Warren T. McCray

Warren Terry McCray (born February 4, 1865 in Brook , Newton County , Indiana , †  December 19, 1938 in Kentland , Indiana) was an American politician and the 30th governor of the state of Indiana between 1921 and 1924  .

Early years and political advancement

After elementary school, McCray joined the Kentland Discount and Deposit Bank in 1880 . There his father was president. After McCray's death in 1913, McCray himself became president of the bank. Over time, alongside his banking activities, he became a successful businessman. In this capacity he was involved in the grain elevator business. But he was also a shop owner and tried his hand at raising cattle.

McCray was a member of the Republican Party . Between 1904 and 1912 he was the curator of a hospital for the mentally handicapped and responsible for the board of trustees' finances. He served on the Indiana Agriculture Committee from 1912 to 1916. During the First World War he was chairman of the Food Conservation Committee of Indiana. Between 1917 and 1918 he was a curator at Purdue University . As early as 1916, he applied for his party's nomination for the office of governor. At that time he was defeated by James Goodrich . In 1920 he was elected as his party's candidate for the new governor of Indiana.

Indiana Governor

McCray's tenure as governor began on January 10, 1921. 87 public buildings were built during his reign. A new law regulated the budget at both state and local level. A mineral oil tax was also introduced to finance the expansion of the road network in view of the increasing traffic. McCray also promoted schooling, especially in rural areas. A new penal institution was built in Pendleton . However, his reputation suffered soon after he took office when he got into financial difficulties through personal speculation. To make up for this, he allowed himself to be carried away into crime and fraud. Among other things, his Secretary of State , who later became Governor Edward L. Jackson , is said to have bribed him. After these crimes became known and were investigated against him, he resigned on April 30, 1924 from his office. Since these events occurred almost simultaneously with similar events in other states such as Illinois under Governor Len Small and even in the federal government (see the Teapot Dome scandal under President Warren G. Harding ), politics in general lost credibility.

Another résumé

McCray was convicted of his offenses and spent three years in federal prison before returning to his Kentland farm, where he did agricultural affairs and worked to improve his reputation. In 1930, President Herbert C. Hoover pardoned him entirely. Warren McCray died in Kentland in December 1938. He was married to Ella Ade, with whom he had three children.

Web links

• Warren McCray at the National Governors Association (English)
• Warren T. McCray in the database of Find a Grave (English)