Joseph R. Knowland

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the publisher and politician born in 1873. For Knowland's father born in 1833, see
William F. Knowland. For grandson born in 1930, see Joe Knowland
.
Joseph R. Knowland
U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
November 8, 1904 – March 3, 1915
Preceded byVictor H. Metcalf
Succeeded byJohn A. Elston
Constituency3rd district (1904–13)
6th district (1913–15)
Personal details
Born(1873-08-05)August 5, 1873
University of the Pacific
OccupationNewspaper publisher

Joseph Russell Knowland (August 5, 1873 – February 1, 1966) was an American politician and newspaper publisher. He served as a member of the

William F. Knowland
.

Early life

Knowland was born in Alameda, California on August 5, 1873, the son of Joseph Knowland (1833–1912) and Hannah Bailey Russell (1832–1921).[1] His siblings included two sisters, Sadie (1864–1905) and Lucille (1870–1926), and a brother, Hollis, who died in infancy. Knowland attended Alameda Park Street Primary School and Hopkins Academy, and graduated from the University of the Pacific in 1895.[2][3]

Start of career

After college, Knowland joined his father's wholesale lumber and shipping business.[2] His business career proved successful, and ventures in which Knowland participated included: Gardiner Mill Company (president); Kennedy Mine & Milling Company (director); Alameda National Bank (director); and Union Savings Bank of Oakland (director).[4]

He was also active in several fraternal and civic organizations, to include the

Mills College Board of Trustees, Oakland National Horse Show, and Athens Athletic Club.[3]

Political career

California Assembly

Knowland joined the Alameda Good Government Club in early 1895. In 1896, he was appointed to the Alameda Library Board of Trustees. In 1898, he was a successful Republican candidate for the California State Assembly.[2] He was reelected in 1900, and served from 1899 to 1903.[2] During his Assembly career, Knowland chaired the Assembly committee that investigated the corruption in the San Francisco police.[2] His efforts resulted in passage of a law prohibiting the human trafficking of Chinese women.[2]

California Senate

In 1902, Knowland was elected to the California State Senate.[2] He served until resigning in order to take the seat in the United States House of Representatives to which he had been elected in 1904.[2] During Knowland's Senate term, he was chairman of the body's committee on banking.[2]

Member of Congress

In 1904, Knowland was elected to Congress in a special election, filling the vacancy caused by the resignation of

U.S. Army's Benicia Arsenal and the U.S. Naval Shipyard at Mare Island, so Knowland had a keen interest in the military.[6] As a congressman, he worked to obtain approval for construction of Navy capital ships in California and for a two-ocean fleet.[6] In addition, Knowland advocated for American ships to use the Panama Canal toll free.[6]

Knowland sought to succeed

Progressive Party and the winner, James D. Phelan, Democrat
.

The Oakland Tribune

Knowland became owner, editor, president and publisher of

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

Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court
.

Knowland served on the California State Park Commission from 1934 to 1960 and was chairman from 1938 to 1960. He was appointed by Governor Earl Warren as chairman of the California Centennial Commission from 1948 to 1950. Knowland was honored on 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 in 1952, and the Alameda County Centennial in 1953.

Knowland was proud of the political career of his son, United States Senator

Senate Minority Leader from 1955 to 1959. The only mistake that he felt that his son made was his 1958 run and defeat for Governor of California
.

He attended his first

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

William F. Knowland
(1908–1974). Shortly after the birth of William F. Knowland, Ellie Knowland died.

Joseph Knowland's second wife Emelyn in 1912

Knowland, a young widower with children, met Emelyn S. West (1884–1950) of West Lynne,

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 and came 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 Piedmont. His wife Clarice with granddaughters, Emelyn K. Jewett and Josephine L. Church, were at his bedside.

On 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 the Chapel of Memories columbarium in Oakland, California.[7]

Fraternal organizations

Board memberships

  • American Trust Company
  • Marchant Calculating Machine Company
  • Oakland Title Insurance and Guaranty Company
  • California State Automobile Association
  • American Automobile Association
  • Associated Press
  • California State Park Commission
  • California State Chamber of Commerce

References

  1. ^ Baker, Joseph Eugene (1914). Past and Present of Alameda County, California. Vol. 2. Chicago, IL: S. J. Clarke. p. 13 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Baker, p. 13.
  3. ^ a b Uhlich, David (2007). "Biographical Information, Finding Aid to the Joseph R. Knowland Papers". Online Archive of California. Berkeley, CA: Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  4. ^ Baker, p. 14.
  5. ^ Baker, pp. 14–15.
  6. ^ a b c "Joseph R. Knowland, Oakland Tribune, 1873-1966". California Newspaper Hall of Fame. Sacramento, CA: California Press Foundation. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  7. ISBN 978-0-8063-4823-0 – via Google Books
    .

Sources

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joseph R. Knowland.
California Assembly
Preceded by
James A. Waymire
 Member of the California State Assembly
from the 47th district
January 2, 1899 - January 5, 1903 		Succeeded by
California Senate
Preceded by Member of the
14th
district
1903–1904 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 3rd congressional district
1904–1913 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 6th congressional district
1913–1915 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
First
after direct election of Senators was adopted in 1913
Class 3)
1914
 Succeeded by
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