William Lee Knous

William Lee Knous (born February 2, 1889 in Ouray , Colorado , † December 13, 1959 in Denver , Colorado) was an American lawyer and politician ( Democratic Party ) and from 1947 to 1950 the 30th governor of the state of Colorado.

Early years and political advancement

William Knous studied law at the University of Colorado at Boulder until 1911 . He then worked as a lawyer in a law firm, where he became a specialist in mining and irrigation issues. Knous was a member of the Democratic Party. Between 1926 and 1930 he was mayor of the city of Montrose . From 1928 to 1930 he was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives ; between 1930 and 1936 he was a member of the State Senate . There he was at times chairman of his party and for two years President of the Senate. From 1937 to 1947 he was a judge on the Colorado Supreme Court . On November 5, 1946, he was elected the new governor with 52:48 percent of the vote against the Republican Leon E. Lavington.

Governor and federal judge

Knous took up his new office on January 14, 1947. In 1948 he was elected to a second term. During his reign, schools were better funded by the state. State compensation for lost work was also increased and the motorway administration was reformed. The state budget was not only in balance, but also recorded a clear surplus.

On April 15, 1950, Knous resigned prematurely to take the position of judge in the federal district court for the Colorado district. He held this office until his death in 1959. Knous had three children with his wife Julia Bain. His son Robert was lieutenant governor of Colorado from 1959 to 1967 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Knous, William Lee
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Knous, William
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American lawyer and politician
DATE OF BIRTH	February 2, 1889
PLACE OF BIRTH	Ouray , Colorado
DATE OF DEATH	December 13, 1959
Place of death	Denver , Colorado