G. Mennen Williams
Encyclopedia
Gerhard Mennen "Soapy" Williams, (February 23, 1911 February 2, 1988), was a politician from the US state of Michigan
. An heir to a personal grooming products fortune, he was known as "Soapy," and wore a trademark green bow tie
with white polka dot
s.
A Democrat
, Williams served for twelve years as the 41st Governor of Michigan
and also served on the Michigan Supreme Court
where he later became Chief Justice. Williams' most notable accomplishment as governor was the construction of the Mackinac Bridge
which links Michigan's Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula. At the time, this was (briefly) the "world's longest suspension bridge between anchorages."
brand of men's personal care products (now marketed by the Colgate-Palmolive
company). Because of this, Williams acquired the popular nickname "Soapy".
Williams attended the Salisbury School in Connecticut, an exclusive Episcopalian preparatory school
. He graduated from Princeton University
in 1933 and received a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School
. While at law school, Williams became affiliated with the Democratic Party, departing from his family's strong ties to the Republican Party.
Williams met Nancy Quirk on a blind date while attending the university. She was the daughter of D. L. Quirk and Julia (Trowbridge) Quirk, a prominent Ypsilanti family involved in banking and paper milling. Her brother, Daniel Quirk, was later mayor of Ypsilanti http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/quinney-quitman.html#RMT0ZJGHT. The couple married in 1937 and produced three children; a son, G. Mennen Williams Jr., and two daughters, Nancy Ketterer III and Wendy Stock Williams.
He worked with the law firm Griffiths, Williams and Griffiths from 1936 to 1941. During World War II, he served four years in the United States Navy
as an air combat intelligence officer in the South Pacific
. He achieved the rank of lieutenant commander
and earned ten battle stars. He later served as the deputy director of the Office of Price Administration
from 1946 to 1947. Williams was named to the Michigan state Liquor Control Commission in 1947.
, with the support of labor unions and dissident Republicans. He was subsequently elected to a record six two-year terms in that post. His most enduring accomplishment was probably the construction of the Mackinac Bridge
, and he began the tradition of the governor leading the Mackinac Bridge Walk
across it every Labor Day. He also appeared on the cover of Time Magazine’s September 15, 1952 issue, sporting his signature green bow tie with white polka dots.http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19520915,00.html Frederick E. Tripp was his legislative adviser. http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/tripp.html#S880H66X0
He was also famous for refusing to extradite Haywood Patterson
, one of the Scottsboro Boys
a prison escapee who was incarcerated, upon shaky testimony, for the rape of two white women.
Also during his twelve years in office, a farm-marketing program was sanctioned, teachers' salaries, school facilities and educational programs were improved and there were also commissions formed to research problems related to aging, sex offenders and adolescence behavior. He was also a delegate from Michigan to Democratic National Convention
, in 1952 and 1956, in both years nominated Adlai Stevenson for U.S. President, who was unsuccessful against General Dwight Eisenhower in both general elections. He returned as a delegate to the 1960 convention, which nominated John F. Kennedy
who was successful against Vice President Richard Nixon
.
His final term in office was marked by high-profile struggles with the Republican-controlled state legislature
and a near-shutdown of the state government. He therefore chose not to seek reelection in 1960. Williams left office on January 1, 1961, his 12 years in office ultimately surpassed only by William Milliken
(who served 14 years as governor).
in the administration of President John F. Kennedy
, where Williams became known for his frequent refrain, "Africa for the Africans!" He served in this post until early 1966, when he resigned to unsuccessfully challenge Republican United States Senator Robert P. Griffin
. Two years later, he was named by President
Lyndon B. Johnson
to be U.S. ambassador to the Philippines
, where he served less than a year.
"Governor Williams" (he tended to use that honorific as an introductory phrase throughout his career) was elected to the Michigan Supreme Court
in 1970 and was named Chief Justice in 1983. Thus, like William Howard Taft
in the federal government, he occupied the highest executive and judicial offices in Michigan
government.
.
