William Beck Widnall was a member of the United States House of Representatives for 24 years representing the 7th district of New Jersey as a Republican.
Born in Hackensack, New Jersey, Widnall attended public schools. He graduated from Brown University in 1926 with a Ph.B. degree and went on to receive a law degree from the New Jersey Law School (now Rutgers School of Law–Newark) in 1931.
Widnall then practiced law in Hackensack and served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1946 to 1950. He was elected to Congress on February 6, 1950 in a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of J. Parnell Thomas. Widnall served until his own resignation from Congress on December 31, 1974 following his failed reelection bid in 1974.
After leaving Congress, Widnall served as chairman of the National Commission of Electronic Fund Transfers from November 1975 to 1981. He died in Ridgewood, New Jersey on December 28, 1983.