George H. Hodges

George Hartshorn Hodges ( born February 6, 1866 in Orion, Wisconsin, † October 7, 1947 in Kansas City, Missouri ) was an American politician and from 1913 to 1915 the 19th Governor of the state of Kansas.

Early years and political rise

In 1869 came the young George Hodges with his parents to Olathe in Kansas. There he attended the local schools. After school, he began a successful career as a businessman. The focus of his business activities were the wood business, trading of iron goods and money lending. He was also owner of the newspaper " The Johnson County Democrat ". Hodges was a member of the Democratic Party. He spent four years as a member of the City Council of Olathe and then for a term mayor of this place. Between 1905 and 1913 he sat in the Senate of Kansas. In 1906 he was chairman of the State Congress of Democrats. In 1912 he was elected as its candidate for the new governor of Kansas.

Governor of Kansas

Hodges ' two-year term began on January 13, 1913. During this time, women's suffrage was introduced in Kansas. Also, the position of women within the administration of Kansas has been improved. The corporate tax has been reformed and the Board of Directors ( Board of Administration ) of the State was entrusted with the control of all government agencies. An addition to the U.S. Constitution, U.S. Senators now had to be elected directly by the people. Previously, they were appointed or elected by a majority of the legislature by the Governor. At that time were a tuberculosis hospital and opened a hospital for the mentally handicapped. A spent penitentiary was rebuilt. More generally, sat the Governor committed to improving the education and health care.

Another Journey

In 1914, Hodges competed unsuccessfully for reelection. Thus his term of office ended on 11 January 1915. Thereupon he went back to his private interests. In the 1920s he was a member of the Textbook Commission and the State Board of Regents. George Hodges died in October 1947. He was married to Ora May Murray, with whom he had two children.