Edward Ferdinand Arn (May 19, 1906 – January 22, 1998) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the
32nd governor of Kansas from 1951 to 1955. A member of the
Republican Party
Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party.
Republican Party may also refer to:
Africa
*Republican Party (Liberia)
* Republican Part ...
, he previously was the 31st
attorney general of Kansas
The Attorney General of Kansas is a statewide elected official responsible for providing legal services to the state government of Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city i ...
from 1947 to 1949. He was the first governor of Kansas to have been born in the 20th century.
Biography
Arn grew up in
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, abbreviated as "KCK", is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas, and the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is an inner suburb of the older and more populous Kansas City, Missouri, after which it is named. As of ...
, and attended
Kansas City Junior College, the
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...
, and the
Kansas City School of Law
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
. He was married twice - to Marcella Ruth Tillmans on October 28, 1933 and to Catherine Phillipi Ross. He had two children.
Career
Arn practiced law in
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had ...
, until he enlisted in the U. S. Navy. He served as a lieutenant aboard an aircraft carrier that fought in
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high.
...
.
Returning to his law practice, Arn became active in local politics and served as Chairman of the Wyandotte County Republicans. From 1947 to 1949, he served as
Attorney General of Kansas
The Attorney General of Kansas is a statewide elected official responsible for providing legal services to the state government of Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city i ...
, and as an associate justice of the
Kansas Supreme Court
The Kansas Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the state of Kansas. Composed of seven justices, led by Chief Justice Marla Luckert, the court supervises the legal profession, administers the judicial branch, and serves as the sta ...
from 1949 to 1951.
Arn won the Republican gubernatorial nomination was elected
Governor of Kansas
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
in 1950, re-elected in 1952, and served from 1951 to 1955. This made him the first Governor of Kansas born in the 20th century.
During his tenure, the Kansas Turnpike Authority was established, workman's compensation benefits were improved, the Kansas Veteran's Commission was formed, a state department of Administration was organized, and the destructive floods of 1951 were dealt with.
Arn left office on January 10, 1955, and returned to
Wichita to practice law. He was a delegate to the
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the United States Republican Party. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal of the Repu ...
in 1960. He ran unsuccessfully for the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
in 1962.
Death
Arn died in a hospital in
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had ...
, on January 22, 1998,
and is interred at the Old Mission Chapel Mausoleum in Wichita.
References
External links
*
The Political GraveyardKansapediaPublications concerning Kansas Governor Arn's administration available via the KGI Online Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arn, Edward F.
1906 births
1998 deaths
Politicians from Kansas City, Kansas
Republican Party governors of Kansas
Kansas Attorneys General
Justices of the Kansas Supreme Court
American Congregationalists
United States Navy personnel of World War II
20th-century American lawyers
20th-century American judges