Meet the Governors of R

An educational resource produced by

Mark Martin Secretary of State Communications & Education Division

State Capitolwww.sos.arkansas.gov • 500 Woodlane Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

The leaders who framed our history, from 1819 through today

An educational resource produced by

Mark Martin www.soskids.arkansas.govSecretary of State 04.2016 R Meet the Governors of Arkansas

R

An educational resource produced by

Mark Martin Secretary of State Communications & Education Division

State Capitol•www.sos.arkansas.gov 500 Woodlane Steet Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 1 R The following pages offer just a glimpse of the people who have shaped Arkansas, both as a territory and as a state. There is much more to know about their fascinating stories. We recommend two sources referenced for this publication:

The Governors of Arkansas: Essays in Political Biography, edited by Timothy P. Donovan, Willard B. Gatewood Jr. and Jeannie M. Whayne Press, 1995

The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, a project of the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Library System, www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net R

Fourth Printing 04 2016

Meet the Governors of Arkansas

31 33 28 32 25 26 29 34 30 27 Jeff Davis Jeff Served 1913 Served 1907 John Little Little John George Hays George Served 1917-1921 Served 1913-1917 Served 1921-1925 Served 1897-1901 Served 1901-1907 Served 1909-1913 Served 1895-1897 Served 1893-1895 Thomas McRae Joe T. Joe Robinson Charles Brough Charles Daniel W. Jones Daniel William Fishback James Paul Clarke Paul James George Donaghey George

18 15 19 16 21 17 23 22 24 20 James Eagle James James Berry James Served 1877-1881 Served 1868-1871 Served 1881-1883 Served 1874-1877 Served 1873-1874 Served 1883-1885 Served 1885-1889 Powell Served 1889-1893 Served 1862-1864 Served 1864-1868 Simon P. Hughes Thomas Churchill Augustus Garland William Read Miller William Read R Table of contents of Table

8 11 5 9 6 7 13 12 14 10 John Pope John John Roane John James George Henry Rector Elias Conway Elias Conway Archibald James Conway James Served 1819-1825 Served 1829-1835 Served 1825-1828 Served 1835-1836 Served 1852-1860 Served 1849-1852 William Fulton Served 1860-1862 Served 1836-1840 Served 1844-1849 Served 1840-1844 Thomas S. Drew Table of contents, continued

35 43 51 Thomas J. Terral Francis Cherry Served 1925-1927 Served 1953-1955 Served 1992-1996 36 44 John Martineau 52 Served 1927-1928 Served 1955-1967

37 45 Served 1996-2007 Served 1928-1933 Served 1967-1971 53 38 46 J. Marion Futrell Served 2007-2013 Served 1933-37 Served 1971-1975

54 39 47 Carl Bailey Served 1937-1941 Served 1975-1979 Served 2013-Present

40 48 Homer Adkins 55 Served 1941-1945 Served 1979-1981 Geography

41 49 56 Benjamin Laney Frank White Portrait Artists Served 1945-49 Served 1981-1983

57 42 50 Sid McMath Bill Clinton Alphabetical Index Served 1949-1953 Served 1983-1992 5 Miller County insouthwest Arkansas isnamedinhishonor.

Poor andadislike health for frontier Post to Little Rock. wascapital removed from Arkansas Miller administration, theterritorial ingeneralballot elections.Duringthe allowing votes by voice rather than by jails, settingprocedures, tax and government, establishingcourtsand laid the foundation for the territorial Miller’s administration, however, choosing to remain inNewHampshire. wife didnotjoinhiminArkansas, outside ofthe territory. his Infact, appointment andspentmuchtime slow to arrive inArkansas after his held thatpostuntil1825.Millerwas governor ofArkansas in1819and Following thewar, hewas appointed Congressional GoldMedal. rank ofBrigadier-General andreceived a of Lundy’s Lane,” was promoted to the war. Hebecameknown as“The Hero Ontario), oneofthebloodiest theofLundy’sat Battle Lane(Niagara, fought bravely during theWar of1812 the U.S. Army asamajorin1808.He James Millerstudiedlaw butjoined  until 1849 customs collector for theportofSalem,Massachusetts,serving representing ; instead heaccepted thepositionof led Millerto resign from office.Herefused aseatintheU.S. Congress The 1819-1836First Territorial Governor . J ames Miller R life Buried: Born: Died: Attorney, soldier James Miller Served 1819-1825 New Hampshire Temple, New Hampshire Peterborough, 1776 25, April New Hampshire Temple, July 7, 1851 6 The Arkansas Territory  1819-1836 Second Territorial Governor

Buried: Died: Born: Scholar, military engineer Izard County in NortheastArkansas isnamedinhishonor. following ofgout. anattack library. Izard died in1828during his second term from complications — even those heldinhishonor —preferring time withhisextensive legislature andother territory officials.He avoided most social events Izard madefew friends in Arkansas andwas frequently oddswiththe at George Izard Served 1825-1828 another site inLittle Rock (Reinterred 1843 from Little Ro HollyCemeteryMount Arkansas Little Rock, 1828 October 22, London,England 1776 October 21, ck, Arkansas ck, G R eo r ) g e that Izard “was theonly ofthe on Lake Champlain. Onehistorian wrote Artillery, andlater the Northern Army commanded the SecondRegiment of West Point. During theWar of1812,he and commandedseveral posts,including Europe. Hebecameamilitaryengineer worked throughout NewEngland and States the at ageof16.He studiedand George Izard moved to theUnited American from diplomat SouthCarolina, Born nearLondon,England, to an nations tonations theIndianTerritory. and relocated the Choctaw andQuapaw stagecoach routes through the state thebuilt roads militia, for thefirst the newgovernment. He strengthened administrative order andfinancial to record keeping. He quickly brought government withnoaccurate 1825. Hearrived to findadisorganized appointed governor ofArkansas in family inPhiladelphia before being in January1815andlived withhis General Izard resigned from thearmy educated intheschools.” War of1812who hadbeencompletely

I zard 7 Third Territorial Governor As aboy,  Pope County inwestern Arkansas isnamedinhishonor. serving from 1837 until1843. returned to Kentucky, practiced law andwas elected to Congress, administration, Pope was notappointed to athird term. He After expressing his disagreement withpoliciesoftheJackson eventually completed in1842 onthesite he selected. on abluffoverlooking theArkansas River. The statehouse was should beintheheart ofLittleRock public lands.Pope insisted the capitol to offer hismansion inexchange for Territorial Secretary building, Pope blocked amove by While planninganewcapitol to attract newsettlers to theland. the territory’s rustic reputation inorder expanding mailservice andimproving policy,” he focused onimproving roads, a visionof“awise andjustcourse of governor ofArkansas Territory. With ThePresident Jackson appointed Pope as supporter ofAndrew Jackson. In1829, Arkansasnotably asarival ofHenry Clay anda term butremained active inpolitics, He losthisbidfor asecond Senate president pro tempore. and to theU.S. Senate in 1807,serving as to thatstate’s General Assembly in1798 Territorythe Kentucky barin1794.Hewas elected went onto study law andwas admitted to arm andachangeinhislife plans.He family’s farm resulted inthelossofhis to Kentucky, where anaccidentonhis 1819-1836 John Pope J moved from o h R n P Died: Born: Buried: ope Served 1829-1835 John Pope Springfield, Kentucky 1845 July 12, Virginia County, William Prince February 1770 Springfield Kentucky Springfield Cemetery Attorney Fourth Territorial Governor William Fult

1819-1836 S. on R RRWilliam Savin Fulton studied law as an aide to Armistead, and served during the , birthplace of the National commander of Fort McHenry in before becoming private secretary to GeneralAnthem. Andrew He returned Jackson briefly during to law his campaign against the Seminoles of Florida. At the campaign’s close, he settled in Alabama for the practice of law.

William S. Fulton Fulton as Secretary of Arkansas The Arkansas Territory Territory The Arkansas Attorney, Soldier In 1829, President Jackson appointed Served 1835-1836 held the governorship until the territory Born: June 2, 1795 Territory, then Governor in 1835. He Cecil County, becameDuring Fulton’s a state in brief 1836. governorship, Died: August 15, 1844 he opposed the drafting of a proposed Little Rock, Arkansas state constitution without prior Buried: approval by Congress. Over his Little Rock, Arkansas objections, the document was drafted, adopted by the constitutional convention, submitted to Congress and approved. Fulton was then chosen as

one of Arkansas’ first two U. S. Senators, serving from December 1836 until his death in 1844. Rosewood, his new mansion, which was located on the site of the present-day Governor’s Mansion in LittleHe died Rock’s soon Quapaw after moving Quarter. into

Fulton County in Northern Arkansas was named for him when it

formed in 1842.

8 First Governor 1836  James S . Conwa y came to R and established a cotton farm along theArkansas Red River in 1820 in present-day as a federal Lafayette surveyor

surveyed the western boundary of ArkansasCounty. From from 1825 the Red to 1831, River Conway to the Arkansas River and negotiated with Louisiana to set the southern boundary.

Surveyor. He went on to serve as the first State The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State

associationWhen Arkansas with entered President statehood Jackson in James S. Conway 1836, Conway’s prominent family and Cotton Planter, Surveyor Served 1836-1840 thehelped result him of become a powerful the dynastyfirst governor known of Born: December 4, 1796 the State of Arkansas. His election was Greene County, Tennessee as “The Family” that dominated state Died: March 3, 1855 Conway’s priority for the new state was politics until the Civil War. Lafayette County, to establish public education, banking Arkansas protection against Native American Buried: Family Cemetery raidsand prison on the systems. state’s western He sought boundary. federal Walnut Hill Plantation (now Conway Cemetery State Historical Park) Conway’s own survey that veered off trueThat north-southdispute erupted following getting a federal arsenal for Little Rock ( . He also succeeded in ).

now the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History

Conway’s term was clouded by controversy. The state showed a surplus in collapsedits first two the years, state so banks. he called Plagued a special by illness, legislative Conway session did not to reduceseek a secondthe tax rate. The ill-timed move came during a nationwide depression that

term and returned to his cotton plantation on the Red River. He remained active in politics and helped establish the Lafayette Academy in 1842. 9 The city of Conway in Faulkner County is named for him. Second Governor 1836  Archibald ell RA distinguished soldierY and larger-than-life Archibald Yell

figure,Jackson, most notably fought in the in Battle the War of Newof 1812 under future U.S. President Andrew

Orleans. He studied law and was admitted toin theFlorida. Tennessee bar but returned to fight with Jackson in the First Seminole War before Jackson appointed him to several federalYell served posts, in including the Tennessee Receiver legislature of Public The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State as a territorial circuit judge, he made his Monies in Little Rock in 1831. Appointed Archibald Yell Soldier, Attorney home in Fayetteville. When statehood Served 1840-1844 came in 1836, Yell was elected to the state House of Representatives and went on to Born: About 1799 runAfter unopposed the controversial for governor Conway in 1840. Jefferson County, administration, Yell demanded stronger Tennessee (disputed) control of banks, pushed to end prison for Died: February 23, 1847 debt convictions and supported public Buena Vista, Mexico Buried: Evergreen Cemetery campaign,education. heHe reportedly resigned the won office over in voters Fayetteville, Arkansas 1844, then ran for Congress. During the (originally at Saltillo, and donating the prize beef to the Mexico; reinterred at poorestby taking widow first place in the in area. a shooting Yell easily match Waxhaws Cemetery, Fayetteville; later at won the election. Evergreen)

He served just seven months in Congress, then resigned in 1846 to fight in the Mexican‑American War as colonel the Battle of Buena Vista. of the 1st Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry. He was killed by a Mexican lancer while rallying his demoralized troops at Yell County and the City of Yellville were named in his honor.

