Waldo A. Evans
Encyclopedia
Waldo A. Evans was a Captain of the United States Navy
and military Governor of both the United States Virgin Islands and American Samoa. He was the last military governor of the U. S. Virgin Islands.
. During World War I
, he commanded three cruisers starting in 1917, the , the , and the . In 1919, he was given command of the .
From 1920 to 1922, Evans was made the military governor of American Samoa during a period of native unrest and immediately after the suicide of Governor Warren Jay Terhune. His investigation focused on two sailors, one of whom was later court martialed, and one civilian, who was deported back to the United States
.
In 1922, he was made commander
of the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, near Chicago, Illinois. In 1925, he retired from the Navy.
After the unexpected death of Governor Trench, Evans was asked out of retirement to govern the United States Virgin Islands
. As Governor, Evans signed a bill which granted all citizens of the Islands United States citizenship, effective February 28, 1927. In September 1928, the Islands were hit by a hurricane, resulting in six deaths and $400,000 worth of property damage (approximately $4.3 million in inflation-adjusted 2005 dollars). He also faced opposition from the sugar plantations in the territories by his insistence that they modernize, due to the potential cut on a sugar tax. In 1931, President
Herbert Hoover
placed the island under civilian rule, also ending the Evans' term as Governor on March 18, 1931.
In 1935, Evans' wife died in an automobile accident in California
. Following her death, he fell into ill health and eventually had a stroke. He died in Des Moines, Iowa
in 1936.
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...
and military Governor of both the United States Virgin Islands and American Samoa. He was the last military governor of the U. S. Virgin Islands.
Biography
Evans was born in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he commanded three cruisers starting in 1917, the , the , and the . In 1919, he was given command of the .
From 1920 to 1922, Evans was made the military governor of American Samoa during a period of native unrest and immediately after the suicide of Governor Warren Jay Terhune. His investigation focused on two sailors, one of whom was later court martialed, and one civilian, who was deported back to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1922, he was made commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, near Chicago, Illinois. In 1925, he retired from the Navy.
After the unexpected death of Governor Trench, Evans was asked out of retirement to govern the United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
. As Governor, Evans signed a bill which granted all citizens of the Islands United States citizenship, effective February 28, 1927. In September 1928, the Islands were hit by a hurricane, resulting in six deaths and $400,000 worth of property damage (approximately $4.3 million in inflation-adjusted 2005 dollars). He also faced opposition from the sugar plantations in the territories by his insistence that they modernize, due to the potential cut on a sugar tax. In 1931, 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....
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...
placed the island under civilian rule, also ending the Evans' term as Governor on March 18, 1931.
In 1935, Evans' wife died in an automobile accident in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Following her death, he fell into ill health and eventually had a stroke. He died in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
in 1936.