Luren Dickinson

Luren Dickinson

Luren Dudley Dickinson (born April 15, 1859 in Niagara County , New York , † April 22, 1943 in Charlotte , Michigan ) was an American politician and from 1939 to 1941 the 37th governor of Michigan.

Early years

Dickinson came to Charlotte, Michigan with his parents at a very young age. There he attended Charlotte High School and he helped his parents work on their farm. After graduating from school, he himself worked in various positions in the school system. He was a teacher in both elementary and secondary schools. He later became headmaster and school councilor.

Political rise

Dickinson was a member of the Republican Party . Between 1897 and 1910 he was intermittently a member of the state parliament and the state senate of Michigan . In 1914 he was first elected lieutenant governor of that state. He spent most of his subsequent career as lieutenant governor. Since 1914 he has been elected a total of seven times and ran unsuccessfully for this office in 1924, 1932 and 1936. In 1938 he ran again successfully for the office of lieutenant governor. He was thus Deputy Governor Frank Fitzgerald , who died on March 16, 1939 after less than three months in his second term.

Michigan governor

After Fitzgerald's death, Dickinson had to take over as lieutenant governor in accordance with the state constitution and end his term of office. At the time he was almost 80 years old. Dickinson served between March 1939 and January 1, 1941. At that time, a law was passed requiring teachers in Michigan to swear allegiance to the government. Gambling was fought under his government. In the run-up to America's entry into World War II, which then took place in December 1941, the country's National Guard was prepared for a possible war deployment. Dickinson conducted most of the official business from his farm. Despite his old age, he ran for re-election in 1940. But he was defeated by the Democrat Murray van Wagoner .

Another résumé

After the end of his governorship, he withdrew into his private life. He died on April 22, 1943 and was buried in Charlotte, Michigan. Luren Dickinson was married to Zora Della Cooley, with whom he had a child.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 2, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• Luren Dickinson in the National Governor Association (English)
• Luren Dickinson in the database of Find a Grave (English)