10 Third Governor 1836  Th o mas S. Drew Thomas Stevenson Drew arrivedR in Clark supported himself by working as a traveling peddlerCounty, Arkansasand school Territory, teacher. inDuring 1817 the and

emerging business of delivering mail to southern1820s, he Arkansas became active and northern in politics Louisiana. and the

daughter of a prosperous In 1827, Drew married Cinderella Bettis, northeastern Arkansas near present- The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State landowner, and was gifted 800 acres in

day Biggers. He became a successful Thomas S. Drew wasplanter badly and divided influential but eventually figure in the Peddler, Farmer, Speculator selectedDemocratic Drew party. as a In unifying 1844, the candidate party Served 1844-1849 Born: August 22, 1802 Wilson County, for governor. He won in a three-way Tennessee electionDrew supported with 47 percenta safe platform of the vote. of road improvements, modest aid to education Died: January 1879 and conservative spending made Lipan, Texas Buried: Pocahontas, Arkansas (reinterred from Lipan, necessary by the state’s failing finances. Texas in 1923) raiseRe-elected his salary, in 1848, which he heresigned needed in due to hisJanuary own 1849failed afterinvestments. his allies failed to

He served briefly as Superintendent of Indian Affairs at Fort Smith, then turned to a career in law. After financial struggles during and immediately after the Civil War, Drew resumed his law practice in the late 1860s in Pocahontas. After his wife’s death in 1872, Drew moved to Texas where he died in 1879.

Drew County, formed in 1846, in southeast Arkansas was named for him.

11 Fourth Governor 1836  John S. Roane R John Selden Roane studiedA native law of Tennessee, under his older brother and was migrated admitted to to Pine the Bluffbar that in 1837, same

attorney for the Second Judicial year. He served as the first prosecuting

RepresentativesDistrict from 1840 and to was 1842. named In 1842, speaker ofhe thewas house. elected to the state House of The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State In 1846, Roane organized volunteers John S. Roane militaryfrom Van experience, Buren to fight he andin the his Lawyer, Planter, Soldier companyMexican‑American performed War. poorly Lacking in the in Battle Served 1849-1852 Born: January 8, 1817 After the war, criticism of the Arkansas Wilson County, regimentof Buena Vistafollowed (February Roane 22-23,and led 1847). to a Tennessee duel with critic . Neither man was injured. Died: April 7, 1867 Pine Bluff, Arkansas Buried: Oakland Cemetery Little Rock, Arkansas When Governor Drew resigned in youngestJanuary 1849, governor Roane ever won elected the special to the election to fill the term. He remains the both Calhoun and Sebastian counties were created. Roane supportedoffice. programs During to Roane’s improve administration, infrastructure,

legislatureestablish a chosestate college to lower and taxes recruit that immigrants further reduced to the state state. revenues. He sought to use federal proceeds to restore the state’s finances, but the

BrigadierFrustrated, General Roane inleft the office Confederate on November Army. 15, John 1852, S. Roane and returned died in to his plantation in Pine Bluff. During the Civil War, he served as

April 1867 at age 50. 12 Fifth Governor 1836  Elias N. Conwa y Elias Nelson Conway, brother toR Arkansas’s

Conwayfirst governor, moved moved to Little with Rock, his wherefamily hefrom studiedTennessee surveying to Missouri and wasin 1818. appointed In 1833,

U.S. Deputy Surveyor. He then served as Arkansas’s auditor from 1835 to 1849. nomination for governor but accepted Conway declined the 1844 Democratic

The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State longerin 1852. than He wasany governorsworn in onover November the next century.15, 1852, During and re-elected his administration, in 1856, serving the Elias N. Conway and he oversaw major improvements Surveyor, Statesman tooffice roads, of state the state geologist penitentiary was created, and Served 1852-1860 Born: May 17, 1812 in awarding land grants to the state’s Greeneville Tennessee emergingswampland railroad reclamation. system He and was so keywas honored with a station on the Memphis Died: February 28, 1892 Little Rock, Arkansas and Little Rock route named for him. Ironically, he was known as Buried: Mount Holly Cemetery Little Rock, Arkansas statements that all Arkansas really needed“Dirt Roads for prosperity Conway” for were his goodpublic dirt roads. In the era leading up to

living in the state. the Civil War, he backed legislation that outlawed free African-Americans

Conway did this by creating a court of chancery to help clear the state’s debtHis greatest from the accomplishment failed Real Estate as Bank.governor Despite was ato heavy restore bond financial burden stability. that

remained,Conway then the retired treasury from held public a cash life, surplus rarely when leaving Conway his home left inoffice.

Conway-Johnson-Rector-Sevier family that had steered Arkansas politics sinceLittle territorialRock. His death days. in 1892 brought an end to the dynasty of the 13 Sixth Governor 1836  Henry M. Rector R Henry Massie Rector left an unhappy childhood in KentuckyIn 1835, at to the manage age of Arkansas 19, lands

education and a contentious personality thatinherited often fromput him his atfather. odds He with had allies little and adversaries alike.

After working in the failed State Bank, he gained prosperity as the U.S. Marshal for

the State Senate and eventually the state The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State ArkansasSupreme in Court. 1842. He was later elected to Henry M. Rector Lawman, Cotton Farmer Rector-Sevier political dynasty but was Served 1860-1862 He was related to the Conway-Johnson- outsider for governor, defeating their Born: May 1, 1816 often at odds with them. He ran as an Fountain Ferry, saw elected president, Kentucky chosen candidate in 1860. That year Died: August 12, 1899 Governor Rector dramatically refused Little Rock, Arkansas Lincoln’swhich set call the forstage troops for Civil and War.seized Buried: Mount Holly federal arsenals at Little Rock and Fort Cemetery, Little Rock

thatSmith. shortened The state the joined governor’s the Confederacy term to two years. After threatening to secedeon May from 6, 1861, the Confederacy, with a new constitution Rector lost

badly to “The Family” candidate, Col. Richard Johnson, in his 1862 bid for re-election and resigned from office the next month.

cottonRector inreturned three counties from fighting and served in the as state’s a delegate reserve to corpsthe Constitutional to the ruins of his once-grand plantation outside Little Rock. He continued to farm

claimsConvention around of 1874.the springs, For decades but reserved he pursued the springs his father’s for the claim public. to the hot springs in the Ouachita Mountains. In 1876, the courts upheld private

14 The city of Rector in Clay County is named for him. Seventh Governor 1836  Harris Flanagin Harris Flanagin, son of an Irish-bornR cabinetmaker, taught mathematics and studied law in before

Arkadelphia and opened a law practice on coming to Arkansas in 1839. He settled in

the town square, speculated in land, and served briefly in state and local offices in theFlanagin 1840s was and a 50s.reluctant secessionist who

The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State thenserved colonel, as a delegate in the Second to the state’sArkansas 1861 secession convention. He became captain, Harris Flanagin Mounted Rifles and saw action at Wilson’s Teacher, Lawyer, Speculator Creek and Pea Ridge. In 1862, Flanagin Served 1862-1864 namedwas with him the their Army candidate of Tennessee for governor when againstformer Unionists,the wildly Whigsunpopular and DemocratsGovernor Born: November 3, 1817 Roadstown, Rector. Flanagin did not campaign but won handily. Died: October 23, 1874 Flanagin urged the legislature to aid Arkadelphia, Arkansas soldiers’ impoverished families, stabilize Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery Arkadelphia, Arkansas didthe state’snot utilize finances, his full and executive suppress powers. Asprofiteering Union forces and marched illegal liquor. into LittleHowever, Rock he

duties were done. Confederates called him to the exiled state capital in in 1863, Flanagin simply went home to Arkadelphia, assuming his At war’s end, Federal authorities allowed him to return home unharmed, thenWashington installed (Hempstead a new governor County) under for aa newfinal constitution. legislative session in 1864.

Flanagin worked for an orderly return to peacetime conditions. In 1874, he served as a delegate to the state’s constitutional convention. He died before the Constitution’s ratification.

15 E ighth Governor 1836  Isaac Murphy RIsaac Murphy College, practiced law and taught school studied at Washington

Fayetteville,in his native wherePennsylvania he worked and asTennessee. a teacher,In 1834, surveyorhe and his and family lawyer. moved Astronomy to was one of his main interests.

Murphy served two terms in the

legislature, representing Washington The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State CountyConvention in 1846 and and became 1848. knownHe was fora delegatecasting the to theonly 1861 vote statein favor Secession of staying Isaac Murphy Lawyer, Teacher, Surveyor Missouri and served as a general’s aide Served 1864-1868 in the UnionUnion. army,During returning the war, tohe Little fled to Born: October 16, 1799 , was elected governor. Pennsylvania Rock with the troops. In 1864, Murphy During his administration, Arkansas Died: September 8, 1882 Huntsville, Arkansas even as battles continued in the Buried: Unknown southernbegan healing parts its of Civilthe state. War woundsMurphy took a low-key approach to governing,

stating that “we have all done wrong.” By the start of 1866, Murphy’s plans began to erode. The elections of 1866 saw a pro-Confederate legislature elected, which posed dramatic problems for Murphy. He thedecided state to showed remain a inbudget office surplus,and worked even for though the best he had interests begun of with the no state while taking abuse from both sides. When Murphy left office,

funds in the treasury. The surplus he left would soon vanish, however. Murphy returned to Huntsville, took up farming and practiced law once again, living a quiet life with his family until his death in 1882.

16 Ninth Governor 1836  Powell Cla yton Powell Clayton, a native of Pennsylvania,R cavalry general, commanding at the Battle arrived in Arkansas in 1862 as a Union helped found the Arkansas Republican of Helena and later the Pine Bluff post. He

Party and, in 1868, became the state’s first governor after rejoining the Union.

ConstitutionThat election that included restored a measure the governor’s to termratify to the four state’s years. first During Reconstruction Clayton’s term, The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State the legislature passed measures that improved roads and levees, reclaimed swampland, created free public schools, Powell Clayton and established a school for the deaf Soldier, Statesman and the college that would become the Served 1868-1871 University of Arkansas. New laws also Born: August 7, 1833 banned racial discrimination in housing, Bethel County, transportation, education and restaurants. Pennsylvania Despite progressive measures, Clayton’s administration is often remembered for Died: August 25, 1914, controversies: he declared martial law Washington, D.C. Buried: Arlington National Cemetery in 14 counties to halt the rise of the Washington, D.C. ; accusations of corruption surrounded state aid to railroads; his Republicanopponents moved Party. to impeach him; and bitter infighting plagued the newborn

toIn replace1871, Clayton him. Clayton accepted returned when theto Arkansas legislature to votedlead the him state to the RepublicanU.S. Senate. PartyHe served and becameuntil 1877 a leader when in the developing state legislature Eureka voted Springs.

