Henry L. Whitfield

Henry Lewis Whitfield ( born June 20, 1868, Rankin County, Mississippi, † March 18, 1927 in Jackson, Mississippi ) was an American politician and 1924-1927 Governor of the State of Mississippi.

Early years and political rise

Henry Whitfield attended until 1895, the Mississippi College, where he was trained as a teacher. He then studied at Millsap College Jura. But he has not worked as a lawyer. Instead, he began a successful career in education. After he was for a time worked as a teacher, he was already appointed in 1898 by Governor Anselm McLaurin to the school officer of the State of Mississippi. This office practiced Henry Whitfield made ​​until 1907. From 1907 to 1920 he was president of the Mississippi State College for Women. After that, he was until 1923 head of an agricultural school. Whitfield was a member of the Democratic Party. In 1923 he was able to just push through in the primaries against former Governor Theodore Gilmore Bilbo incumbent, to which he was elected on November 6 this year as the new governor of his state. In this election were allowed to vote in the State of Mississippi for the first time the women.

Governor of Mississippi

Henry Whitfield took up his new post on January 22, 1924. During his tenure, the fuel tax was increased. With the proceeds from this tax, the road network was maintained and expanded. The governor encouraged both the industry and the agriculture of his country. In addition, along the coast of the dyke systems have been improved and expanded. In education, a kind of Ministry of Education was created with the Commission of Education. Under Governor Whitfield, the national debt has been largely removed. In the winter of 1926 the governor fell ill, but he led the official business further from a hospital bed. All treatments were unsuccessful and Governor Whitfield died in March 1927. His Lieutenant Governor Dennis Murphree ended his term in office. Henry Whitfield was married to Mary Damper White, with whom he had four children.