representative in the lower house of the State Legislature, for 1927, was born December 11, 1902; son of Hiram and Ada (Bolton) Quillin of Russellville.
Like so many of the prominent younger men of the county, Mr. Quillin has the blood of some of the county’s oldest families coursing through his veins. He is a great-great-grandson of James Quillin who settled near Good Springs when Franklin was in its infancy; a great-great-grandson of Hiram Townsend, who lived in the same community; and a great-great-great grandson of John Cook, who settled at Cook’s Bluff. (See Cook family).
On his mother’s side he is a grandson of James W. Bolton, a retired lawyer; great-grandson of Redden Bolton, one of six brothers who came to Franklin County from Pickens County many years ago; and of Braz Goins, a pioneer settler from Georgia.
Mr. Quillin entered the Russellville grammar school at an early age. Later he attended the Franklin County High School from which he graduated in 1920. He had the honor of being class valedictorian. After graduating from high school, he was a student at the University of Alabama for some time, but did not remain in that institution very long. The fall of 1921 found him employed as a teacher in the Crooked Oak Junior High School, Colbert County, under Miss Mary Richeson. Though teaching but one year, he was well liked and performed his work with satisfaction.
Deciding to enter the legal profession he began to read law in the office of Hon. Travis Williams at Russellville. He also took a business course at the Florence Business College, Florence, Ala. (word indistinguishable) that he might be better prepared for his life’s work.
After having read law for some time under Mr. Williams, and having taken the several months’ business course, he stood the examination and was admitted to the bar March 21. 1924. He remained in the office of Mr. Williams for a short while. Since then he has been associated with Hon. Wm. Stell at Russellville.
In 1926 he was elected to the lower house of the State Legislature from Franklin County. Hon. Travis Williams, under whom he had read law, was elected to the State Senate. Mr. Quillen’s opponent on the Republican ticket was Thos. J. Willis, a farmer of Franklin County.
We believe that Mr. Quillen is, perhaps, the youngest man in the history of Franklin County to be elected to the Legislature. Certainly he is one of the youngest. He is also the second youngest man in the present Legislature. He is a Baptist and Democrat. He is not married.
Source: Source: James, R. L. Distinguished Men, Women and Families of Franklin County, Alabama. Russellville, Ala., Private Publication, 1928. 111 p.