Robert Gregg Cherry (October 17, 1891June 25, 1957) was the 61st

governor 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 ...

of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

from 1945 to 1949.

Biography

Born in

York County, South Carolina York County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 282,090, making it the seventh most populous county in the state. Its county seat is the cit ...

near Rock Hill, Cherry grew up in

Gastonia, North Carolina Gastonia is the largest city in and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest satellite city of the Charlotte area, behind Concord. The population was 80,411 at the 2020 census, up from 71,741 in 2010 ...

with relatives after the death of his parents. He earned bachelor's and law degrees at Trinity College (now

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...

). He organized and led a volunteer artillery company during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Cherry served as

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

of Gastonia, as a member and speaker of the

North Carolina House of Representatives The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...

, as chairman of the

North Carolina Democratic Party The North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP) is the North Carolina affiliate of the Democratic Party. It is headquartered in the historic Goodwin House, located in Raleigh. Governor Roy Cooper is a North Carolina Democrat. Since the 2010 passage of ...

(1937–1940), and as a member of the

North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for e ...

. In Gastonia, it was joked that he was the best lawyer in town when sober, and the second-best lawyer in town when drunk. In 1944, Cherry was elected

as the last in a series of governors affiliated with the political machine of former governor

O. Max Gardner Oliver Max Gardner (March 22, 1882February 6, 1947) was an American politician who served as the List of Governors of North Carolina, 57th Governor of North Carolina, governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1929 to 1933. A member of the ...

.Christensen, Rob. ''The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics''. 2008. UNC Press. He was sworn-in on January 4, 1945. Cherry inherited an economy facing material and labor shortages as a result of the ongoing

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. One of his primary focuses during his term was the improvement of mental health care at state-run facilities.

Cherry Hospital Cherry Hospital is an inpatient regional referral psychiatric hospital located in Goldsboro, North Carolina, United States. As one of three psychiatric hospitals operated by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, it provides s ...

Goldsboro, North Carolina Goldsboro, originally Goldsborough, is a city and the county seat of Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 33,657 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropol ...

, is named for him. Unlike most other Southern Democratic governors, Cherry supported

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

for re-election in

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...

. He was succeeded by

W. Kerr Scott William Kerr Scott (April 17, 1896April 16, 1958) was an American Democratic Party politician from North Carolina. He was the 62nd governor of North Carolina from 1949 until 1953 and a United States Senator from 1954 until 1958. A native of ...

on January 6, 1949. He retired from politics and returned to the practice of law.

References

Works cited

External links

*
OurCampaigns.com biography

National Governors Association biography

North Carolina Historical Marker
, - , - 1891 births 1957 deaths Duke University Trinity College of Arts and Sciences alumni Democratic Party governors of North Carolina North Carolina Democratic Party chairs North Carolina lawyers Democratic Party North Carolina state senators People from Gastonia, North Carolina Speakers of the North Carolina House of Representatives Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American lawyers {{NorthCarolina-politician-stub