During his life he had been a member of the Order of the Coif
, the Grange, Americans for Democratic Action
, United World Federalists
, American Legion
, AMVETS
, Sons of the American Revolution
, Veterans of Foreign Wars
, Freemasons
, Eagles
, Elks
, Moose International
, AHEPA, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Delta Phi
, and Phi Gamma Delta
.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. An heir to a personal grooming products fortune, he was known as "Soapy," and wore a trademark green bow tie
Bow tie
The bow tie is a type of men's necktie. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar in a symmetrical manner such that the two opposite ends form loops. Ready-tied bow ties are available, in which the distinctive bow is sewn into shape and the band around the neck incorporates a clip....
with white polka dot
Polka dot
Polka dot is a pattern consisting of an array of filled circles, generally equally sized and spaced relatively closely in relation to their diameters. Polka dots are most commonly seen on children's clothing, toys, and furniture, but they appear in a wide array of contexts...
s.
A Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Williams served for twelve years as the 41st Governor of Michigan
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
and also served on the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
where he later became Chief Justice. Williams' most notable accomplishment as governor was the construction of the Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
which links Michigan's Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula. At the time, this was (briefly) the "world's longest suspension bridge between anchorages."
Early life
Williams was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Henry P. Williams and Elma Mennen. His mother came from a prominent family; her father, Gerhard Heinrich Mennen, was the founder of the MennenMennen
Mennen is a brand owned in most parts of the world by the Colgate-Palmolive Company. Its most notable product, Mennen Speed Stick, with its fougère perfume and green wide stick, was the market leader among deodorants and antiperspirants for men for many years...
brand of men's personal care products (now marketed by the Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American diversified multinational corporation focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products . Under its "Hill's" brand, it is also a manufacturer of...
company). Because of this, Williams acquired the popular nickname "Soapy".
Williams attended the Salisbury School in Connecticut, an exclusive Episcopalian preparatory school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
. He graduated from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1933 and received a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
. While at law school, Williams became affiliated with the Democratic Party, departing from his family's strong ties to the Republican Party.
Williams met Nancy Quirk on a blind date while attending the university. She was the daughter of D. L. Quirk and Julia (Trowbridge) Quirk, a prominent Ypsilanti family involved in banking and paper milling. Her brother, Daniel Quirk, was later mayor of Ypsilanti http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/quinney-quitman.html#RMT0ZJGHT. The couple married in 1937 and produced three children; a son, G. Mennen Williams Jr., and two daughters, Nancy Ketterer III and Wendy Stock Williams.
He worked with the law firm Griffiths, Williams and Griffiths from 1936 to 1941. During World War II, he served four years in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
as an air combat intelligence officer in the South Pacific
South Pacific Area
The South Pacific Area was a multinational U.S.-led military command active during World War II. It was a part of the U.S. Pacific Ocean Areas under Admiral Chester Nimitz.Instructions to the senior U.S...
. He achieved the rank of lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
and earned ten battle stars. He later served as the deputy director of the Office of Price Administration
Office of Price Administration
The Office of Price Administration was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA was originally to control money and rents after the outbreak of World War II.President Franklin D...
from 1946 to 1947. Williams was named to the Michigan state Liquor Control Commission in 1947.
Governor of Michigan
On November 2, 1948, Williams was elected Governor of Michigan, defeating Governor Kim SiglerKim Sigler
Kimber Cornellus Sigler, commonly known as Kim Sigler, was an American politician. He served as the 40th Governor of Michigan from 1947 to 1949.-Early life:...
, with the support of labor unions and dissident Republicans. He was subsequently elected to a record six two-year terms in that post. His most enduring accomplishment was probably the construction of the Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
, and he began the tradition of the governor leading the Mackinac Bridge Walk
Mackinac Bridge Walk
The Mackinac Bridge Walk is an annual event held every Labor Day since 1958 in Michigan in which people may walk the length of the Mackinac Bridge. Walkers are traditionally led across by the governor of Michigan, currently Rick Snyder....
across it every Labor Day. He also appeared on the cover of Time Magazine’s September 15, 1952 issue, sporting his signature green bow tie with white polka dots.http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19520915,00.html Frederick E. Tripp was his legislative adviser. http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/tripp.html#S880H66X0
He was also famous for refusing to extradite Haywood Patterson
Haywood Patterson
Haywood Patterson was one of the Scottsboro Boys . He was accused of raping Victoria Price and Ruby Bates...
