Joseph R. Knowland
Encyclopedia
Joseph Russell Knowland (August 5, 1873 - February 1, 1966) was an American politician and newspaper publisher. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives
from California and was owner, editor and publisher of the Oakland Tribune. He was the father of United States Senator William F. Knowland
.
to Joseph Knowland
(1833–1912) and Hannah Bailey Russell (1832–1921), who were married in San Francisco
on 13 May 1863. He had two sisters, Sadie (1864–1905) and Lucille (1870–1926), and one brother, Hollis, who died in infancy.
"JR", as he was known to his friends, attended Alameda Park Street Primary School, Hopkins Academy, a private school in Oakland, and entered with the class of 1895, the University of the Pacific at San Jose
. The school was later renamed College of the Pacific of Stockton
. From an early age he had an interest in journalism and history. His father being from New York
and his mother from Maine
, Knowland was raised under the influence of northern political belief. He wrote stories for the Alameda Argus and Oakland Enquirer on California history and Republican
politics.
At 18, Knowland joined the Native Sons of the Golden West
, which he served as Grand President in 1909. He organized the California Historical Landmarks League and was its chairman from 1902 to 1906. He was chairman of the Landmarks Committee of the Native Sons of the Golden West, 1902-1962.
He became engaged in his father's wholesale lumber and shipping business. Knowland was sent by his father in 1888 to Oregon
to rebuild the Gardiner Mill. He went to Jackson
, Amador County
, serving as an envoy of his father. Joseph R. Knowland managed the Kennedy Mining and Milling Company. In the fall of 1891, he left the Sierra to help his ailing father in Alameda. In 1893, he was appointed to a committee to create a panorama of Alameda for the California Midwinter Exposition of 1894, held in San Francisco.
Central Committee of the Republican Party to run for the State Assembly
in 1898. Asked later in life why he entered politics, Knowland would reply, "I was one of these young men that took to politics and was interested." He was a member of the State Assembly from 1899 to 1903. Knowland chaired the Assembly committee to investigate the conditions of the Chinese slave women in San Francisco. He served in the California State Senate
from 1903 to 1904, when he resigned, having been elected as a Republican to the Fifty-eighth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Victor H. Metcalf
. President Theodore Roosevelt
had appointed Metcalf to be Secretary of Commerce and Labor.
Knowland was reelected to the Fifty-ninth and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from September 24, 1904 to March 3, 1915. His 3rd Congressional District included Alameda
, Contra Costa
and Solano
counties. The U.S. Army's Benicia Arsenal
and the U.S. Naval Shipyard at Mare Island
were located in his district. Knowland had a keen interest in the military, most especially the U.S. Navy. He worked in Congress for capital ships to be built on the West Coast. He was an advocate for a two-ocean battleship fleet.
The population increased in Oakland and Alameda County after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
and fire. New district boundaries were created after the 1910 Census. In 1911, Alameda County became the 6th Congressional District. During this period, Knowland fought for free American tolls for the Panama Canal
.
Knowland sought to succeed George C. Perkins in the U.S. Senate. In 1914, he won the Republican primary over Samuel M. Shortridge
. However, he was unsuccessful in the general election, a three-way race with Francis J. Heney
of the Progressive Party
and the winner, James D. Phelan
, Democrat
.
on 3 November 1915. He wrote, "It is perfectly understood that what it [the Tribune] does, rather than what it promises, will determine the true measure of its worth; and with this understanding, the Tribune, under its new control, girds to its work." Many years and court battles with Hermina Peralta Dargie (widow of the late owner, William E. Dargie
) passed before Knowland had full control of the Tribune. Knowland built the Tribune Tower
, a city landmark at 13th and Franklin Streets. He had a great interest in restoring the California Missions. This had begun in 1903, with Mission San Antonio De Padua. He was a historical advisor during the 1927 California State Park Survey.
In 1932, Knowland went to Washington
and persuaded President Herbert Hoover
and the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
to advance $62 million for the completion of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge. He created, with Bruno Albert Forsterer
and Joseph Blum, the Franklin Investment Company in 1936 (later the Franklin Credit Union). In 1937, he attained the status of 33rd Degree Mason
, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. Knowland was a member of the Finance Committee of the Golden Gate International Exposition
of 1939-1940. In 1941, he authored California: A Landmark History. He was the political mentor of Earl Warren
; from assistant Oakland City Attorney to Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Knowland served on the California State Park Commission 1934-1960 and was chairman 1938-1960. He was appointed by Governor Earl Warren
as chairman of the California Centennial Commission, 1948 - 1950. Knowland was honored September 9, 1951 by the City of Oakland and the State of California, with Joseph Knowland State Arboretum and Park
in Oakland. He served as chairman of the Oakland Centennial, 1952, and the Alameda County Centennial, 1953.