In 1897, President William McKinley appointed Clayton ambassador to the Republic of Mexico. He served until 1905 and retired to Washington, D.C., where he died at the age of 81. 17 Tenth Governor 1836  Elisha Baxter RElisha Baxter the state’s most came notorious to Arkansas episodes, in 1852 known and went on to become a central figure in one of

asInitially the Brooks-Baxter a merchant, War.Baxter studied law and became active in the Democratic Party as a legislator and prosecuting

indictedattorney. for He treason favored by neutrality a Confederate in the grandCivil jury.War, Post-war,served in heboth helped armies establish and was The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State the new Republican Party and was rewarded with political appointments. Elisha Baxter Merchant, Statesman Served 1873-1874 Baxter gained power amid fighting within Born: September 1, 1827 the Republican Party. In 1872, dominant Rutherford County, “Minstrel” Republicans supported Baxter disputed,for governor the whilepopular the vote “Brindletail” went to Baxter, faction Died: May 31, 1899 andfavored the Minstrel-controlledJoseph Brooks. Though legislature widely Batesville, Arkansas declared him governor. Buried: Oak Lawn Cemetery Batesville, Arkansas Brooks contested the election, but his suit was unheard until Baxter began courting Democrats and lost the trust of

many in his own party. In April 1874, a circuit judge ruled for Brooks, and armed men marched to the State House to remove Baxter from the governor’s office. Each side gathered forces as fighting broke out across the state, resulting in an estimated 200 casualties. President Ulysses Grant intervened and returned Baxter to office on May 15, 1874, unofficiallyA new constitution ending Reconstructionagain shortened in the Arkansas. governor’s term to two years. Baxter

near Batesville where he practiced law until his death. refused the 1874 Democratic-Conservative nomination and retired to his farm Baxter County in North-Central Arkansas was named for him when it formed

18 in 1873. E leventh Governor 1836  Augustus H. Ga rland Augustus HillR Garland Born in Tennessee, from St. Joseph’s moved to College Hempstead (Bardstown, County, Arkansas, in 1836. He graduated

Kentucky) in 1849 and was admitted toA Unionist, the Arkansas Garland Bar wasin 1853. a delegate

and initially voted against secession. to the 1861 Secession Convention Congress. Pardoned by President The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State AndrewHe then servedJohnson, in Garlandthe Confederate was elected

denied his seat because Arkansas had Augustus H. Garland to the U.S. Senate in 1867, but was Attorney, Statesman led the Democrats’ effort to pass the Served 1874-1877 not been readmitted to the Union. He Born: June 11, 1832 elected governor on his party’s ticket. Tipton County, new state constitution in 1874 and was Tennessee Governor Garland was successful in Died: January 26, 1899 debt. An advocate for education, he Washington, D.C. backedgreatly reducinglegislation the to state’sfound the$17 Branch million Buried: Mount Holly Cemetery, Normal College for black teachers (now Little Rock, Arkansas the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) and sought funding for schools for the blind and deaf. Garland led a publicity

incampaign . to improve the state’s rustic image. The result was an award- winning state pavilion at the 1876 Centennial Exposition Garland did not seek a second term as governor. Instead, he ran again

presidentialfor U.S. Senate cabinet. and this time was seated. He resigned in March 1885 to become U.S. Attorney General — the first Arkansan to serve in a

HeGarland died inCounty 1899 iswhile named arguing in his a honor. case before the Supreme Court. 19 Twelfth Governor 1836  William R. Miller RWilliam Read Miller was the first wasgovernor elected born Independence in Arkansas. County He studied clerk. law and entered politics in 1848 when he

He served as clerk until 1854 and then was appointed to fill the uncompleted term of State Auditor. He was elected to wasthe post elected in his governor own right and in won 1858, a second 1860, 1862, 1874 and 1886. In 1876,. Miller The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State termDuring in his1878 tenure, as a Democrat Governor Miller was a strong advocate for public education and William R. Miller fought for programs that addressed the Attorney, Statesman Served 1877-1881 to pardon death sentences earned him Born: November 23, 1823 state’s financial problems. His reluctance Batesville, Arkansas measuresthe nickname to fund The the Hanging State BlindGovernor. Asylum Died: November 29, 1887 andWith the his Arkansas support, Industrialthe legislature University enacted Little Rock, Arkansas (now the University of Arkansas). Miller Buried: Mount Holly Cemetery believed whites and African-Americans Little Rock should work together toward economic growth, a stand that often put him at odds with members of his own party.

state’sHe was bond known debt. for Oppositionhis honesty from and fiscalMiller, integrity, former governor which led Garland him to oppose the “Fishback Amendment,” which called for defaulting on the

and other prominent fiscal conservatives delayed passage. Ultimately, however, the bonds were denied with Amendment No. 1 in 1885.

AuditorMiller left and office died on late January in the 13,following 1881, andyear. served as the deputy from 1881 to 1882. In 1886, he was again elected State

20 Thirteenth Governor 1836  Th o masJ . Churchill Thomas James Churchill, a nativeR of Kentucky, graduated from St. Mary’s

inCollege Lexington, in Bardstown, Kentucky. Kentucky, After serving in 1844 in and studied law at Transylvania University

Ambrosethe Mexican Sevier. War, Churchill he moved took to Arkansas up farming in near1849 Little and married Rock. the daughter of Senator

Churchill was appointed postmaster The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State

cavalryof Little regiment Rock in 1857, for the serving Confederacy until and1861. fought During at the CivilBattles War, of hePea raised Ridge, a Thomas J. Churchill and Jenkins’ Ferry. After Soldier, Planter, Statesman the war, he returned to law, farming Served 1881-1883 and politics. A Democratic supporter Born: March 10, 1824 of Elisha Baxter, Churchill served three near Louisville, Kentucky Died: May 14, 1905 terms as state treasurer from 1874 until Little Rock, Arkansas 1880,Governor when Churchill’s he was elected successes governor. included Buried: Mount Holly Cemetery Little Rock, Arkansas

a new State Board of Health to regulate regulationthe practice of of rates medicine for short-line and surgery; the state’s first medical school; and

highlyrailroads. unpopular However, move. controversies A special legislativemarred Churchill’s committee tenure audited in office. records In 1881, he sent the state militia to halt political violence in Perry County, a missing from state funds. Courts ordered Churchill to repay the money. from Churchill’s tenure as treasurer and found as much as $233,000 the missing amount. While he denied any wrongdoing, he ultimately repaid a small portion of Churchill retired from public life, returned to farming and remained active in Confederate veterans’ organizations.

21 Fourteenth Governor 1836  Ja mes H. Be rry RJames Henderson Berry moved with his enlisted in the Confederate army and lostfamily his to right Arkansas leg in thein 1848. battle In of 1861, Corinth, Berry . After the war, Berry taught school, read law and entered politics.

He was elected to the state House of wasRepresentatives elected governor. in 1866, 1872 and 1874. He served as a district judge and, in 1882, As governor, Berry worked to further The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State

James H. Berry reduce the state’s debt. He pursued Soldier, Teacher, Attorney moderateclaims against by the former standards officials, of his including time, Served 1883-1885 Berryhis predecessor, sent militia Thomas and personally Churchill. traveled A racial Born: May 15, 1841 Jackson County, against a group of African-Americans Alabama accusedto Howard of murder.County to Also stop during mob actionhis administration, Berry pushed to reform Died: January 30, 1913 the state’s barbaric prisons and end the Bentonville, Arkansas Buried: City Cemetery Bentonville, Arkansas convict-lease system; however, he could Amendment”not win funding to thefrom Constitution legislators. thatWith his backing, voters approved the “Fishback bonds sold during Reconstruction. blocked payment on questionable state

vacatedBerry did by not Senator run for Augustus re-election Garland. and left Berry office served in January in the 1885Senate to seat forseek the a U.S.next Senate 22 years. seat. In Thatretirement, spring, hehe remainedwas appointed active to with fill theveterans seat groups and was appointed to mark the graves of Confederate soldiers who died in Union prisons. Berry completed this task in December

1912 and died the following January at his home.

22 Fifteenth Governor 1836  Simon P. Hughes RSimon Pollard Hughes was orphaned at the Born and educated in Tennessee,

age of 14 and moved to Arkansas in 1849 with relatives. He entered politics in 1853, winning a hard-fought race for sheriff of Monroe County. While in office, privateHughes practicestudied lawin Clarendon. and was admitted to the Arkansas bar in 1857, then started a

enlisted in the Confederate army and The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State wasAlthough commissioned a Unionist as Democrat, a captain, Hughes rising later to the rank of colonel. Simon P. Hughes Constitutional Convention and was Attorney, Soldier, Judge Arkansas’sHe was a delegate attorney to generalthe 1874 from Arkansas Served 1885-1889 Born: April 14, 1830 1874 to 1877. near Carthage, Tennessee successfullyIn 1884, Hughes with was legislators elected togovernor enact Died: June 29, 1906 measuresand served to two reorganize terms. He Arkansas worked Little Rock, Arkansas Buried: Mount Holly Cemetery of state geologist, limit the sale of Little Rock intoxicantsIndustrial University, near schools create and the abolish office

with the governor, legislators failed to overridestate executions. his veto Inof theira bill onlythat allowedconflict butchers and bakers to remain

open until 10 a.m. on Sundays. The State Debt Board formed to help pay inoff the undisputed primary. debts. In fact, at the end of Hughes’ first term there was a surplus in the state treasury. He stood for a third term but lost narrowly

benchAfter leaving until his office retirement. in 1889, Hughes was elected to the as an associate justice and served nearly 16 years on the

23 Sixteenth Governor 1836  Ja m e s P. Ea gle R James Eagle moved with his family to Pulaski County in Born in Tennessee, was appointed deputy sheriff of Prairie 1839 and began farming. In 1859, Eagle army as a private and rose to the rank of lieutenantCounty. He colonel.enlisted After in the the Confederate war, Eagle developed his family homestead into one

ofattended the largest Mississippi farms in theCollege. area. He was ordained a Baptist minister and briefly The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State

James P. Eagle A legislator from 1873 to 1878, Farmer, Minister Eagle returned to the House of Served 1889-1893 billRepresentatives to form Lonoke in 1885County and from was Born: August 10, 1837 partsselected of Prairiespeaker. and He Pulaski sponsored counties. the Maurin County, Tennessee nominated Eagle for governor after In 1888, a divided Democratic party Died: December 20, 1904 charges of fraud clouded his victory. Little Rock, Arkansas 126 ballots. He won election, but Buried: Mount Holly Cemetery Little Rock, Arkansas in tax rates, effective railroad regulation,Governor Eagle prison lobbied reforms for and equality funding for education, although he often failed to win legislative support.

intoRe-elected law to inpreserve 1890, Eagle party personally unity. One supportedof the most voting notorious rights of for these women lawsand opposed segregated racial public segregation, transportation but ultimately and accommodations. signed “Jim Crow” After acts his term, Eagle continued his work as a Southern Baptist minister, serving

onas presidentthe Capitol of Commission, the Arkansas but Baptist Governor State JeffConvention Davis dismissed for 24 years him andfor leading the national Southern Baptist Convention for two terms. He sat his home. campaigning for an opponent. In late 1904, Eagle died of heart failure at 24 Seventeenth Governor 1836  William M. Fishback William Meade Fishback graduatedR then moved to where he was from the University of Virginia in 1855, year of practicing law, he relocated to Greenwood,admitted to theArkansas, bar in 1857.and became After a a law partner with Judge Solomon F. Clark.

