John Swainson

John Burley Swainson ( born July 31, 1925 in Windsor, Ontario; † 13 May 1994 Manchester, Michigan) was an American lawyer and politician and from 1961 to 1963 the 42nd Governor of the state of Michigan.

Early years and political rise

At the age of two years, John Swainson came with his parents from Canada to Port Huron in Michigan. There he attended the local schools. During the Second World War he was a soldier in the U.S. Army. When a mine explosion near Metz he lost both legs on November 15, 1944. After months of rehabilitation, he learned to walk independently with artificial legs. After the war he continued his education at Olivet College. There, he graduated in 1947. Finally, Swainson studied until 1951 at the University of North Carolina law.

Swainson was a member of the Democratic Party. Between 1954 and 1958 he sat in the Senate from Michigan. In 1958 he was elected vice- governor of his state. In this capacity, he was from 1959 to 1961 the representative of Governor G. Mennen Williams in the sixth and last term in office. On 8 November 1960 he was elected governor. At 35, he was the youngest Governor of Michigan of the 20th century. The record is held Governor Stevens Mason, who was only 24 years old when he took office in 1835.

Governor of Michigan

John Swainson joined his two -year term on January 2, 1961. At this time for controlling the use of telephones and telegraph were introduced. The court proceedings have been simplified. On alcohol and cigarettes additional taxes to pay for schools have been collected. For the elderly, a private health insurance model was proposed. On the other hand pensions for parliamentarians in Michigan were exempt from the tax. In 1962 fail Swainson's candidacy for reelection. He was defeated by Republican George W. Romney, and had on January 1, 1963 to give up his office.

Another Journey

1963 supported Swainson Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, by participating in the " Walk of Freedom" in Detroit. This year he was also a member of the Democratic National Committee. Between 1965 and 1971, Swainson judge in a district court. Between 1971 and 1975 was he held the same position at the Michigan Supreme Court, where he had to deal with charges of corruption in 1975. From this charge he was acquitted., but he was convicted of perjury and sentenced to 60 days in jail. the cost him his judgeship. Meanwhile, he even lost his admission to the bar. Later he became antique dealer and chairman of the Michigan Historical Commission. John Swainson died in May 1994. he was married to the deceased in 2004, Alice Nielsen, with whom he had two children.