Knowland was proud of the political career of his son, United States Senator William F. Knowland
1945-1959. Bill served as Senate Majority Leader, 1953–1955 and Senate Minority Leader, 1955 - 1959. The only mistake Knowland felt his son made was his 1958 run and defeat for Governor of California
.
He attended his first Republican National Convention
in 1904. He attended the GOP conventions as a delegate or newspaperman until 1964. Oakland became a one-newspaper city on September 1, 1950, when William Randolph Hearst
closed his Oakland Post-Enquirer. The Oakland Tribune's radio station KLX began operation in 1921 and would be on the air until its sale in 1959.
while they were students at University of the Pacific. Ellie was the daughter of Tacoma businessman W. H. Fife. Knowland and Ellie were married on April 2, 1894 in Tacoma. Three children were born to this union: Elinor Knowland Lion (1895–1978); Joseph Russell "Russ" Knowland, Jr. (1901–1961); and US Senator William F. Knowland
(1908–1974). Shortly after the birth of William F. Knowland, Ellie Knowland died.
Knowland, a young widower with children, met Emelyn S. West (1884–1950) of West Lynne, Virginia
. On September 28, 1909 they were wed in Chicago, Illinois. Emelyn Knowland was a loving stepmother and active in her husband's social and political life. Emelyn died July 14, 1950, during the California Centennial. Knowland's third wife, Clarice E. "Cookie" Cook (1902–1979), was an officer of the Native Daughters of the Golden West. Knowland and Cook were married on April 6, 1952 in Stockton, California
. A shared interest in California history made a happy marriage for Knowland's twilight years. Knowland remained active in his old age, coming each day to the Tribune.
. His wife Clarice with granddaughters, Emelyn K. Jewett and Josephine L. Church, were at his bedside.
February 2, 1966 the Tribune's headline was "Joseph R. Knowland Dead". Joseph R. Knowland was praised by Republicans and Democrats. California Governor Edmund G. Pat Brown
said, " Knowland, strongly believed in California...the State he loved so well." The public funeral of J.R. Knowland was held at the First Methodist Church
and the private family service at Mountain View Cemetery Chapel in Oakland. He was cremated at Mountain View Cemetery Crematory and is inurned with his third wife, Clarice, in Serenity Section, Tier N-4, Number 3 at Chapel of Memories in Oakland, California.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from California and was owner, editor and publisher of the Oakland Tribune. He was the father of United States Senator William F. Knowland
William F. Knowland
William Fife Knowland was a United States politician, newspaperman, and Republican Party leader. He was a U.S. Senator representing California from 1945 to 1959. He served as Senate Majority Leader from 1953-1955, and as Minority Leader from 1955-1959. He was defeated in his 1958 run for...
.
Early years
Knowland was born in Alameda, CaliforniaAlameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
to Joseph Knowland
Joseph Knowland
Joseph Knowland was father of United States Representative Joseph Russell Knowland, grandfather of United States Senator William Fife Knowland, and great-grandfather of publisher and actor Joseph William "Joe" Knowland.-New York:...
(1833–1912) and Hannah Bailey Russell (1832–1921), who were married in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
on 13 May 1863. He had two sisters, Sadie (1864–1905) and Lucille (1870–1926), and one brother, Hollis, who died in infancy.
"JR", as he was known to his friends, attended Alameda Park Street Primary School, Hopkins Academy, a private school in Oakland, and entered with the class of 1895, the University of the Pacific at San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. The school was later renamed College of the Pacific of Stockton
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
. From an early age he had an interest in journalism and history. His father being from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and his mother from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Knowland was raised under the influence of northern political belief. He wrote stories for the Alameda Argus and Oakland Enquirer on California history and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politics.
At 18, Knowland joined the Native Sons of the Golden West
Native Sons of the Golden West
-History:The Native Sons of the Golden West was founded July 11, 1875 by General A. M. Winn, a Virginian, as a lasting monument to the men and women of the Gold Rush Days...