A Union sympathizer, Fishback voted with the majority at both sessions of

The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State the 1861 state secession convention, tofirst return against two seceding, years later then to inestablish favor in a asecond Unionist vote. newspaper He then left and the recruit state, about only William M. Fishback Attorney Served 1893-1895 but900 like men others for the from Fourth ex-Confederate Arkansas Cavalry. states, Born: November 5, 1831 In 1864 he was elected to the U.S. Senate, Jeffersonton, a key author of the loyalist constitution Virginia was not allowed to take his seat. He was Died: February 9, 1903 of 1864, known to some as the “Fishback Fort Smith, Arkansas Constitution.” He served in the legislature Buried: Oak Cemetery from 1871 to 1881 and was a delegate to Fort Smith, Arkansas Repudiatorthe 1874 state” for Constitutional introducing what Convention. became He became known as “The Great which prohibited paying on much of the state’s bond debt, including Reconstructionknown as the “Fishback‑era railroad Amendment,” aid and levee bonds.

his tenure, the St. Francis levee district was organized. As governor, FishbackOn September did little 5, 1892, to guide he was the electedlegislature, Arkansas’s but instead 17th sought governor. to enhance During the national image of Arkansas with the state’s acclaimed pavilion at the

Arkansas’s1893 Columbian industrial Exposition growth and while other practicing similar lawpublic in Fortrelations Smith activities. until his He left office in January 1895 and continued his work in promoting

25death in 1903. E ighteenth Governor 1836  Ja m e s P. Clarke RJames Paul Clarke graduated from

the University of Virginia in 1878 with a degree in law. He moved to Arkansas in 1879 and started a successful practice in Helena.

He was elected to represent Phillips County in the state House of Representatives in 1886. He went on to easilythe State defeated Senate three in 1888 other and candidates the office The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State forof Attorneygovernor. General in 1892. In 1894, he James P. Clarke During his tenure, Governor Clarke Attorney, Statesman advocated a number of issues: four- Served 1895-1897 legislative sessions once every four years, Born: August 18, 1854 year terms for state and county offices; Yazoo County, Mississippi Generalrather than Assembly, two; and however, a constitutional did not Died: October 1, 1916 enactprovision any forof these a tax bills.on franchises. Clarke was The more Little Rock, Arkansas successful in supporting railroad rate Buried: Oakland Cemetery regulation and in negotiating with the Little Rock, Arkansas federal government over debts owed by the state. Known for his volatile and sometimes violent temper, Clarke never backed down from a confrontation, whether political or physical.

to use the militia to stop such events. Ironically, he crusaded to prevent prizefighting in Arkansas, threatening Rather than seek an almost-certain second term, Clarke ran for the U.S.

was twice re-elected. Clarke is best known for his independent streak Senate in 1896. He lost that race, but ultimately won the seat in 1902 and odds with the Democratic leadership of the time. and his frequent support of progressive legislation, which was often at

26 Nineteenth Governor 1836  Daniel W.Jones Daniel Webster Jones was bornR in the

Republic of Texas and moved to Arkansas with his family at the age of 4. They settled studiedin Washington, law. Arkansas, where Jones attended Washington Academy and later

During the Civil War, Jones enlisted becamein the Third a prisoner Arkansas of war Infantry twice for and the rose toConfederacy. the rank of Wounded colonel. Following in battle, thehe war, The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State

JustJones a finishedyear later, his he law was studies named and was Daniel W. Jones admitted to the Arkansas bar in 1865. Soldier, Attorney County. Jones was elected Prosecuting Served 1897-1901 AttorneyProsecuting of the Attorney Ninth Judicialfor Hempstead Circuit in Born: December 15, 1839 Bowie County, Texas 1874 and went on to win two terms as Died: December 25, 1918 Attorney General. In 1890 he was elected Little Rock, Arkansas raceto the for state governor House with of Representatives almost twice the Buried: Oaklawn Cemetery votesfrom Pulaskiof his two County. opponents. Jones won the 1896 Little Rock

creation of a state railroad commission, anIn hisidea first that, term, ironically, Jones securedhe had fought the as an attorney and lobbyist for the Iron Mountain Railroad. Other measures he supported included election reforms and construction of a separate juvenile reform school, but he failed to rally support from the legislature

statefor many capitol, of his and issues. the legislature Jones easily enacted won re-election a state-level in anti-trust1898. During act. his second term, he launched a legal campaign to fight construction of a new

After losing his bid for the U.S. Senate in 1900, Jones resumed his law practice in Little Rock and returned to serve in the 1915 General Assembly. 27 Twentieth Governor 1836  Jefferson Davis RJefferson Davis was born in Sevier County (present-day Little River County) and attended the University of Arkansas and studied raisedlaw atin VanderbiltPope County. University He and

On his return to Russellville, CumberlandArkansas, he University joined in law in Tennessee. practice

Russellville. with his father, L. W. Davis, in

The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State of the Fifth Judicial District of He served as Prosecuting Attorney Jefferson Davis a failed run for Congress, Davis Attorney, Statesman overcameArkansas froma minor 1892 stroke to 1896. to win After his Served 1901-1907 Born: May 6, 1862 near Rocky Comfort, race for Attorney General in 1898. Arkansas outrageousHe fought a rhetoricplan to construct and oratory, a new hestate began capitol. a year-long Well known campaign for his Died: January 3, 1913 Little Rock, Arkansas for governor, styling himself as a

Buried: Mount Holly Cemetery Little Rock, Arkansas crusader against the “Yankee trusts.” He carried all but one county to win the governor’s seat in 1900. He was more than two consecutive terms. re-elected in 1902 and in 1904, becoming the first governor to serve

segregated seating on streetcars, authorized construction of a state reform During his administration, legislators enacted laws that required

membersschool and of created the state the legislature. Arkansas HistoryDavis was Commission. known for Alsohis deep during opposition his totenure, convict public leasing, executions his attempts were prohibitedto halt construction and salaries of a were new definedcapitol for building, his command of populist rhetoric, and his ability to exploit racial and class tensions in his own behalf.

28 Davis was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1906 and served until his death. Twenty-first Governor 1836  John S. Little John Sebastian Little attended RCane one term, then taught school while Hill College in Washington County for

studying law. He entered politics in 1876 and was elected Prosecuting Attorney of the Twelfth Judicial Representatives,Circuit, serving until followed 1884. by He election then served a term in the state House of

to the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court, a The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State Representativesposition he held anduntil served 1890. Insix 1894, terms. he was elected to the U.S. House of John S. Little with endorsements from outgoing Judge, Statesman GovernorLittle ran forDavis governor and former in 1906 colleagues in Served 1907 the legislature. Despite an episode of a Born: March 15, 1851 Jenny Lind, Arkansas the primary and general elections. In Died: October 29, 1916 his“nervous inaugural disorder,” address, he Littlehandily outlined won both an Little Rock, Arkansas ambitious agenda that included corporate regulation, free school textbooks, election Buried: City Cemetery reform, the suppression of gambling, Greenwood, Arkansas

sufferedlevee and a roadnear-total construction mental and aphysical final collapse. On doctor’s orders, heend returned to convict to leasing.Greenwood Two to days recover. later, Initiallyhe his son and secretary took

charge of the governor’s office, delivering papers home to Greenwood for signing. Governor Little never recovered his health. He died in 1916 in the Arkansas State Hospital for Nervous Diseases. leaving the state without a clear line of succession. A variety of legislative The Constitution of 1874 omitted the office of lieutenant governor, episode ultimately led to a constitutional amendment that created the leaders served as acting governor for the duration of Little’s term. This

elected office of lieutenant governor. 29 Twenty-second Governor 1836  George W. Dona ghe y RBorn in northern Louisiana, George Washington Donaghey moved to Union County as a toddler. As a teen, he was a cowboy on the

and structural engineering for a term at Chisholm Trail, then studied architecture success as a building and railroad contractor.the University of Arkansas. He achieved Donaghey was named to the new

supervision, construction for a new state The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State Capitol Commission in 1899. Under his had mixed support, and progress soon George W. Donaghey slowedcapitol begandue to that controversy summer. and The lack project of Building Contractor funding. Incoming Governor Jefferson Served 1909-1913 Davis, an opponent of the project, Born: July 1, 1856 replaced Donaghey on the commission Oakland, Louisiana

Died: December 15, 1937 within 1901. a promise Donaghey to complete won the thegovernor’s capitol. Little Rock, Arkansas office in 1908 on a progressive platform Buried: Roselawn Memorial Over two terms, Governor Donaghey Park, Little Rock worked to improve public health, education, roads and railways and also

pushed to complete the capitol. In 1911, creating a tuberculosis hospital in Booneville,he addressed as wellthe first as the legislature four agricultural to meet in the new chambers of the-not-yet-finished building. Donaghey led in

schools we now know as Arkansas Tech, Arkansas State, Southern Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He campaigned to create an Arkansasinitiative andwas referendum the only southern process. state The with amendment such a provision. passed, allowing Donaghey citizens, ended not just lawmakers, to place issues up for vote. For the next 70 years, the prison population — and ruining the value of the leases. the convict-lease system in 1912 by pardoning 360 inmates — nearly half After losing his bid for a third term, Donaghey returned to his business

Donaghey Foundation that continues his great legacy of public service. 30 interests and focused on charitable works. He died in 1937, but left the Twenty-Third Governor 1836  Joe T. Robinson was bornR on a farm near Lonoke. Largely self-taught, he passed the local teacher’s exam at

ofthe Arkansas, age of 17 then and taughtreturned school to Lonoke for two years. He briefly attended the University ultimately attended the University of Virginiaand studied Law law School with and a local earned judge. admission He

he to the Arkansas Bar in 1895. By this time The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State where he served a single term. had been elected to the state House, Joe T. Robinson tenure in Congress, where he proved Attorney, Statesman Served 1913 himselfIn 1902, as Robinson a moderate began progressive, an 11-year backing railroad regulation, progressive Born: August 26, 1872 income taxation and women’s suffrage. near Lonoke, Arkansas Died: July 14, 1937 resigned his congressional seat on Washington, D.C. He won the race for governor in 1912, Buried: Roselawn Memorial Park as governor two days later. But on Little Rock, Arkansas January 14, 1913, and was sworn in the U.S. Senate term of the late Jeff Davis. AsJanuary a result, 28, Robinsonlegislators held chose the him titles to offill

U.S. senator elected by a state legislature, he remained governor until March tocongressman, direct an active governor legislative and senator-elect, session. all within just two weeks. The last In his short term, Governor Robinson pressed for funding to complete the State Capitol and for creation of a banking department, bureau of labor

statistics and highway commission. Arkansas also adopted its first state flag.

