Alex Groesbeck | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 30thGovernor of Michigan | |
| In office January 1, 1921 – January 1, 1927 | |
| Lieutenant | Thomas Read George W. Welsh |
| Preceded by | Albert Sleeper |
| Succeeded by | Fred W. Green |
| Attorney General of Michigan | |
| In office January 1, 1917 – January 1, 1921 | |
| Governor | Albert Sleeper |
| Preceded by | Grant Fellows |
| Succeeded by | Merlin Wiley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alexander Joseph Groesbeck (1873-11-07)November 7, 1873 Warren, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | March 10, 1953(1953-03-10) (aged 79) Detroit,Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | University of Michigan (LLB) |
Alexander Joseph Groesbeck (November 7, 1873[1] – March 10, 1953) was an American politician who served asattorney general and the 30thgovernor of Michigan.[2]
Groesbeck was born inWarren, Michigan, the son ofMacomb County Sheriff Louis Groesbeck and his wife Julia (Coquillard) Groesbeck.[2] Groesbeck attended the public schools ofMount Clemens, Michigan, and ofWallaceburg, Ontario, where his parents resided for two years with their family. Groesbeck wanted to become a lawyer from an early age, and undertook the study of law in the office of an attorney atPort Huron, Michigan. He went on to earn alaw degree from theUniversity of Michigan atAnn Arbor in 1893. He was admitted to thebar that year and set up practice in Detroit where he rapidly gained the "respect, goodwill and confidence of his colleagues, because of his close conformity to the highest ethical standards of the profession".[3]
Groesbeck's entrance into state politics came in 1912 — he led efforts to select a delegation to theRepublican National Convention favoring the renomination ofPresidentWilliam Howard Taft. Groesbeck also actively led the party faction supporting Taft in thegeneral election. That same year, Groesbeck was elected thestate party chairman, serving until 1914.[3] In 1914, he was a candidate forgovernor of Michigan, but lost in the Republicanprimary election toChase S. Osborn.[4] In 1916, Groesbeck was electedattorney general of Michigan, and was re-elected in 1918.
As reported inThe New York Times, Attorney General Groesbeck supported a call forHenry Ford to run for theUnited States Senate as aRepublican. This vision drew opposiotion from many other Republicans.[5]
In 1920, he won the Republican primary election for governor and defeated Democrat and former governorWoodbridge N. Ferris in thegeneral election. After being re-elected in 1922 and 1924, Groesbeck lost toFred W. Green in the 1926 Republican primary election.[4]In 1924, he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention, which chose PresidentCalvin Coolidge to be re-elected. In addition to Groesbeck's political work, he was one of the builders of the Flint-SaginawInterurban Railway.[3]
At theDetroit Club, he was instrumental in 1922 in selectingJames Couzens to be the successful Republican candidate for theSenate seat left vacant byTruman Newberry.[6]
In 1925, Groesbeck vetoed legislation that would have created astate poet laureate.Time magazine reported:[7]
Forgetful of the state poets of republican Athens, the Governor's historical knowledge led him to describe the bill as "a reversion to monarchical customs" which "has no place in a republican form of government."
During his six years in office, the state's highway growth continued, prison reform measures were sanctioned, state titles for automobiles began, and state government was restructured and consolidated.
He was defeated in the 1930 Republican primary election byWilber M. Brucker.[4]
Groesbeck is recognized as an important "road builder" in Michigan, being the first governor to champion the use ofconcrete and "take Michigan out of the mud."
In 1924, he opposed a ballot initiative (sponsored by the Public School Defense League) to require attendance atpublic schools and outlawprivate ones; this placed him at odds with the position of the then increasingly popularKu Klux Klan, which supported the opposing candidate, James Hamilton.[8]
Groesbeck was later appointed chairman of the MichiganCivil Service Commission, and served from 1941 to 1944. Also in 1944, he was a delegate to theRepublican National Convention which nominated for U.S. president,Thomas Dewey, who would lose to the three-term PresidentFranklin Roosevelt in the general election. He was also a member of theDetroit Bar Association, theMichigan Bar Association and theAmerican Bar Association, and in club circles was well known as a member of theDetroit Club and theDetroit Athletic Club.[3]
Groesbeck's gubernatorial papers are kept in the Archives of the State of Michigan.[9]
He died in Detroit and is interred there atWoodlawn Cemetery.[2]
Groesbeck Highway (M-97) was named for the governor, both because of the local prominence of the Groesbeck family in Macomb county and Oakland County and because of his strong support for building roads and highways in Michigan.[10][11]
He is memorialized by a state historical marker[12] in the City of Warren.[13][14]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Chair of theMichigan Republican Party 1912–1914 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of Michigan 1920,1922,1924 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Attorney General of Michigan 1917–1921 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Michigan 1921–1927 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
