William Comstock

William Comstock

William Alfred Comstock (born July 2, 1877 in Alpena , Michigan , † June 19, 1949 in Detroit , Michigan) was an American politician in the Democratic Party and from 1933 to 1935 the 33rd governor of the state of Michigan.

Early years and political advancement

William Comstock attended the University of Michigan until 1899 . He then began a successful business career in real estate and banking. But he was also involved in the railroad. Comstock was a member of the Democratic Party and became its district chairman in his home district in 1911. Between 1911 and 1912 he was town councilor of Alpena, after which he was mayor of this place between 1913 and 1914. From 1914 to 1916 he was also on the board of directors of the University of Michigan. From 1915 Comstock was on the state board of the Democratic Party of Michigan and between 1920 and 1924 he was state chairman. He was then from 1924 to 1930 on the federal executive committee of his party. In 1924, 1928 and 1932 Comstock was also a delegate at the respective federal party conventions. After three unsuccessful attempts in 1926, 1928 and 1930 he was elected as his party's candidate for the new governor of Michigan in November 1932. The election of a Democrat was part of the federal trend at the time, culminating in the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt as US President .

Michigan governor

William Comstock took up his new office on January 1, 1933. At that time the country was still suffering from the consequences of the great economic crisis. During his two-year tenure, the governor worked to resolve problems related to the crisis such as: B. the high unemployment. To overcome the banking crisis, all banks were closed for eight days. Later, the federal government and other states followed suit by closing the banks completely for a few days. The governor also advocated a new pension law, which failed politically. With the help of the New Deal policy of the federal government under President Roosevelt, Michigan also gradually managed to overcome the crisis. It was also when Michigan's first sales tax law was introduced. The governor pardoned Rudolph G. Tenerowicz, the former mayor of Hamtramck , who had been convicted of bribery. Tenerowicz was later elected to the US Senate .

Another résumé

After his electoral defeat in the gubernatorial elections of 1934, Comstock had to leave office on January 1, 1935. But he remained politically active and was a member of the Michigan Civil Service Commission from 1939 to 1940. From 1942 to 1949 he was also on the Detroit City Council. William Comstock died in June 1949. He was married to Josephine White Morrison, with whom he had two children.

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

• William Comstock at the National Governors Association (English)
• William Comstock in the database of Find a Grave (English)