Robinson had a long, distinguished career in the U.S. Senate. The Democrats waschose a loyalhim as ally their of President vice-presidential Franklin candidate Roosevelt in and 1928, the butNew lost Deal to plan.the Hoover ticket. Robinson became Democratic majority leader in 1932 and

31strengthIn 1937 Robinson . . . [he] has died fallen unexpectedly with face to during the battle.” the Congressional fight over the president’s ‑“court-packing plan.” Roosevelt called him “a pillar of Twenty-Fourth Governor 1836  George W. Hays RA native of Camden, George Washington Hays studied law in Virginia, then returned home to open his practice in

1894. He served as probate and county judge for Ouachita County from 1900 to 1905 and presided over the 13th Judicial Circuit from 1906 to 1913.

When Governor Robinson resigned in March 1913, state law did not provide for The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State succession by another official. Hays won toa special consolidate election his inpolitical July 1913 power, to fill the George W. Hays rathergovernor’s than post.to pursue In office, a reform Hays agenda. worked Attorney, Judge Although criticized by Progressives Served 1913-1917 for his perceived openness to special- Born: September 23, 1863 Camden, Arkansas and personal popularity helped him win interest pressures, Hays’s political savvy Died: September 15, 1927 Little Rock, Arkansas a second, full, term in 1914. Buried: Camden, Arkansas passed the Alexander Road Improvement Act,Under which Governor created Hays, road-improvement the legislature districts governed by commissions with power to issue bonds. Statewide

measures at differing times. After swearing opposition to gambling, prohibition became law, although Hays spoke for both “wet” and “dry”

he signed a bill to legalize gambling in Hot Springs. However, he governor,reconsidered replaced and wrote the old in and“disapproved,” allegedly corrupt which Charitiescourts upheld Board. as Also, thea veto. new During State CapitolHays’ tenure, was declared a new commission, complete, and appointed a women’s by suffragethe amendment was referred to voters.

After leaving office, Hays returned to his law practice and wrote for national periodicals on polarizing issues. He died in 1927 of complications from influenza. 32 Twenty-Fifth Governor 1836  Charles H. Brough (rhymesR with

“rough”) graduated from Mississippi College in 1894 and earned a Ph.D. history,from Johns economics, Hopkins ethics, University German in 1898. andHe taught philosophy European at Mississippi and American College,

Arkansas. A powerful orator, Brough wasHillman a popular College guest and speakerthe University at public of gatherings.

The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State After a brief run in the special election to replace Governor Robinson, Brough left Charles H. Brough Educator, Orator ofteaching sweeping in 1915 reform. to seek As governor, the governor’s Brough Served 1917-1921 advocatedseat. He won laws decisively to create with a commission a platform Born: July 9, 1876 Clinton, Mississippi on illiteracy; a reformatory for women; Died: December 26, 1935 a girl’s industrial school; vocational Washington, D.C. alsoeducation; pushed school for mandatory millage measures; school Buried: Roselawn Memorial Park attendance,and county boardsa commission of education. to regulate He Little Rock, Arkansas

mothers and medical care for the public utilities, financial aid for needy urging, Arkansas led other Southern states in granting women the rightimpoverished. to vote in Inprimary 1917, atelections. Brough’s In all, the legislature passed almost

90 percent of Brough’s agenda. When the Elaine race riots erupted in 1919, he sent federal troops to restore order, then created a special advancecommission agriculture to promote and interracialbusiness in harmony. the state. His ambitious roads program laid 2,500 miles of paved highways that he believed would

laterAfter chairedleaving aoffice, federal Brough commission continued to settle to promote a border the dispute state as between a Virginiapassionate and spokesman the District for of theColumbia Arkansas before Advancement his death. Association. He 33 Twenty-Sixth Governor 1836  ThoRmas C. Mc Rae and Lee University, Thomas Chipman McRaeWith a degree was admitted in law from to the Washington Arkansas

bar in 1873. He served in the state House of Representatives from 1877 to 1879 and was a U.S. Representative from the Third Congressional District from 1885 to 1903. the Arkansas Constitutional Convention. In 1917, McRae served as a delegate to The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State

However, in the uncertainty following Thomas C. McRae enteredWorld War the I, gubernatorial voters rejected race the as new one Attorney, Banker ofdocument. nine Democrats In 1920, seeking McRae the reluctantly post. Served 1921-1925 Born: December 21, 1851 governor and won a second term Mount Holly, On November 2, 1920, he was elected Arkansas inLegislators 1922. blocked most of McRae’s Died: June 2, 1929 Prescott, Arkansas the highway program, generate Buried: De Ann Cemetery schoolfirst-term funding initiatives and form to reform a worker’s Prescott, Arkansas term was more successful, although compensation program. His second

system was in crisis. McRae pushedit required for new threefunding special from legislative personal incomesessions. taxes, With severance almost 100,000 taxes on illiterate natural adults, resources the stateand a education tobacco tax.

The state’s highway improvement districts had allowed fraud and corruption to flourish. Facing a loss of federal funding, McRae called a authorizespecial session, a sanitorium and legislators for Aferican-Americans finally granted the with state tuberculosis sole oversight and the of highway construction. He was also successful in getting legislation to southern Arkansas. office of State Geologist, formed after the discovery of oil in

34 McRae, who left office with a surplus in the state treasury, returned to the law and banking until his death in 1929. Twenty-Seventh Governor 1836  ThomasJ. Terral Born in Louisiana, Thomas JeffersonR Terral attended the University of Kentucky, and

University of Arkansas. in 1910 earned a law degree from the

as assistant secretary of the Arkansas Terral entered politics in 1911 and served superintendent of public instruction from Senate until 1915. He was deputy state

1912 to 1916, except during the periods in The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State 1913 and 1915 when the General Assembly was in session. He was elected Arkansas governorSecretary andof State lost, in but 1916 he ran and again served in Thomas J. Terral until 1921. In 1920, Terral ran for Attorney, Statesman Served 1925-27 1924 and won. strict enforcement of the law, calling Born: December 21, 1882 forIn his measures inaugural to punishaddress, bootleggers Terral favored Union Parish, Louisiana Died: March 9, 1946 administration had more than doubled Little Rock, Arkansas and “pistol toters.” Although the McRae Buried: Roselawn Memorial Park sought to increase it again by taxing Little Rock luxuriesthe amount such spent as gum per and student, cosmetics. Terral

He was successful in consolidating the mergedduties of state 11 honorary revenue commissionscollection into into a single Department of Insurance and Revenuesthe new, salaried and created Board a ofcollege Charities student and loanCorrections. program. Terral During also his successfully term,

construction began on a new state hospital in Little Rock; Arkansas founded its first state park at Petit Jean Mountain; and a constitutional amendment increased the number of Arkansas Supreme Court judges from five to seven. practice in Little Rock. Terral ran unsuccessfully for re-election in 1926 and returned to his law

35 Twenty-E ighth Governor 1836  John E. Martineau R John E. Martineau was born in MissouriThe son of and Canadian graduated immigrants, from the

inUniversity the university’s of Arkansas law school in 1896. at HeLittle briefly taught school, then enrolled Martineau was elected to the Arkansas Rock and graduated in 1899. In 1902, was appointed chancellor of the First House for the first of two terms. He The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State Chanceryfairness andCourt plain in 1907 speaking. and served for 20 years. He earned a reputation for John E. Martineau Teacher, Judge governor, but was successful in the Served 1927-1928 In 1924, Martineau lost his bid for Born: December 2, 1873 Clay County, Missouri elected1926 election. over an By incumbent defeating since Thomas Terral, he became the first governor Died: March 6, 1939 governor to broadcast his inaugural Little Rock, Arkansas addressReconstruction. on radio. He Martineau was also theserved first Buried: Roselawn Memorial Park, Little Rock, Arkansas on state programs. During that time heonly restored 14 months, honorary but made boards an forimpact state institutions, which had been

dissolved in favor of paid boards under Terral‘s administration. CommissionHe created the formed Confederate to coordinate Pensions relief Board efforts and between funded it Louisiana, by issuing bonds. In response to devastating floods in 1927, the Tri-State Flood was made with the Martineau Road Plan. It authorized state aid for highwayMississippi construction and Arkansas. within He cityserved limits as itsand president. bond issuance His real for legacy road construction.

to accept an appointment to the Federal District Court of Eastern On March 2, 1928, Martineau resigned from the governor’s office

36 Arkansas. He served in that position until his death in 1939. Twenty-Ninth Governor 1836  Ha rve y Parnell Harvey Parnell grew up on a farmR in rural Cleveland County before moving to

clerk,Warren, bookkeeper, where he attendeddry goods high merchant school. His early jobs included working as a

Representatives.and farmer. In 1919 Parnell he began also servedthe first in of the his two terms in the Arkansas House of a Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for from 1923 to 1925. When Parnell ran for the post and became the The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State a new office of lieutenant governor in 1926, Harvey Parnell resignedfirst to hold to acceptthat office. a federal He then judgeship. became governor in 1928 when John Martineau Farmer, Merchant Later that year, Parnell won the general Served 1928-1933 Born: February 28, 1880 Orlando, Arkansas election to become the 29th Governor Died: January 16, 1936 of Arkansas in his own right. He was address the issues he considered most Little Rock, Arkansas urgentre-elected to Arkansans: in 1930. Parnell taxation, set outeducation to and rural highways. Institutions created Buried: Roselawn Memorial Park during Parnell’s tenure included Little Rock, Arkansas

Arkadelphia, along with commissions Henderson State Teachers College in

for state highways and commerce. He also appointed Hattie Caraway to fill her late husband’s seat in the U.S. Senate; she went on to become the first woman elected to the Senate. He convinced the legislature to pass a manyschool citizens attendance without mandate, any income as well to as tax. Arkansas’s Parnell was first slow income to respond tax to fund to theschool state’s improvements. economic collapse, However, favoring the dawn private of the resources and a self-help left

reorganize state government. approach to relief. He also failed to win legislative support for his plan to

in public service and spent his remaining three years as an appraiser for theAfter Reconstruction leaving office, FinanceParnell returnedCorporation. to his farming interests but remained 37 Thirtieth Governor 1836  J. Marion Futrell RJunius Marion Futrell attended the

earlyUniversity jobs included of Arkansas teaching, from 1892farming to 1893, and and was admitted to the bar in 1913. His

thenworking later in as the Greene timber County industry. circuit He servedclerk and statethree senator.terms in As the Senate House president, of Representatives, he was one of the acting governors to serve following

