Jump to content

Sam C. Ford

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.
Sam C. Ford
12th Governor of Montana
In office
January 6, 1941 – January 3, 1949
LieutenantErnest T. Eaton
Preceded byRoy E. Ayers
Succeeded byJohn W. Bonner
7th Attorney General of Montana
In office
1917–1921
GovernorSam V. Stewart
Preceded byJoseph Poindexter
Succeeded byWellington D. Rankin
Personal details
Born
Samuel Clarance Ford

(1882-11-07)November 7, 1882
Albany, Kentucky
DiedNovember 25, 1961(1961-11-25) (aged 79)
Helena, Montana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
ProfessionAttorney

Samuel Clarence Ford (November 7, 1882 – November 25, 1961) was an American politician who served as the 12th Governor of Montana from 1941 to 1949.

Biography

Ford was born on November 7, 1882, in Albany, Kentucky. His early education was in the public schools of Kansas and he graduated from the University of Kansas with an LL.B. in 1906.[1] He established a legal practice as well as a public service career in Helena, Montana. He married Mary Leslie Shobe in 1910[2] and they had four children.

Career

Ford was a member of the Republican Party. He served as Assistant U.S. Attorney for Montana from 1908 to 1914 and served as the Attorney General of Montana from 1917 to 1921. He was a Supreme Court Justice on the Montana State Supreme Court from 1929 to 1933.[3]

Ford was elected Governor of Montana on November 5, 1940, narrowly defeating incumbent Governor Roy E. Ayers. In 1944, he was re-elected comfortably over Leif Erickson, the former Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court. Ford ran for re-election in 1948, but was defeated in the general election by former State Attorney General John W. Bonner, and retired from politics. During his tenure as governor, he reduced the state bureaucracy, balanced the budget, launched the Missouri River development project to provide cheap electricity to farmers. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1952.

Death

Ford died in Helena on November 25, 1961, and he is interred at Forestvale Cemetery, Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana US.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Sam C. Ford". National Governors Association. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  2. ^ "Sam C. Ford". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  3. ^ "Montana Governor Samuel Clarence Ford". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  4. ^ "Sam C. Ford". National Governors Association. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Governor of Montana
1940, 1944, 1948
Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Montana
1917–1921
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Montana
1941–1949
Succeeded by