Francis E. McGovern | |
|---|---|
 McGovern in 1910 | |
| Chair of theNational Governors Association | |
| In office September 12, 1911 – November 10, 1914 | |
| Preceded by | Augustus E. Willson |
| Succeeded by | David I. Walsh |
| 22ndGovernor of Wisconsin | |
| In office January 2, 1911 – January 4, 1915 | |
| Lieutenant | Thomas Morris |
| Preceded by | James O. Davidson |
| Succeeded by | Emanuel L. Philipp |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1866-01-21)January 21, 1866 Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | May 16, 1946(1946-05-16) (aged 80) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Home Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican(Before 1934) Democratic(1934–1946) |
| Education | University of Wisconsin(BA) |
| Signature |  |
Francis Edward McGovern (January 21, 1866 – May 16, 1946) was an American lawyer and politician fromWisconsin. He served as the 22ndgovernor of Wisconsin from 1911 to 1915. In 1911 especially he sponsored a major series of progressive achievements through the legislature.
Through most of his life, he was a member of theRepublican Party; he was originally a close ally of Wisconsin U.S. senatorRobert M. "Fighting Bob" La Follette—the two progressive leaders held an uneasy truce for McGovern's reelection in 1912 but became bitter rivals afterward. La Follette helped defeat McGovern in his bid for U.S. Senate in 1914, and McGovern then lost the 1916 Republican gubernatorial primary. After those losses, he largely retired from politics.[1] Later in life, McGovern left the Republican Party and became aDemocrat.
McGovern was born inElkhart Lake,Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.[2] He graduated from theUniversity of Wisconsin in 1890,[3] and served as high school principal inBrodhead, Wisconsin, andAppleton, Wisconsin. He studied law and wasadmitted to the bar in 1897.[4] He began the practice of law inMilwaukee, Wisconsin.
He was elected District Attorney in Milwaukee in 1904, and served as District Attorney from 1903 to 1904 and from 1905 to 1908.[5] In 1908, he ran for U.S. Senator but was defeated. He was elected Governor of Wisconsin in 1910 and 1912.[6] McGovern supported theLa Follette progressive wing of theRepublican Party. He broke with La Follette in 1912 by supportingTheodore Roosevelt for the Republican nomination. LaFollette did support McGovern's reelection in 1912. La Follette worked to defeat him in 1914, in conjunction with anti-tax conservative Republicans, who opposed McGovern's introduction of the state'sincome tax.[7][4] He ran for U.S. Senator in 1914 and was defeated.[8]
After leaving the governorship, he resumed the practice of law. When World War I began he entered the U.S. Army as a major, and served asJudge Advocate of the18th Division.[9] In 1920 he served as general counsel for theU.S. Shipping Board.[5] He resumed the practice of law in Milwaukee in 1921 and served as president of theMilwaukee Bar Association in 1923.[10] He was a member of the executive committee of the Wisconsin State Bar Association.
He died on May 16, 1946, in Milwaukee, and is interred inForest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee.[11]
Media related toFrancis E. McGovern at Wikimedia Commons| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of Wisconsin 1910,1912 | Succeeded by |
| First | Republican nominee forUnited States Senator fromWisconsin (Class 3) 1914 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forGovernor of Wisconsin 1940 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Wisconsin 1911–1915 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theNational Governors Association 1911–1914 | Succeeded by |