, one of the Scottsboro Boys
Scottsboro Boys
The Scottsboro Boys were nine black teenage boys accused of rape in Alabama in 1931. The landmark set of legal cases from this incident dealt with racism and the right to a fair trial...
a prison escapee who was incarcerated, upon shaky testimony, for the rape of two white women.
Also during his twelve years in office, a farm-marketing program was sanctioned, teachers' salaries, school facilities and educational programs were improved and there were also commissions formed to research problems related to aging, sex offenders and adolescence behavior. He was also a delegate from Michigan to Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
, in 1952 and 1956, in both years nominated Adlai Stevenson for U.S. President, who was unsuccessful against General Dwight Eisenhower in both general elections. He returned as a delegate to the 1960 convention, which nominated John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
who was successful against Vice President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.
His final term in office was marked by high-profile struggles with the Republican-controlled state legislature
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
and a near-shutdown of the state government. He therefore chose not to seek reelection in 1960. Williams left office on January 1, 1961, his 12 years in office ultimately surpassed only by William Milliken
William Milliken
William Grawn Milliken , is an American politician and served as the 44th Governor of Michigan from January 1969 to January 1983.-Biography:...
(who served 14 years as governor).
Post gubernatorial years
After leaving office in 1961, Williams assumed the post of Assistant Secretary of State for African AffairsAssistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs
The Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs is the head of the Bureau of African Affairs within the American Department of State, who guides operation of the U.S. diplomatic establishment in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa and advises the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary...
in the administration of President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, where Williams became known for his frequent refrain, "Africa for the Africans!" He served in this post until early 1966, when he resigned to unsuccessfully challenge Republican United States Senator Robert P. Griffin
Robert P. Griffin
Robert Paul Griffin was a U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan and Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court....
. Two years later, he was named by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
to be U.S. ambassador to the Philippines
United States Ambassador to the Philippines
The office of the United States Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines was established on July 4, 1946 after the Philippines gained its independence from the United States....
, where he served less than a year.
"Governor Williams" (he tended to use that honorific as an introductory phrase throughout his career) was elected to the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
in 1970 and was named Chief Justice in 1983. Thus, like William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
in the federal government, he occupied the highest executive and judicial offices in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
government.
Retirement and death
He left the Court on January 1, 1987 and died the following year in Detroit at the age of 76, just three weeks before his birthday. He was temporarily entombed at Evergreen Cemetery in Detroit and there was a formal military funeral for him. After winter his remains were interred at the Protestant Cemetery on Mackinac IslandMackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
.
During his life he had been a member of the Order of the Coif
Order of the Coif
The Order of the Coif is an honor society for United States law school graduates. A student at an American law school who earns a Juris Doctor degree and graduates in the top 10 percent of his or her class is eligible for membership if the student's law school has a chapter of the...
, the Grange, Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action is an American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA works for social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research and supporting progressive candidates.-History:...
, United World Federalists
Citizens for Global Solutions
Citizens for Global Solutions, a grassroots membership organization in the United States, envisions a "future in which nations work together to abolish war, protect our rights and freedoms and solve the problems facing humanity that no nation can solve alone" and to "building the political will in...
, American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, AMVETS
AMVETS
AMVETS or American Veterans is a volunteer-led organization formed by World War II veterans which accepts honorably discharged veterans as members....
, Sons of the American Revolution
Sons of the American Revolution
The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is a Louisville, Kentucky-based fraternal organization in the United States...
, Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
, Freemasons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, Eagles
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Fraternal Order of Eagles International is a fraternal organization that was founded on February 6, 1898, in Seattle, Washington by a group of six theater owners including John Cort , brothers John W. and Tim J. Considine, Harry Leavitt , Mose Goldsmith and Arthur Williams...
, Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
, Moose International
Moose International
Moose International is a fraternal and service organization founded in 1888, consisting of the Loyal Order of Moose, with nearly 1 million men in roughly 2,400 Lodges, in all 50 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, plus Great Britain and Bermuda; and the Women of the Moose with more than...
, AHEPA, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Delta Phi
Phi Delta Phi
Phi Delta Phi, ΦΔΦ, is the world's second largest legal fraternity. Phi Delta Phi is the second oldest legal organization in continuous existence in the United States and third oldest in North America...
, and Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
.
Further reading
- "The Might Mac at 50", Michigan History Magazine (Special edition), Volume 19, No. 4, July–August, 2007.