Murray Van Wagoner
Encyclopedia
Murray Delos Van Wagoner (March 18, 1898 June 12, 1986) was an American politician. He served as the 38th Governor
of Michigan
from 1941 to 1942.
in Tuscola County
. In 1921, he received a civil engineering
degree from the University of Michigan
. He worked for a firm in the private sector, and became the owner of his own company. He married Helen Jossman and they had two children together. In 1930, he served as Oakland County
drain commissioner until 1933 when he became Michigan State Highway commissioner which he served until 1941.
s in 1936
and 1940
which both re-nominated Franklin D. Roosevelt
for U.S. President.
On November 5, 1940, he defeated the incumbent Republican
Governor of Michigan
Luren Dickenson by 131,281 votes to become Michigan's 38th governor. During his two years in office, he encouraged the construction of road projects and most famously the Mackinac Bridge
, the elimination of a 27 million dollar deficit occurred, the state mental hospital was reinstated, a consolidated tax collection department was established, worker strikes involving the auto and electrical industries were dealt with, the reorganization of the Michigan civil service system was initialized, and measures were secured for the war effort.
In 1942, Van Wagoner was unsuccessful for re-election against Republican
Harry Kelly
.
Van Wagoner was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1944
which re-nominated President Roosevelt for his fourth term. In 1946, he was defeated in his gubernatorial bid against Kim Sigler
, who won the general election. He was also a delegate to the 1952 convention
which nominated Adlai Stevenson who was unsuccessful against Dwight D. Eisenhower
.
, Freemasons
, Elks
, and the National Exchange Club
. He died at the age of eighty-eight in Farmington Hills, Michigan
. He is interred at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery of Troy
.
Today the Michigan Department of Transportation
building in Lansing
is named after him, The Murray Van Wagoner Transportation Building.
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:...
of 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"....
from 1941 to 1942.
Early life
Van Wagoner was born near Kingston, MichiganKingston, Michigan
Kingston is a village in Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 450 at the 2000 census. The village is located at the southern edge of Kingston Township and is partially within Koylton Township.-Geography:...
in Tuscola County
Tuscola County, Michigan
-Highways:* M-15* M-24* M-25* M-46* M-81* M-138-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 58,266 people, 21,454 households, and 15,983 families residing in the county. The population density was 72 people per square mile . There were 23,378 housing units at an average density of 29 per...
. In 1921, he received a civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
degree from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He worked for a firm in the private sector, and became the owner of his own company. He married Helen Jossman and they had two children together. In 1930, he served as Oakland County
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
drain commissioner until 1933 when he became Michigan State Highway commissioner which he served until 1941.
Politics
Van Wagoner was a delegate to the Democratic National ConventionDemocratic 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...
s in 1936
1936 Democratic National Convention
The 1936 Democratic National Convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from June 23 to 27, 1936. The convention resulted in the re-nomination of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Vice President John Nance Garner....
and 1940
1940 Democratic National Convention
The 1940 Democratic National Convention was held at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois from July 15–18, 1940. The convention resulted in the re-nomination of President Franklin Roosevelt as the Democratic Party candidate for an unprecedented third term. Secretary of Agriculture Henry A...
which both re-nominated Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
for U.S. President.
On November 5, 1940, he defeated the incumbent 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...
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:...
Luren Dickenson by 131,281 votes to become Michigan's 38th governor. During his two years in office, he encouraged the construction of road projects and most famously 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...
, the elimination of a 27 million dollar deficit occurred, the state mental hospital was reinstated, a consolidated tax collection department was established, worker strikes involving the auto and electrical industries were dealt with, the reorganization of the Michigan civil service system was initialized, and measures were secured for the war effort.
In 1942, Van Wagoner was unsuccessful for re-election against 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...
Harry Kelly
Harry Kelly (politician)
Harry Francis Kelly was an American politician. He served as the 39th Governor of Michigan from 1943 to 1947.- Early life :...
.
Van Wagoner was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1944
1944 Democratic National Convention
The 1944 Democratic National Convention was held at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois from July 19 - July 21, 1944. The convention resulted in the re-nomination of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for an unprecedented fourth term. Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri was nominated for...
which re-nominated President Roosevelt for his fourth term. In 1946, he was defeated in his gubernatorial bid against Kim Sigler
Kim 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:...
, who won the general election. He was also a delegate to the 1952 convention
1952 Democratic National Convention
The 1952 Democratic National Convention was held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois from July 21 to July 26, 1952, which was the same arena the Republicans had gathered in a few weeks earlier for their national convention...
which nominated Adlai Stevenson who was unsuccessful against Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
.
Retirement, death and legacy
Van Wagoner retired from political life and returned to his engineering interests. He was a member of American LegionAmerican 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, and the National Exchange Club
National Exchange Club
The National Exchange Club – a service organization with 700 clubs and more than 21,000 members throughout the United States and Puerto Rico – celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2011. The Exchange Club was officially started in 1911 as a national organization in Detroit, Michigan. Its second...
. He died at the age of eighty-eight in Farmington Hills, Michigan
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Farmington Hills is a community in southeastern Michigan. It is the largest city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 79,740 at the 2010 census...
. He is interred at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery of Troy
Troy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
.
Today the Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
building in Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
is named after him, The Murray Van Wagoner Transportation Building.