Franklin Earl Lucas (August 4, 1876 – November 26, 1948) was an American businessman and

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

from

Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...

. A Republican, he is most notable for his service as the 13th governor of

from 1924 until 1925. Lucas served as

Secretary of State of Wyoming The secretary of state of Wyoming is the Secretary of State (U.S. state government), state secretary of state of the U.S. state of Wyoming. It is a constitutional office, established under the Constitution of Wyoming, state constitution. Wyoming ...

from 1923 to 1927, an office to which he was elected after previously serving in the

Wyoming House of Representatives The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming Legislature, Wyoming State Legislature. There are 62 Representatives in the House, representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts across the Wyoming, st ...

and

Wyoming Senate The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming Legislature, Wyoming State Legislature. There are 31 Senators in the Senate, representing an equal number of constituencies across Wyoming, each with a population of at least 17,000. The Senat ...

Biography

Lucas was born in

Grant City, Missouri Grant City is a city in, and the county seat of, Worth County, Missouri, United States. The population was 817 at the 2020 census. History Grant City was laid out in 1864. The community has the name of General Ulysses S. Grant, afterward 18th P ...

on August 4, 1876. He was raised and educated in

Bedford, Iowa Bedford is a city in Taylor County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,508 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Taylor County. Lake of Three Fires State Park is located several miles northeast of Bedford. History The community ...

, and left school after the eighth grade to begin training for a career in journalism as a printer's apprentice. After completing his apprentice ship and working for two Iowa newspapers, in 1899 he moved to

Buffalo, Wyoming Buffalo is a city in and the county seat of Johnson County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 4,415 at the 2020 census, down from 4,585 at the 2010 census. The city had experienced an economic boom due to methane production from the C ...

, where he became owner and publisher of the ''Buffalo Bulletin''. As publisher, Lucas used the ''Bulletin'' to advocate for Republican policies and candidates, and was eventually encouraged to run for office himself. Lucas served in the

for two terms (1915 to 1919) and

for two (1919 to 1923). In 1922, Lucas was the successful Republican nominee for

. Lucas was serving as secretary of state in October 1924 when Governor William B. Ross died. As next in line, Lucas succeeded to the governorship, and he carried out the responsibilities of that office while continuing to serve as secretary of state. In November, Ross's widow, Democrat

Nellie Tayloe Ross Nellie Davis Ross (née Tayloe; November 29, 1876 – December 19, 1977) was an American educator and politician who served as the 14th governor of Wyoming from 1925 to 1927, and as the 28th and first female director of the United States Mint fr ...

won election to the special election to complete her husband's term, becoming the first woman governor in the history of the United States. Lucas continued to serve as governor until the start of Mrs. Ross's term in January 1925, then resumed his secretary of state duties. Lucas ran for Governor in 1926 but was defeated in the Republican primary by Frank Emerson. He ran again in 1934, and was defeated in the Republican primary by Alonzo M. Clark. After leaving office, Lucas returned to management of the ''Buffalo Bulletin''. He died in Buffalo on November 26, 1948. He was buried at Willow Grove Cemetery in Buffalo. Lucas was the husband of Ina Belle Craven. They were the parents of three children, one of whom died in infancy.

References

1876 births 1948 deaths People from Grant City, Missouri People from Buffalo, Wyoming Republican Party members of the Wyoming House of Representatives Republican Party Wyoming state senators Secretaries of state of Wyoming Republican Party governors of Wyoming 20th-century members of the Wyoming Legislature {{Wyoming-politician-stub

Biography

See also

References