Murray Delos Van Wagoner was born on March 18, 1898, and died on June 12, 1986. He was an American politician who supported laws that helped improve society and the economy. Van Wagoner was the 38th governor of Michigan, serving from 1941 to 1943.
Early life
Van Wagoner was born near Kingston, Michigan, in Tuscola County. In 1921, he earned a civil engineering degree from the University of Michigan. He worked for a company in the private sector and later became the owner of his own business. He married Helen Jossman, and together they had two children.
Politics
Van Wagoner worked as Oakland County drain commissioner from 1930 to 1933. In 1933, he became Michigan State Highway commissioner, a role he held until he was elected governor in 1940. He attended the Democratic National Conventions in 1936 and 1940, where Franklin D. Roosevelt was re-nominated for U.S. President.
On November 5, 1940, Van Wagoner won the governor’s race against the current Republican governor, Luren Dickinson, by 131,281 votes. This made him Michigan’s 38th governor. During his time in office, he supported road projects, including the famous Mackinac Bridge. He helped reduce a $27 million state deficit, restored the state mental hospital, created a combined tax collection department, handled worker strikes in the auto and electrical industries, started reorganizing the Michigan civil service system, and helped with war efforts.
In 1942, Van Wagoner lost the governor’s race to Republican Harry Kelly. He attended the 1944 Democratic National Convention, where Roosevelt was re-nominated for his fourth presidential term. In 1946, he ran for governor again but lost to Republican Kim Sigler.
In October 1947, General Lucius D. Clay named Van Wagoner as military governor of Bavaria, replacing Brigadier General Walter J. Muller. As military governor, he warned Bavarian leader Hans Ehard not to replace non-Nazi government workers with former Nazis. Van Wagoner left this position in November 1949.
He also attended the 1952 Democratic National Convention, where Adlai Stevenson was nominated for President of the United States. Stevenson lost the election to General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Retirement, death and legacy
After leaving politics, Van Wagoner returned to his work in engineering. He was a member of the American Legion, Freemasons, Elks, and the National Exchange Club. He passed away at the age of eighty-eight in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and is buried at White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy, Michigan.
In his honor, the Michigan Department of Transportation building in Lansing is named the Murray Van Wagoner Transportation Building. A portrait of Governor Van Wagoner, painted by John Coppin, is displayed in the rotunda of the Michigan State Capitol.