After holding two judicial posts, he won the Governor Robinson’s resignation in 1913. The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State 1932 race for governor. J. Marion Futrell Depression with Arkansas near bankruptcy. Farmer, Attorney Futrell pushedtook office to pay-off at the peak soaring of the highway Great Served 1933-37 debts with new fees on auto licenses, gas and Born: August 14, 1870 Jones Ridge, Arkansas governmentoil. The Highway and opposedRefunding public Act passed assistance in a Died: June 20, 1955 programs.special legislative Futrell believedsession. Hethe favored unemployed limited Little Rock, Arkansas lacked initiative and that eliminating Buried: Linwood Cemetery Paragould, Arkansas percent of state spending, including funding formachines high schools would (he create believed more anjobs. eighth He cut grade 51 education was enough in rural Arkansas.)

ability to levy taxes and issue bonds. Futrell also saw opportunity for revenue in legalized alcohol and gambling. HeIn fact, supported he hoped limits to convert on the legislature’s state prisons to

manufacture and sell corn whisky. The legislature rejected the “Convict Corn jobsPlan,” when but did it failed allow to local provide liquor matching options funds,and legalized but the paramutualgovernor and betting legislature in Hot Springs and West Memphis. The state nearly lost 400,000 federal relief displaced sharecroppers and tenant farmers received national attention, but Futrell’sinitiated onlya sales response tax and was other to measuresappoint a tostate raise commission the state’s to share. investigate. The plight of

Futrell left office after two terms with a surplus in the state treasury. He returned to his law practice, serving as attorney for the Dyess Colony, 38 a cooperative farm formed under the . He retired from public service after a failed run for the state Supreme Court in 1940. Thirty-First Governor 1836  Carl E. Baile y Carl EdwardR Bailey moved to Arkansas, where he Inworked 1917, as Missouri a bookkeeper native while studying

deputy prosecuting attorney, then became law. He served as the Sixth District’s Bailey prosecuted the owner of a failed prosecuting attorney in 1927. In 1931, notice, but made a political foe in the lead banking empire. He won the case and public

defenseBailey was counsel, elected Senator state attorney Joe T. Robinson. general The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State from another famous incident after in 1934. He gained public support Carl E. Bailey known mobster “Lucky” Luciano fled Attorney, Teacher extraditioncharges in New and Yorkordered for HotState Springs. Police Served 1937-1941 toBailey make refused the arrest, a $50,000 declaring bribe that to deny Born: October 8, 1894 Bernie, Missouri

Died: October 23, 1948 “Arkansas cannot be made an asylum for Little Rock, Arkansas criminals.” In 1936, Bailey won ofthe candidates race for governor. with only 32 Buried: Roselawn Memorial Park, percent of the vote in a divided field Little Rock, Arkansas Bailey promised services, not surpluses, to combat the Great Depression.

He created a merit exam for state positions, although it would be repealed backedin the following by President session. Roosevelt’s Just six monthsadministration, into his firstBailey term, lost Bailey the race joined against Robinson’sthe scramble surviving to replace political Senator machine. Robinson, In awho special died legislative in office. Althoughsession, Bailey was successful in passing highway reforms to end tolls on the

Bailey restructured a number of state agencies in order to maximize state’s bridges and increase highway taxes. Re-elected in 1938, Governor

New Deal benefits. He sought a rare third term in a contentious race againstBailey resumed his chief his rival. law This practice time, andhowever, pursued Bailey a number was defeated. of business interests, including teaching legal medicine at the University of Arkansas Medical

39School, before his death at age 54. Thirty-Second Governor 1836  Homer M. Adkins RHomer Martin Adkins graduated from the Six months shy of the minimum age for Littlelicensing, Rock College he received of Pharmacy special permissionin 1911.

captain in the Army Medical Corps during for certification at the age of 20. He was a

World War I. Adkins entered politics in 1923 as Pulaski Countyand was Sheriff. rewarded He campaigned with a post for as stateFranklin The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State Roosevelt in the 1932 presidential race to build political connections that helped Homer M. Adkins collector of internal revenue. He used it Pharmacist, Businessman Served 1941-1945 him win the governor’s seat in 1942. support for a new highway funding plan. Born: October 15, 1890 Even before he took office, Adkins built Jacksonville, Arkansas Died: February 26, 1964 votersIt was oneoverwhelmingly of the first measures approved passed the Malvern, Arkansas by the 1941 General Assembly, and Buried: Roselawn Memorial Park Little Rock, Arkansas millionbond issue. worth As of World defense War projects II raged for during the his two terms, Adkins helped win $300

Americansstate. Those in federal the state. programs Adkins included fought federal internment of 20,000 Japanese- pushed for limits on voting rights for African-Americans. In two terms, to deny them public education, property ownership and jobs. He also

commissionAdkins increased and dispatched the state treasury the state surplus police fromin a crackdown $21 million on to gambling $45 million. He oversaw creation of the state’s first workmen’s compensation

in Hot Springs.

appointedAfter losing administrator a bid for U.S. Senate,of the Arkansas Adkins left Employment office and becameSecurity a Division, political broker and advisor to several future governors. In 1948, he was

established a public-relations firm in Little Rock and worked to recruit 40 industries to the state until his death in 1964. Thirty-Third Governor 1836  Ben Lane yJr. Born on a small farm in Ouachita RCounty, Benjamin “Business Ben” Laney Jr.

attended public schools, taught briefly, thethen war, enrolled Laney at earned Hendrix a degree College. from He joined the U.S. Navy in World War I. After

hisArkansas brother Teachers bought Collegea Conway (now drugstore. the University of Central Arkansas). He and real estate. Laney entered the oil business He also worked in banking, farming and

The State of Arkansas Arkansas of afterThe State oil was discovered on his family farm

farm-related ventures. in 1922. He then invested in a variety of Ben Laney Jr. Laney became mayor of Camden in Farmer, Businessman Served 1945-49 Penitentiary Board. A largely unknown Born: November 25, 1896 1935 and later served on the state Jones Chapel race and brought his strong business (Cooterneck), Arkansas candidate, he won the 1944 governor’s to pay off the state’s non-highway debt, Died: January 21, 1977 reduceskills to taxes state and government. protect services He sought during Magnolia, Arkansas Buried: Memorial Cemetery Revenue Stabilization Act continues to Camden, Arkansas enforceeconomic a balanceddownturns. state The budget resulting today.

restructured a number of state agencies and merged others. Among the newIn other consolidated moves toward boards efficiency, was the LaneyArkansas Resources and Development Commission and the Public Service Commission. Also during his two terms,

alignedLaney won with approval the states’ to buildrights War movement Memorial promoted Stadium by and prominent the Governor’s southern Mansion in LittleDixiecrats Rock. He consistently supported and

institutionDemocrats of(or higher “ education”). However, since Reconstruction. during his administration, the University of Arkansas School of Law became the first integrated southern Laney did not seek a consecutive third term as governor and failed in a

411950 bid to reclaim the office. He remained active in state politics and was a delegate to the 1969 Arkansas Constitutional Convention. Thirty-Fourth Governor 1836  Sid McMath RSidney Sanders McMath grew up during the

height of gangsters and gambling in Hot Springs. He earned a law degree at the UniversityMarine Corps, of Arkansas earning in the 1936. Silver During Star and World War II, he served in the U.S. the democratic primary for prosecuting attorney,Legion of joining Merit. Inother 1947, war McMath veterans ran in in a bid to defeat Garland County’s political The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State Springsmachine. Mayor The only Leo reformMcLaughlin candidate as an Sid McMath accessoryelected, McMath to fraud formally in that chargedelection. Hot Attorney Served 1949-1953 statewide attention in the case helped Although the mayor was acquitted, Born: June 14, 1912 in Columbia County, propel McMath into the governor’s office Arkansas 1948. Died: October 4, 2003 the state’s highways, health care and Little Rock, Arkansas schools.His agenda For focused a decade, on economic improvements woes to Buried: Pinecrest Memorial Park and wartime shortages had taken a Alexander, Arkansas severe toll on highways and bridges. McMath won voters’ approval for bonds to also pushed for improvements in mental health care, upgrades at the UA finance a modern highway system. He

legislationmedical school to increase and construction the minimum of a wage new medicaland strengthen center in industrial Little Rock. safety. He McMathwas instrumental worked to in improve bringing race electric relations power by to supporting rural areas. laws He againstalso sponsored and poll taxes and by appointing blacks to previously all-white boards and

the highway program cost McMath his bid for a third term. commissions. However, allegations of wasteful spending and abuse of power in No charges resulted from the scandal, but McMath was unsuccessful in future

runs for the U.S. Senate and another term as governor. However, he remained 42 a popular and influential figure in Arkansas politics. For 40 years, he practiced lawautobiography, as an advocate Promises for “blue Kept: collar” A Memoir Arkansans, was published. and served as president of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers in 1976. He died in 2003 just as his Thirty-Fifth Governor 1836  Francis Cherry Francis Adams Cherry was onlyR a few family moved from his birthplace of months old when his “old-line republican”

Fort Worth, Texas, to . He delayedgraduated law from school Enid to (Okla.) work during High School the Depression,and attended then Oklahoma graduated A&M with College. a law He degree from the University of Arkansas

Commissioner for the Jonesboro division in 1936. Cherry was appointed U.S. The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State was named referee for the workmen’s compensationof the Eastern Districtcommission. in 1939 and Francis Cherry Attorney was elected chancellor and probate judge Served 1953-1955 Cherry entered politics in 1942 when he Born: September 5, 1908 Fort Worth, Texas of the 12th Chancery District. During Died: July 15, 1965 heWorld returned War II, to he his waived duties judicial as chancellor. immunity Jonesboro, Arkansas Aand political served unknown, two years Cherry in the Navy.entered In 1946,a crowded democratic race for governor Buried: Oaklawn Cemetery Jonesboro, Arkansas visibility and campaign funds and lifted himin 1952. to a decisiveHis radio victory “talkathons” in the election.raised his Governor Cherry emphasized frugal spending and sound management

and Administration to control the state budget and reformed the controversialin state government. highway He commission. created a new Cherry Department advocated of industrialFinance development and promoted the use of Arkansas’s raw materials to other

several agencies, vetoing tax exemptions on feed, seed and fertilizer and states. However, he was criticized for appointing non-Arkansans to head

trimming welfare rolls. His plan to change the property tax structure failed to win support and damaged Cherry’s image with voters. He ran unsuccessfully for a second term in 1955. 43After leaving office, Cherry was appointed to the federal Subversive Activities Control Board and was named its chairman in 1963. He died in July 1965 after two years of declining health. Thirty-Sixth Governor 1836  Orval Faubus ROrval Eugene Faubus was raised in a log cabin and educated in one- and two-room schoolhouses. Faubus spent a brief period at Commonwealth College near Mena and completed his formal education

around the country as an itinerant farmer,through lumberjack night courses. and He teacher. worked In

