ARIZONA STATE LIBRARY, ARCHIVES AND PUBLIC RECORDS A DIVISION OF THE ARIZONA SECRETARY OF STATE Joan Clark, State Librarian & Director For More Information Contact: ERNEST “MAC” MCFARLAND Jason Czerwinski, Assist. Director Arizona Capitol Museum FACT SHEET Phone: (602) 926-3621 ABOUT ERNEST MCFARLAND BORN: Earlsboro, Oklahoma, on October 9, 1894 - DEATH: Phoenix, Arizona, on JUNE 8, 1984 WORLD WAR I: Served in the United States Navy FOLLOWING WORLD WAR I: McFarland graduated with a law and political science degree from Stanford University in 1921 FAMILY: Married Clare Collins in 1926 and had three children. By 1930, tragically, due to illness and complications of childbirth, he was left a widower and childless. In 1939, remarries to widow Edna Smith and adopts her daughter CAREER: Ernest W. McFarland is the only person in Arizona's history to have served in the top three positions in state government (U.S. Senator, Arizona Governor, Chief Justice Arizona Supreme Court) ABOUT SENATOR MCFARLAND U.S. SENATOR: McFarland entered the U.S. Senate race in 1940. Beating out 28-year Democratic incumbent, Henry F. Ashurst. FATHER OF THE G.I. BILL: Called the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 the G.I. BILL was a law that provided benefits for returning World War II veterans. Benefits included: low-cost mortgages, low-interest loans, payments for tuition and living expenses to attend a university, college or vocational education, and up to one year of unemployment compensation. It was available to every veteran who had been on active duty during the war for at least ninety days and had not been dishonorably discharged. Prior to this law no previsions where in place for returning veterans. OTHER PROJECTS: Senator McFarland lobbied for the Central Arizona Project (CAP) aimed at providing Arizona a share of water from Colorado River. Communications Act of 1934(creation of the FCC). McFarland served as Senate majority leader from 1950-1952. ABOUT GOVERNOR MCFARLAND McFarland was elected Governor of Arizona in 1954, and reelected to a second term in 1956. During his administrations, McFarland restructured the state’s entire legal code; created the State Parks system; and successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court in 1962 a crucial water rights case which decided the ownership of Colorado River water for the Central Arizona Project. ABOUT ARIZONA SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE MCFARLAND Elected associate justice of the Arizona Supreme Court in 1964 As Supreme Court Justice, McFarland wrote more than 300 opinions during his six-year term, and weighed in on the landmark case Miranda vs. Arizona in 1965. Made Chief Justice in 1968. In 1968, he was selected by President Lyndon Johnson as one of the 13 members of the Presidential Commission Investigating Violence in America. STATE CAPITOL 1700 West Washington Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Home Page: http://www.azlibrary.gov/ Phone: (602) 926-4035 FAX: (602) 256-7983 E-Mail: [email protected] An Equal Opportunity Employer .