, which he served as Grand President in 1909. He organized the California Historical Landmarks League and was its chairman from 1902 to 1906. He was chairman of the Landmarks Committee of the Native Sons of the Golden West, 1902-1962.
He became engaged in his father's wholesale lumber and shipping business. Knowland was sent by his father in 1888 to Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
to rebuild the Gardiner Mill. He went to Jackson
Jackson, California
Jackson is the county seat of Amador County, California. The population was 4,651 at the 2010 census, up from 3,989 at the 2000 census...
, Amador County
Amador County, California
Amador County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 38,091. The county seat is Jackson.Amador County bills itself as "The Heart of the Mother Lode" and lies within the Gold Country...
, serving as an envoy of his father. Joseph R. Knowland managed the Kennedy Mining and Milling Company. In the fall of 1891, he left the Sierra to help his ailing father in Alameda. In 1893, he was appointed to a committee to create a panorama of Alameda for the California Midwinter Exposition of 1894, held in San Francisco.
Politics
Knowland joined the Alameda Good Government Club in early 1895. He was appointed, in 1896, to the Alameda Library Board of Trustees. He was sought by the Alameda CountyAlameda County, California
Alameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
Central Committee of the Republican Party to run for the State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
in 1898. Asked later in life why he entered politics, Knowland would reply, "I was one of these young men that took to politics and was interested." He was a member of the State Assembly from 1899 to 1903. Knowland chaired the Assembly committee to investigate the conditions of the Chinese slave women in San Francisco. He served in the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
from 1903 to 1904, when he resigned, having been elected as a Republican to the Fifty-eighth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Victor H. Metcalf
Victor H. Metcalf
Victor Howard Metcalf was an American politician; he served in President Theodore Roosevelt's cabinet an Secretary of Commerce and Labor, and then as Secretary of the Navy.-Biography:...
. President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
had appointed Metcalf to be Secretary of Commerce and Labor.
Knowland was reelected to the Fifty-ninth and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from September 24, 1904 to March 3, 1915. His 3rd Congressional District included Alameda
Alameda County, California
Alameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
, Contra Costa
Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
and Solano
Solano County, California
Solano County is a county located in Bay-Delta region of the U.S. state of California, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento and is one of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. The county's population was reported by the U.S. Census to be 413,344 in 2010...
counties. The U.S. Army's Benicia Arsenal
Benicia Arsenal
The Benicia Arsenal 1851-1964, and Benicia Barracks 1852-1866, was a large military reservation located next to Suisun Bay in Benicia, California. For over 100 years, the arsenal was the primary US Army Ordnance facility for the West Coast of the United States.In 1847 a parcel of land adjoining...
and the U.S. Naval Shipyard at Mare Island
Mare Island
Mare Island is a peninsula in the United States alongside the city of Vallejo, California, about northeast of San Francisco. The Napa River forms its eastern side as it enters the Carquinez Strait juncture with the east side of San Pablo Bay. Mare Island is considered a peninsula because no full...
were located in his district. Knowland had a keen interest in the military, most especially the U.S. Navy. He worked in Congress for capital ships to be built on the West Coast. He was an advocate for a two-ocean battleship fleet.
The population increased in Oakland and Alameda County after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
and fire. New district boundaries were created after the 1910 Census. In 1911, Alameda County became the 6th Congressional District. During this period, Knowland fought for free American tolls for the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
.
Knowland sought to succeed George C. Perkins in the U.S. Senate. In 1914, he won the Republican primary over Samuel M. Shortridge
Samuel M. Shortridge
Samuel Morgan Shortridge was a Republican Senator from California.A descendant of Daniel Boone, he was born in Mount Pleasant, Iowa and moved to California as a child with his family, which settled in San Jose in 1875. He practiced law in San Francisco, California for most of his life.He lost the...
. However, he was unsuccessful in the general election, a three-way race with Francis J. Heney
Francis J. Heney
Francis Joseph Heney was an American lawyer who served as Attorney General of the Arizona Territory between 1893 and 1895.- Early years :...
of the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (United States, 1912)
The Progressive Party of 1912 was an American political party. It was formed after a split in the Republican Party between President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt....
and the winner, James D. Phelan
James D. Phelan
James Duval Phelan was an American politician, civic leader and banker.-Early years:Phelan was born in San Francisco, the son of an Irish immigrant who became wealthy during the California Gold Rush as a trader, merchant and banker. He graduated from St...