GeorgeWorld WarPatton. II, he Following served as the an war, Army he intelligence officer under General The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State bought the local weekly newspaper, wasthe Madisonnamed Huntsville’s County Record postmaster. Faubus and Orval Faubus was appointed to the Arkansas State Teacher, Publisher Served 1955-1967 Born: January 7, 1910 Highway Commission and served as Greasy Creek, Arkansas Director of Highways from 1952 to Died: December 14, 1994 1953. deadline, Faubus formally entered the Conway, Arkansas Just 15 minutes before the filing Buried: Orval E. Faubus incumbent Francis Cherry in an all Memorial Gardens democratic1954 race for general governor runoff. and Faubus defeated Combs, Arkansas

utilitytook office companies, with a moderate dramatically agenda that included fighting to regulate

raising teacher salaries and establishing the first state facility for children with developmental disabilities. However, he quickly grabbed political opportunity and took a firm stance against desegregation, leading to one of the most infamous events in state history. In 1957, Faubus mobilized deployedthe National troops Guard to shieldto prevent nine integration black students of Central as they High entered School the in school. Little Rock. The crisis dragged on for weeks until President Dwight D. Eisenhower

The troops stayed for the remainder of the school year. The events drew governor.national scrutiny but cemented Faubus’ popularity around the state. He served six terms — a total of 12 years — the longest of any Arkansas 44 When a seventh term appeared unlikely, Faubus retired, but remained a colorful and influential figure in Arkansas politics. He ran for governor unsuccessfully three more times, losing his final race in 1984 to Bill Clinton. Thirty-Seventh Governor 1836  Winthrop Rockefeller Winthrop Rockefeller grew up inR

and attended Yale University from 1931 to 1934. He served in the Pacific Theater during adventurousWorld War II, spirit earning led thehim Bronze away from Star awith career Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart. His he visited an Army friend in Arkansas and in the family’s business empire. In 1953,

was drawn to the state’s natural beauty. He bought 900 acres on Petit Jean Mountain and

The State of Arkansas Arkansas of SantaThe State Gertrudis cattle, grains and hay. established Winrock Farms to raise purebred

him chairman of the new Arkansas Winthrop Rockefeller IndustrialIn 1955, Governor Development Faubus Commission. appointed Financier, Farmer During his term, the state gained Served 1967-1971 Born: May 1, 1912 New York City 600 industries and 90,000 jobs. By 1966, Rockefeller had donated more Died: February 22, 1973 Palm Springs, frustratedthan $8 million with tothe causes state’s such one-party as the growing Arkansas Arts Center. He was Buried: Petit Jean Mountain Republican gubernatorial hopeful since Conway County, Arkansas system and became the first viable

Reconstruction. He lost to Faubus in the 1964As governor, race, but Rockefeller won two years advocated later. human rights, government reform,

general minimum-wage, freedom-of-information act and banking reforms. Rockefeller’scultural development attempts and to overhaul education. the He notorious won legislation prison systemto create met a

operations. African-Americans gained a voice in state government through appointmentsresistance, but to he numerous was able to boards bring andan end commissions, to Hot Springs’ plus illegalincreased gambling minority hiring in state jobs. In his second term, Rockefeller clashed with the Democrat-controlled legislature and could not rally support for

short, but he continued to be active in Republican Party matters and public proposals such as his revenue program. His run for a third term in 1970 fell 45 affairs until his death in 1973. Thirty-E ighth Governor 1836  Dale Bumpers RDale Leon Bumpers the University of Arkansas before briefly attended

studiesenlisting at in the the U Marines of A and during Northwestern World University’sWar II. After School the war, of heLaw. completed Bumpers his returned to Arkansas and practiced law, ranched and ran his family’s hardware

the legislative seat once held by hisstore. father. In 1962, he unsuccessfully sought The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State

facing six other Democratic candidates Dale Bumpers includingIn 1970, Bumpers former Governor ran for governor, Orval Attorney, Businessman Faubus. Bumpers bested Faubus Served 1971-1975 in the runoff and went on to defeat Born: August 12, 1925 Charleston, Arkansas persuasiveincumbent styleWinthrop enabled Rockefeller him to win in Died: Jaubary 1,2016 legislativethe general support election. for His such personable, measures Little Rock, Arkansas as a sweeping reorganization and Burried: 1st Columbarium, fund salary increases for teachers and Charleston, Arkansas raiseconsolidation state revenues, of state Bumpers agencies. sought . To a revised state income tax structure that also eased rates for lower-income families, while raising state revenues and funding salary increases for teachers. Other successes included a new

wonconsumer reelection. fraud Indivision his second in the term Attorney he guided General’s measures office, to expansion create state- of the supportedstate parks kindergartens,, system and improved construct social new services. college facilitiesIn 1972, andBumpers eliminate easily the state prison trustee system.

Bumpers began his quarter-century in the U.S. Senate by defeating incumbent J. William Fulbright in 1974. After leaving the Senate in 1998, he 46 practiced law in Washington, D.C. before retiring to Little Rock, where he died on the first day of 2016. Thirty-Ninth Governor 1836  David Pryor David Hampton Pryor came fromR a politically active family — his father and grandfather served as sheriff, and his mother ran for circuit clerk

governmentin 1926 as one from of thethe firstUniversity women of to Arkansas seek office in Arkansas. Pryor earned a degree in Ouachita Citizenin 1957, aand newspaper earned his that law he degree used as in a 1964. voice He returned to Camden to start the his progressive ideals to the State Capitol. against the Faubus machine. In 1961, he took The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State During three terms as a democratic state representative, Pryor became known as a David Pryor Publisher, Attorney won a crowded race for Congress, where he Served 1975-1979 supportedchallenger laborto the issues “old guard.” and focused At age on32, care he Born: August 29, 1934 a committee on the issue, Pryor gathered Camden, Arkansas for the elderly. When the House failed to form Living: Fayetteville, Arkansas disguised as a nursing home orderly, then heldfirst-hand his own evidence meetings by workingin a trailer weekends parked on

electedCapitol Hill.governor. In 1972, he challenged Sen. John McClellan’s bid for a sixth term, but lost in the primary runoff. Two years later, he returned to politics and was

Governor Pryor showed fiscal restraint that guided Arkansas through appointmentseconomic recession to boards without and cuttingcommissions, state services including or manyraising women taxes. Heand championed reform of the 1874 Constitution, but was most noted for his

educationAfrican-Americans. aid for the His elderly. successes Pryor’s included most noted new departments frustration was of Local the failure of Services, Natural and Cultural Heritage and energy conservation, as well as responsibility on local governments to raise revenues. his “Arkansas Plan” that would have reduced state taxes while placing more

In 1978, Pryor won a seat in the U.S. Senate and served three terms. He focused on issues for the aging and tax relief until he retired in 1996. He later 47served as director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. In 2003, Pryor became the founding dean of the Clinton School of Public Service. He now serves on the UA Board of Trustees. Fortieth Governor 1836  Bill Clinton RWilliam Jefferson “Bill” Clinton was

born William Jefferson Blythe IV in Hope and changed his name after his mother married. The family moved to Hot Springs, where Clinton graduated fromhigh school.Georgetown He earned University a bachelor’s School of Foreigndegree in Service international and attended affairs Oxford in 1968 University as a Rhodes Scholar. After graduating from Yale Law School The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State University of Arkansas School of Law Bill Clinton in 1973, he joined the faculty of the Attorney, President and practiced in Fayetteville. The next Served 1979-1981 District Congress, but lost to long-term year, he ran for his first office, Third and 1983-1992 Born: August 19, 1946 incumbent . Hope, Arkansas In 1976 he was elected Attorney General. Living: Chappaqua, New York Arkansas’In 1978, at second-youngest age 32, he won his governor. first bid for the state’s highest office, becoming

advanced small business development and supported education reformsIn his first and administration, health care improvements. Clinton A highway program was his biggest initiative, but it was costly in both dollars and support. Several issues plagued Clinton’s term, including a national recession, natural disasters and rioting among Cuban refugees housed at Fort Chaffee. A backlash from increased vehicle-

beyond.licensing fees also contributed to his defeat in 1980 by Frank White. However, his political career would continue in Arkansas — and

48 Forty-first Governor 1836  Frank Whi t e Frank Durward White, born DurwardR Frank Kyle Jr., was adopted by his stepfather,

Mexico Military Institute and received anFrank appointment White. He tograduated the Naval from Academy the New in

in the Air Force and logged more than 1952. In 1956, White took a commission

Lynch,1,800 flying Pierce, hours Fenner, as a and captain. Smith He securities entered brokerage.business in Governor Little Rock David in 1961 Pryor with appointed Merrill

The State of Arkansas Arkansas of himThe State as director of the Arkansas Industrial

Frank White Development Commission in 1975. Banker defeatedWhite forged Bill Clinton a hard-hitting in the general republican Served 1981-1983 campaign for governor in 1980 and Born: June 4, 1933 self-deprecating humor won over many Texarkana, Texas election. His friendly personality and Died: May 21, 2003 was modest and struggled to win support. Little Rock, Arkansas critics. However, his legislative program Buried: Mount Holly Cemetery, White began his term in a struggling Little Rock, Arkansas economy that left the state with an $80 percentmillion shortfall. and cut the He Departmentslashed agency of Energy. budgets, reduced his office staff by 25 funding for the Department of Correction, reform of the state purchasing His successes included a new vocational education division, increased reform utility regulation were overshadowed by charges of coziness withsystem utility and companyincreased executives. capital investment Although in he the did state. not originateWhite’s efforts the bill, to

White is often linked with an act he signed mandating balanced treatment of “creation science” and “evolution science” in school curriculum. re-electionThe measure when drew he national lost to Bill attention Clinton. and was later struck down as unconstitutional by a federal judge. The tables turned in his 1982 bid for

49White returned to commercial banking, and Governor Mike Huckabee later named him as State Banking Commissioner in July 1998. He held that position until his death in 2003. Forty-Second Governor 1836  BillR Clinton in defeat, Bill Clinton established his reputationAfter his first for term political as governor comebacks ended

and reclaimed the office in 1982. He went on to win re‑election in 1984, longest-serving1986 (when terms governor were extended after Orval to Faubus.four years) and 1990. He is the second

Clinton’s second tenure as governor focused on two main issues: education The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State called a special session to address Bill Clinton and economic development. He Attorney, President adopt new education standards that Served 1979-1981 includedinequities skills in schooltest for funding teachers and and and 1983-1992 administrators. Clinton secured start- up funds for technology businesses and Born: August 19, 1946 tax incentives for industries that added Hope, Arkansas jobs or increased production. Arkansas Living: Chappaqua, New York rose to the top in new jobs, but remained among the lowest in average salaries. Clinton served as chair of the Democratic Leadership Council, the Democratic Governors’ Association,

and the Education Commission of the States. He also chaired the Southern Growth Policies Board and the National Governors Association. After first deciding against a run for president in 1988, Governor Clinton announced his candidacy for U.S. President on the steps of the Old State House in Little Rock.In his Intwo 1992, terms Clinton as president, became Clinton the first lost Arkansan an early to bid be forelected national president. health

policies sought to protect human rights and promote stability. Despite four consecutivecare, but succeeded years of with budget a major surpluses, overhaul Clinton’s of the presidency welfare system. was beset His foreign by

his impeachment — only the second for an American president. In February numerous investigations. His false testimony in one deposition resulted in

