Charles Seymour Whitman
Charles Seymour Whitman | |
---|---|
41st Governor of New York | |
In office January 1, 1915 – December 31, 1918 | |
Lieutenant | Edward Schoeneck |
Preceded by | Martin H. Glynn |
Succeeded by | Alfred E. Smith |
New York County District Attorney | |
In office January 1, 1910 – December 31, 1914 | |
Preceded by | William Travers Jerome |
Succeeded by | Charles A. Perkins |
Personal details | |
Born | Hanover, Connecticut, U.S. | September 29, 1868
Died | March 29, 1947 New York City, U.S. | (aged 78)
Political party | Republican |
Spouses | |
Relations | John Russell Whitman (grandson) |
Education | Amherst College (B.A.) New York University School of Law (LL.B.) |
Signature | |
Charles Seymour Whitman (September 29, 1868 – March 29, 1947) was an American lawyer who served as the 41st governor of New York from January 1, 1915, to December 31, 1918. An attorney and politician, he also served as a delegate from New York to the 1916 Republican National Convention. He had previously served as deputy and New York County District Attorney, in addition to state judge.
Early life, education and career
Whitman was born in Hanover, Connecticut on September 29, 1868, the son of John Seymour Whitman (1833–1909) and Olivia (née Arne) Whitman (1831–1904).
He graduated from Amherst College in 1890. Whitman studied law at New York University School of Law where he graduated in 1894. He was admitted to the bar later that year, and set up a practice in New York City.[1]
Career
In 1901, he was appointed assistant corporation counsel of
In 1907, Governor Charles Evans Hughes appointed Whitman as a judge of the Court of Sessions. The following year Hughes appointed him as deputy state attorney general in the investigation of election frauds in northern New York.
New York County District Attorney
In 1909, Whitman was elected as New York County District Attorney on a Fusion ticket. In this capacity, he secured representation of the District Attorney's staff in the city magistrate's office. He was also known for his vigorous prosecution of arson offenders, which contributed to a decline in such fires.[1]
As
During this period, Whitman used his membership in the
Whitman's handling of the murder case of Hans Schmidt, a priest, and his prosecution of the poultry trust and of election frauds also gained him high praise. After being renominated for District Attorney in 1913, he was elected almost unanimously.[1]
Governor of New York
Whitman was elected in 1914 as the
In 1915, he became a member of the Empire State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. This lineage society was based on descent from men who had served with the patriots in the revolution.
In
After the United States entered into World War I, Whitman established a new state guard to replace the National Guard, which was on service in France. In 1916, he was elected as chairman of the Republican National Convention, where he urged the nomination of former New York Governor Hughes for President of the United States.[1] In 1917, he commissioned the creation of the New York State Police and selected George Fletcher Chandler, a physician and major in the National Guard, to organize and head the force.[3]
In 1918, Whitman was defeated for re-election by Democrat Al Smith (then President of the New York City Board of Aldermen and associated with Tammany Hall). Smith drew from the growing strength of recent immigrants and their descendants.
Personal life
In 1908, Whitman was married to Olive Hitchcock (1880–1928).[4][5] Together, they were the parents of:
- Olive Whitman[6]
- Charles S. Whitman Jr, (1915–2002), who was a New York Judge.
After the death of his first wife in 1928, in 1933 he married Thelma Somerville (née Cudlipp) Grosvenor (1891–1983), the widow of Edwin Prescott Grosvenor, himself the son of Edwin A. Grosvenor (1845–1936) and brother of Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor.[7][6][8]
He died on March 29, 1947, in Manhattan.[9][6]
Legacy
His portrait was painted in 1921 by the Swiss-born American portrait painter
Literary treatment
Whitman is a character in
Descendants
His grandson, former
See also
- New York state election, 1914
References
- ^ a b c d e f This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). . Encyclopedia Americana.
- ^ "The first Republican Governor of New York since Hughes". The Independent. November 16, 1914. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
- ^ "NYSP History: 1917 to 1929 The Formative Years". www.troopers.ny.gov. New York State Police. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ "Ex-Judge Whitman Weds. His Marriage To Miss Hitchcock Takes Place At Church Of The Ascension". The New York Times. December 23, 1908.
- ^ "Mrs. C. S. Whitman Dies Of Pneumonia. Ex-Governor's Wife Long Active in Political, Social and Charitable Causes". The New York Times. May 30, 1926.
- ^ a b c "Ex-Gov. Whitman Dies Here At 78. Executive of State, 1915–18, 'Broke' Rosenthal Case as District Attorney in 1912 78". The New York Times. March 30, 1947. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
- ^ "Ex-Gov. Whitman Engaged To Marry. Betrothal To Mrs. Thelma S. C. Grosvenor, Widow Of Lawyer, Is Announced. Fiance Formerly Judge Served As District Attorney Of New York County His Daughter To Be Wed In June". The New York Times. April 5, 1933.
- ^ "Ex-Gov. Whitman Married Quietly. Mrs. E. P. Grosvenor Becomes His Bride As Two Families Witness Ceremony. Neither Has Attendants. Rev. Dr. J. V. Moldenhawer Officiates. Bridegroom's Daughter To Be Married On June 5". The New York Times. April 7, 1933.
- The Hartford Courant. March 30, 1947. Archived from the originalon June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
Charles S. Whitman, 78, former governor of New York, died tonight.
Further reading
- Robert A. Slayton, Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith (New York, 2001: ISBN 978-0-684-86302-3), especially pages 116 to 121 – discusses Whitman's governorship and campaigns for the office against Smith.
External links
- Media related to Charles S. Whitman at Wikimedia Commons
- People v. Seidenshner 210 NY 341 Archived April 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- People v. Becker 210 NY 274 Archived April 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- People v. Becker 215 NY 126 Archived April 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine