Illinois Governors: Edward Dunne, Frank Lowden and Len Small

Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne (1913-1917), Democrat

Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne, was a governor from 1913-1917 and a Democrat.  His father has been an Irish Nationalist who emigrated after an unsuccessful rebellion.   He was born in Watertown, CT.  His mother was daughter of a prosperous contractor who had built the docks of Galway.    His father became a successful businessman and an ardent supporter of the Fenians.  Edward attended Trinity College in Dublin, but had to leave because of financial reverses in his father's business.  He finished his education at the Union College of Law in Chicago, and became a successful Lawyer.  He served as judge of the Circuit court from 1892 to 1905, then was elected mayor of Chicago.

As Governor from 1913 to 1917 he supported progressive causes such as Women's suffrage, and expanded the role of the state government.  He helped create the Public Utility Commission, and oversight functions in workmen's compensation, and teacher's pensions.  

After serving as governor he returned to his law practice.  he died in 1937.  
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Frank Orren Lowden (1917-1921), Republican.

Lowden was born in Minnesota, and grew up in Iowa, attending Iowa State University  and then the Union College of Law in Chicago, received his law degree and was admitted to the bar in 1887.  He married the daughter of George Pullman and was a law professor at Northwestern.
He served in the US Congress from 1906 to 1911, replacing a member who had died and, reelected in succeeding terms, stepped down in 1911.   

He was elected governor in 1917.  During his term he reorganized state government, introduced the idea of a state budget for state spending, frustrated efforts to abolish the death penalty by vetoing the bill, favored women's suffrage, opposed the League of Nations, supported the Volstead Act.  He was praised for his handling of the Chicago Race Riots of 1919 and the transit strike.   

In 1920 he was a major candidate for President on the Republican ticket, deadlocked with General Leonard Wood, but in a smoke-filled room, Harding got the nod.  In 1928 he tried again, but this time Herbert Hoover had it in the bag. 
He died in 1943 in Tucson, AZ, and was buried in Graceland Cemetery in Chicago.  
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Lennington Small (1921-1929), Republican

acquitted under suspicious circumstances

Small was born in 1862 in Kankakee County.  He attended Northern Indiana Normal School and began his career as a school teacher.  He invested in real estate, became eventually an owner of a bank and the local newspaper.  He served in the Illinois senate from 1901 to 1905, Illinois state treasurer from 1905-1907 and 1917-1919, and was elected governor in 1920, and re-elected in 1924.  He was indicted but not convicted of embezzling a million dollars but was acquitted.   The fact that 8 of the jurors got state jobs subsequently led to a suspicion of jury tampering.   At one point he required state workers to contribute to his "defense fund" raising $650,000. After losing a civil suit against him requiring him to repay $1 million he struck a deal with prosecutors to allow him to repay the $650,000 he had raised from state employees.  He also pardoned around 1000 convicted felons, including notorious bootlegger Spike O'Donnell, in 1923. 

After two malodorous terms as Governor he was defeated in the Republican primary by a reform candidate in 1928.  He died in 1936.