1999, the U.S. Senate voted down the articles of impeachment, and Clinton 50 humanitarianremained in office and policyuntil the initiatives end of his through second the term Clinton in 2001. Foundation. Clinton opened his presidential library in Little Rock in 2004, and now focuses on global Forty-Third Governor 1836  Jim Guy Tucker James Guy Tucker Jr. was born inR Oklahoma City and grew up in Little

Rock. He received a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard University twoin 1964 years and in aSouth law degree Vietnam from as athe civilian warUniversity correspondent of Arkansas and in wrote 1968. the He book spent Arkansas Men at War based on that

experience. Tucker was elected prosecuting The State of Arkansas Arkansas of attorneyThe State in 1970, then served two terms as state attorney general. He was elected to Congress in 1976 and served on Jim Guy Tucker several influential committees, including Attorney, Businessman U.S.the Democrat,Senate to fellow House David Ways Pryor.and Means Served 1992-1996 Committee. In 1978, he lost his bid for the Born: June 13, 1943 Oklahoma City, pursued real estate investments before Oklahoma winningHe returned the raceto private for lieutenant law practice governor and in Living: Little Rock, Arkansas

became1990. When acting Governor governor Bill in Clinton December entered the campaign for president, Tucker

governors1992. In his following first legislative an incident session, in which he cut clemencies state agency and budgets pardons in wereorder to boost education spending. He also led a push to limit the powers of acting special legislative session to address the rising juvenile crime rate. Over awarded while Tucker traveled out of state. In August 1994, he called a

30 measures were signed into law to reform the juvenile justice system. He was elected governor in his own right in November 1994, but the next year, Tucker’s political fortunes began to fail. His bond initiative for road improvements failed to win support. He was then caught up in the expanding Whitewater investigation surrounding President Clinton. In May 1996, he was convicted for misapplying a $150,000 bank loan. After briefly rescinding his resignation, Tucker reluctantly left office on July 15, 1996.

ventures,Tucker was primarily sentenced in theto probation areas of telecommunications and fines due to his andfragile energy. health. 51He received a liver transplant and today is engaged in various business Forty-Fourth Governor 1836  Mike.R Huckabee Michael Dale TheHuckabee second governor—and,, graduated from later, Ouachita presidential Baptist candidate—toUniversity, was hail ordained from Hope, as a Baptist minister and served as president of the

followingArkansas Baptistyear, he Council. won a special In 1992 election he ran, unsuccessfully, for the U.S. Senate. The a full term with the largest percentage of votesfor lieutenant for any Republican governor andcandidate in 1994 in won state history. The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State

Mike Huckabee Minister, Broadcaster Huckabee became governor in 1998 upon Served 1996-2007 the resignation of Jim Guy Tucker. He then spurredwon a full efforts term toin reorganize1998 and was state re-elected agencies Born: August 24, 1955 andin 2002. promote As governor, statewide Mike education Huckabee reforms. Hope, Arkansas Living: Walton County, Florida careHe supported insurance, public as well health as sales measures tax increasessuch as physical for state fitness park andimprovements child health

and bonds for highway construction; later in his administration, Huckabee worked with the legislature to produce compliance with a court-ordered overhaul of school funding. While in office, Huckabee authored five books including the best-selling Quit Digging Your Grave with Your Knife and Fork (2005). Term limits made Huckabee ineligible to run for re-election in 2006.

leavingMike Huckabee the race wenthe became on to bea popular a serious political contender commentator, for the Republican hosting presidential nomination in 2008, winning several state primaries. After

eponymous programs on national radio and cable networks. In 2015, Huckabee was again a Republican presidential hopeful but suspended his campaign in February 2016.

52 Forty-Fifth Governor 1836  Mike Beebe Raised by his working mother, MikeR Beebe earned degrees in political science from Arkansasgraduated State from University Newport High and inSchool law at and the University of Arkansas. Upon admission to the bar, Beebe began his practice in Searcy and

samein 1982 year was , Beebe named ran the for state’s the state Senate.outstanding After trial his lawyer.incumbent That opponent unexpectedly dropped out of the race, The State of Arkansas Arkansas of The State

another election opponent in his twenty-yearBeebe won easily; Senate he career. would Known not face for Mike Beebe pragmatism and his ability to broker Attorney compromises, Beebe was elected Served 2007-2015 president pro tempore of the body. Born: December 28, 1946 Amagon, Arkansas general, again without opposition. Living: Little Rock, Arkansas In 2002, Beebe was elected attorney

He entered the 2006 race for governor and for the first time, faced opposition in the general election. He went on to aswin a withGreen more Party than and 55 independent percent of thecandidates. Arkansas’s balanced budgetvote over laws former Beebe’s republican economic U.S. policies Congressman helped theAsa state Hutchinson avoid the as budgetwell shortfalls that other states experienced during a national recession. Legislators approved his tax relief proposals that included reducing

for Arkansas Republicans in both state and congressional races, Beebe grocery and property taxes. In 2010, a year that saw dramatic victories term, Governor Beebe worked to improve education as a component in was re-elected with more than 64 percent of the vote. In his second limits prevented him from running for re-election. economic development. He left the governor’s office in 2015 as term

53 Forty-Sixth Governor Asa. Hutchinson

Onforty-sixth January Governor 13, 2015, ofWilliam Arkansas Asa after a Hutchinsoncareer in the took public the sector oath of that office included as the service as U.S. Attorney for Arkansas’s

federal administrator. Western district, U.S. Representative and

HutchinsonUniversity and was the born University in Bentonville, of Arkansas Arkansas in 1950. He is a graduate of Bob Jones

School of Law. He went on to practice in Fort Smith and in 1975 became that city’s attorney. Asa Hutchinson In 1982 he was appointed US Attorney for U.S. Attorney theand Western prosecuted district right-wing of Arkansas. extremists During known his service,as the Covenant, Hutchinson the successfullySword and the investigated Arm of the U.S. Congressman Lord (CSA). Served 2015-Present Born: December 3, 1950 Bentonville, Arkansas Inchairman 1985, he of returned the Arkansas to private Republican practice. Party. In Living: Little Rock, Arkansas 1990, he became the co-chairman and later

In 1996 he succeeded his brother Tim as U.S. Representative for the Third district. While in Congress, Hutchinson championed tougher anti-drug policies and campaign finance reforms. Hutchinson returned to Congress in 1998 and 2000. In 2001, he was appointed to head the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and in 2003 was asked to lead the Border and Transportation Security Directorate of the new Department of Homeland Security. In 2006, he sought, unsuccessfully, Arkansas’s governorship. He then spent several years serving as an attorney and political consultant. Hutchinson againan impressive ran for Governor Republican in thesweep 2014 of election,the state defeating in which theformer party congressman claimed with over fifty-five percent of the vote. His election was part of administration was to promote business and manufacturing relocation all of the constitutional offices. The most notable initiative of his early

to and investment in Arkansas; to support this, Governor Hutchinson successfullycomputer languages lobbied theto create Arkansas and legislaturemanipulate to programs adopt a requirement and applications. that Arkansas high school students be trained in “coding”: that is, the use of

54 Governor Hutchinson has been married to his wife, Susan since 1973. They have four children and five grandchildren. Governor Geography Think all the governors have come from Arkansas? Take a look at the list of birthplaces below — you may be surprised.

2

3

Born in Arkansas: 19 Born outside Arkansas: 31 Home Counties Inside the U.S.

Ouachita:Benton: 32 Tennessee:Louisiana: 28 Hempstead: 2 Kentucky:Texas: 23 Mississippi: 2 Cleveland: 1 Missouri: 2 Columbia: 1 Pennsylvania: 2 Franklin: 1 Virginia: 2 Greene: 1 Independence: 1 Jackson: 1 Alabama: 1 Little River: 1 Maryland: 1 Lonoke: 1 New Hampshire: 1 Madison: 1 New Jersey: 1 Pulaski: 1 New York: 1 Sebastian: 1 North Carolina: 1 Union: 1 OutsideOklahoma: the U.S. 1 55 London, England: 1 Portrait Artists for the Governors of Arkansas

From the collection held at the State Capitol

Governor Artist Page Homer Martin Adkins Adrian Brewer 40 Carl Edward Bailey Adrian Brewer 39 Mike Bebee Ovita Goolsby 53 Charles H. Brough unknown (possibly N. R. Brewer) 33 Dale Bumpers Barbara Delle Gregory 46 Francis Cherry unknown 43 Bill Clinton Nancy Harris 48 & 50 George Donaghey N. R. Brewer 30 Orval Eugene Faubus Betty Dortch Russell 44 Junius Marion Futrell Margarite Watson 38 Mike Huckabee Nancy Harris 52 Benjamin T. Laney K. Doyle Ford 41 John Ellis Martineau Adrian Brewer 36 Sidney S. McMath George Fisher 42 Thomas McRae Jenny Deloney Rice 34 Harvey Parnell George Ernst H. 37 David Pryor Nancy Harris 47 Joseph T. Robinson N. R. Brewer 31 Winthrop Rockefeller Betty Dortch Russell 45 Thomas J. Terral Nellie Deachman 35 Jim Guy Tucker Nancy Harris 51 Frank White Nancy Harris 49

56 Alphabetical index

Adkins, Homer 40 Hays, George 32 Bailey, Carl 39 Huckabee, Mike 52 Baxter, Elisha 18 Hughes, Simon P. 23 Beebe, Mike 53 Hutchinson, Asa 54 Berry, James 22 Izard, George 6 Brough, Charles 33 Jones, Daniel W. 27 Bumpers, Dale 46 Laney, Benjamin 41 Cherry, Francis 43 Little, John 29 Churchill, Thomas 21 Martineau, John 36 Clarke, James Paul 26 McMath, Sid 42 Clayton, Powell 17 McRae, Thomas 34 Clinton, Bill 48 and 50 Miller, William Read 20 Conway, Elias 13 Murphy, Isaac 16 Conway, James 9 Parnell, Harvey 37 Davis, Jeff 28 Pryor, David 47 Donaghey, George 30 Rector, Henry 14 Drew, Thomas Stevenson 11 Eagle, James 24 Roane, John 12 Faubus, Orval 44 Robinson, Joseph T. 31 Fishback, William 25 Rockefeller, Winthrop 45 Flanagin, Harris 15 Terral, Thomas J. 35 Fulton, William 8 Tucker, Jim Guy 51 Futrell, J. Marion 38 White, Frank 49 Garland, Augustus 19 Yell, Archibald 10

57 Meet the Governors of Arkansas R

An educational resource produced by

Mark Martin Secretary of State Communications & Education Division

State Capitolwww.sos.arkansas.gov • 500 Woodlane Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

The leaders who framed our history, from 1819 through today

An educational resource produced by

Mark Martin www.soskids.arkansas.govSecretary of State 04.2016