Francis W. Sargent

Francis W. Sargent

Francis William Sargent (born July 29, 1915 in Hamilton , Essex County , Massachusetts , † October 21, 1998 in Dover , Massachusetts) was an American politician and governor of the state of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975 .

Early years

Francis Sargent studied architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) after primary school until 1939 . He then worked as an architect in his father's company until the United States entered World War II . During the war he was used as a captain in the US Army in Italy . He was honored with two high awards for his military achievements.

Political rise

After the war, he and his wife moved to Cape Cod , where they ran a sporting goods store. Sargent became a member of the Republican Party and was committed to the environment. He feared overfishing in the waters of his homeland and fought against illegal fishing methods. Consequently, in 1947, Governor Robert F. Bradford appointed him Fisheries and Hunting Commissioner for the State of Massachusetts. Sargent also became a member of several other fisheries commissions on the east coast . Between 1967 and 1969 he was Vice Governor Deputy Governor John Volpe . After he stepped down in January 1969 to become US Secretary of Transportation in President Richard Nixon's cabinet , Francis Sargent had to take over his post.

Massachusetts Governor

After re-election in 1970, Sargent was able to rule as governor between January 22, 1969 and January 2, 1975. His tenure was overshadowed by a number of important regional and national events. The governor countered a budget crisis in Massachusetts with tax increases and a budget cut. He also vetoed a proposed increase in public sector salaries. The governor continued to campaign for the environment and stopped the expansion of highways in Boston , which would have cut the affected residential areas in two. New laws should strengthen environmental protection in Massachusetts. After a fatal shootout at Kent State University in Ohio , Governor Sargent had the flags raised at half-mast as a token of respect for the victims. He also enforced desegregation in Boston schools.

The governor was a staunch opponent of the Vietnam War and did not shy away from open criticism. In addition to the Vietnam War, the Watergate affair became the dominant political topic of those years. In 1974 he lost to Michael Dukakis when he tried to be re-elected .

Another résumé

After his governorship, Francis Sargent withdrew from politics. He returned to Cape Cod, where he ran his sporting goods store. The ex-governor was married to Jessie Fay, with whom he had three children. He died on September 21, 1998.

Web links

• Francis Sargent in the National Governors Association (English)
• Francis W. Sargent in the database of Find a Grave (English)