Harry Leslie

Harry Guyer Leslie (born April 6, 1878 in West Lafayette , Indiana , † December 10, 1937 in Miami , Florida ) was an American politician and the 33rd governor of Indiana between 1929 and 1933 .

Early years

The exact date of birth of Harry Leslie is given differently in the sources. The Indiana County History lists April 6, 1878 as the date of birth, while the National Governor Association assumes August 6 of that year. Leslie attended Purdue University after school . There he was on the football team. In 1903 he suffered serious injuries in a railroad accident in which 16 of his teammates were killed. After his recovery he was able to graduate from the university in 1905. He then studied law at the University of Indiana . After graduating and becoming a lawyer, he practiced in Lafayette, Indiana. Leslie was a member of the Republican Party . Between 1913 and 1917 he was a chamberlain in Tippecanoe County . At the same time he worked as a farmer and bank director. From 1923 to 1927 he was a member of the Indiana state parliament. For the last two years he was even President of the Chamber (Speaker). In 1928 he was elected as his party's candidate for the new governor.

Indiana Governor

Leslie began his four-year term on January 14, 1929. Most of his reign was overshadowed by the great economic crisis that spread across the entire western world as a result of the New York stock market crash of October 1929. In Indiana, too, the economic depression led to banking crises, high unemployment and corresponding dissatisfaction among the workforce. Workers' unrest even broke out. In addition, a drought aggravated the situation. The governor responded with tax cuts and government spending cuts. That was a first step towards overcoming the crisis. However, Leslie did not manage to bring the situation under control at the time. This peaked around 1932 and was only to be overcome in the further course of the 1930s with the help of federal policy and the New Deal policy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt .

Another résumé

After his tenure ended in January 1933, Harry Leslie was involved in building Standard Life Insurance, of which he later became president. Leslie died in Florida in December 1937 and was buried in Indianapolis. He was married to Martha Morgan, with whom he had three children.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 1, Meckler Books, Westport 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• Harry Leslie in the National Governor Association (English)
• Indiana Historical Bureau (English)
• Harry Leslie in the database of Find a Grave (English)