, 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...
.
The Oakland Tribune
Knowland became owner, editor, president and publisher of The Oakland TribuneThe Oakland Tribune
The Oakland Tribune is a daily newspaper published in Oakland, California, by the Bay Area News Group , a subsidiary of MediaNews Group...
on 3 November 1915. He wrote, "It is perfectly understood that what it [the Tribune] does, rather than what it promises, will determine the true measure of its worth; and with this understanding, the Tribune, under its new control, girds to its work." Many years and court battles with Hermina Peralta Dargie (widow of the late owner, William E. Dargie
William E. Dargie
William Edward Dargie was an American newspaper publisher and politician. He was publisher of the Oakland Tribune and served in the California State Senate.-Biography:...
) passed before Knowland had full control of the Tribune. Knowland built the Tribune Tower
Tribune Tower
The Tribune Tower is a neo-Gothic building located at 435 North Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Tribune and Tribune Company. WGN Radio also broadcasts from the building, with ground-level studios overlooking nearby Pioneer Court and Michigan Avenue. CNN's...
, a city landmark at 13th and Franklin Streets. He had a great interest in restoring the California Missions. This had begun in 1903, with Mission San Antonio De Padua. He was a historical advisor during the 1927 California State Park Survey.
In 1932, Knowland went to Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and persuaded President Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
and the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
Reconstruction Finance Corporation
The Reconstruction Finance Corporation was an independent agency of the United States government, established and chartered by the US Congress in 1932, Act of January 22, 1932, c. 8, 47 Stat. 5, during the administration of President Herbert Hoover. It was modeled after the War Finance Corporation...
to advance $62 million for the completion of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge. He created, with Bruno Albert Forsterer
Bruno Albert Forsterer
Bruno Albert Forsterer was a U.S. Marine Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Philippine American War for "distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy at Samoa, Philippine Islands, April 1, 1899." His Medal of Honor was awarded by President Theodore Roosevelt, by...
and Joseph Blum, the Franklin Investment Company in 1936 (later the Franklin Credit Union). In 1937, he attained the status of 33rd Degree Mason
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...
, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. Knowland was a member of the Finance Committee of the Golden Gate International Exposition
Golden Gate International Exposition
The Golden Gate International Exposition , held at San Francisco, California's Treasure Island, was a World's Fair that celebrated, among other things, the city's two newly-built bridges. The San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge was dedicated in 1936 and the Golden Gate Bridge was dedicated in 1937...
of 1939-1940. In 1941, he authored California: A Landmark History. He was the political mentor of Earl Warren
Earl Warren
Earl Warren was the 14th Chief Justice of the United States.He is known for the sweeping decisions of the Warren Court, which ended school segregation and transformed many areas of American law, especially regarding the rights of the accused, ending public-school-sponsored prayer, and requiring...
; from assistant Oakland City Attorney to Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Knowland served on the California State Park Commission 1934-1960 and was chairman 1938-1960. He was appointed by Governor Earl Warren
Earl Warren
Earl Warren was the 14th Chief Justice of the United States.He is known for the sweeping decisions of the Warren Court, which ended school segregation and transformed many areas of American law, especially regarding the rights of the accused, ending public-school-sponsored prayer, and requiring...
as chairman of the California Centennial Commission, 1948 - 1950. Knowland was honored September 9, 1951 by the City of Oakland and the State of California, with Joseph Knowland State Arboretum and Park
Joseph Knowland State Arboretum and Park
Joseph Knowland State Arboretum and Park is a park located in the Grass Valley neighborhood of Oakland, California, formerly a state park, now property of the City of Oakland and the location of the Oakland Zoo.-Park creation:...
in Oakland. He served as chairman of the Oakland Centennial, 1952, and the Alameda County Centennial, 1953.
Knowland was proud of the political career of his son, United States Senator William F. Knowland
William F. Knowland
William Fife Knowland was a United States politician, newspaperman, and Republican Party leader. He was a U.S. Senator representing California from 1945 to 1959. He served as Senate Majority Leader from 1953-1955, and as Minority Leader from 1955-1959. He was defeated in his 1958 run for...
1945-1959. Bill served as Senate Majority Leader, 1953–1955 and Senate Minority Leader, 1955 - 1959. The only mistake Knowland felt his son made was his 1958 run and defeat for Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
.
