James Lukens McConaughy (October 21, 1887 – March 7, 1948) was an American politician and the
76th Governor of Connecticut.
Biography
McConaughy was born in New York on October 21, 1887. At
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
, McConaughy was a member of
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi (), commonly known as Beta, is a North American social fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. One of North America's oldest fraternities, as of 2022 it consists of 144 active chapters in the Unite ...
fraternity and completed his bachelor's degree in 1909. He completed his master's degree from
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. When Bowdoin was chartered in 1794, Maine was still a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college offers 34 majors and 36 minors, as well as several joint eng ...
in 1911. He then completed his Ph.D. from
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
in 1913. He also completed another master's degree from
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...
in 1915. He taught English and education at Bowdoin College from 1909 to 1915. He married Elizabeth Townshend in 1913, and they had three children. He was a professor of education at Dartmouth College from 1918 to 1925. He also was President of
Knox College and
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Epis ...
from 1925 to 1943.
Politics
McConaughy was a Republican. He was the
85th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1939 to 1941. The following year, he served as president of the United China Relief Fund, and was civilian deputy of the Office of Strategic Service, serving from 1943 to 1945. He was an alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut in 1944.
McConaughy won the 1946 Republican gubernatorial nomination, and was elected Connecticut's 76th governor. During his term, legislation was constituted that subsidized local bonds for housing construction. Twenty million dollars were granted for school construction that benefited rural areas more than larger cities. The state's first sales tax was initiated; unemployment benefits and old-age annuities were enhanced. In addition, a Fair Employment Practices Commission was founded, and a state bonus was instituted for World War II veterans.
Death
McConaughy died in
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...
, of
coronary thrombosis on March 7, 1948, before finishing his term.
References
Further reading
* Sobel, Robert and John Raimo. ''Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978''. Greenwood Press, 1988.
External links
The Political Graveyard
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:McConaughy, James L.
Presidents of Wesleyan University
1887 births
1948 deaths
Bowdoin College alumni
Columbia University alumni
Dartmouth College alumni
Dartmouth College faculty
Republican Party governors of Connecticut
Lieutenant Governors of Connecticut
Yale University alumni
Knox College (Illinois)
Wesleyan University faculty
20th-century American politicians
20th-century American academics