He attended his first Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
in 1904. He attended the GOP conventions as a delegate or newspaperman until 1964. Oakland became a one-newspaper city on September 1, 1950, when William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst was an American business magnate and leading newspaper publisher. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887, after taking control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father...
closed his Oakland Post-Enquirer. The Oakland Tribune's radio station KLX began operation in 1921 and would be on the air until its sale in 1959.
Personal life
Knowland met Elinor (Ellie) J. Fife (1873–1908) of Tacoma, WashingtonTacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
while they were students at University of the Pacific. Ellie was the daughter of Tacoma businessman W. H. Fife. Knowland and Ellie were married on April 2, 1894 in Tacoma. Three children were born to this union: Elinor Knowland Lion (1895–1978); Joseph Russell "Russ" Knowland, Jr. (1901–1961); and US Senator William F. Knowland
William F. Knowland
William Fife Knowland was a United States politician, newspaperman, and Republican Party leader. He was a U.S. Senator representing California from 1945 to 1959. He served as Senate Majority Leader from 1953-1955, and as Minority Leader from 1955-1959. He was defeated in his 1958 run for...
(1908–1974). Shortly after the birth of William F. Knowland, Ellie Knowland died.
Knowland, a young widower with children, met Emelyn S. West (1884–1950) of West Lynne, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. On September 28, 1909 they were wed in Chicago, Illinois. Emelyn Knowland was a loving stepmother and active in her husband's social and political life. Emelyn died July 14, 1950, during the California Centennial. Knowland's third wife, Clarice E. "Cookie" Cook (1902–1979), was an officer of the Native Daughters of the Golden West. Knowland and Cook were married on April 6, 1952 in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
. A shared interest in California history made a happy marriage for Knowland's twilight years. Knowland remained active in his old age, coming each day to the Tribune.
Death
On February 1, 1966, Joseph Russell Knowland died at 4:25 p.m. in his 25 Seaview Avenue residence in PiedmontPiedmont, California
Piedmont is a small, affluent city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is surrounded by the city of Oakland. The population was 10,667 at the 2010 census. Piedmont was incorporated in 1907 and was developed significantly in the 1920s and 1930s...
. His wife Clarice with granddaughters, Emelyn K. Jewett and Josephine L. Church, were at his bedside.
February 2, 1966 the Tribune's headline was "Joseph R. Knowland Dead". Joseph R. Knowland was praised by Republicans and Democrats. California Governor Edmund G. Pat Brown
Pat Brown
Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. was the 32nd Governor of California, serving from 1959 to 1967, and the father of current Governor of California Jerry Brown.-Background:...
said, " Knowland, strongly believed in California...the State he loved so well." The public funeral of J.R. Knowland was held at the First Methodist Church
First Methodist Church
First Methodist Church or variations with Building may refer to:in the United States* First Methodist Church , listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Lafayette County, Arkansas...
and the private family service at Mountain View Cemetery Chapel in Oakland. He was cremated at Mountain View Cemetery Crematory and is inurned with his third wife, Clarice, in Serenity Section, Tier N-4, Number 3 at Chapel of Memories in Oakland, California.
Fraternal organizations
- Native Sons of the Golden WestNative Sons of the Golden West-History:The Native Sons of the Golden West was founded July 11, 1875 by General A. M. Winn, a Virginian, as a lasting monument to the men and women of the Gold Rush Days...
- MasonsFreemasonryFreemasonry 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...
- ShrinersShrinersThe Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry, based in the United States...
- Knights TemplarKnights TemplarThe Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
- Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine
- Bohemian ClubBohemian ClubThe Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
- Pacific Union Club
- Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks -- Oakland # 171
- Athens Athletic Club
- Athenian Nile Club
- California Historical SocietyCalifornia Historical SocietyThe California Historical Society is California's official state historical society and is located in San Francisco, California at 678 Mission Street -History and collections:...
- Oakland and Alameda County Pioneers
- Claremont Country Club
- Associated Press
- California Press Association's Newspaper Hall of Fame
Board memberships
- American Trust Company
- Marchant Calculating Machine Company
- Oakland Title Insurance and Guaranty Company
- California State Automobile AssociationCalifornia State Automobile AssociationAAA Northern California, Nevada and Utah , formerly known as the California State Automobile Association , is one of the largest motor clubs in the American Automobile Association National Federation...
- American Automobile AssociationAmerican Automobile AssociationAAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
- Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
- California State Park Commission
- California State Chamber of Commerce.