Utah Governor. Serving in his state's highest office as the 11th Governor of Utah from 1965 to 1977, he was the only 3-term governor in Utah history. Born in Bountiful Davis County, Utah, to Lewellyn Smith and Janet Campbell, he later married Lucybeth Cardon on March 10, 1940 with whom he had four children. Graduating Davis High School in 1931, he was forced to take over the family automobile business upon the death of his father. Upon selling the business in 1933, he began studying at the University of Utah, graduating in 1936. He attended law school at George Washington University but received his J.D. from the University of Utah. From 1936 to 1938, while at George Washington, he served as the administrative assistant to Utah Congressman J. Will Robinson. As a Democrat, Rampton continued his public service as Davis County Attorney from 1939 to 1941 before service in the U.S. Army during World War II (WWII). There, he attained the rank of Major in Europe as Chief of the Senior U.S. Army Claims Commission in Paris. After the war, he settled in Salt Lake City at a practicing attorney with expertise on transportation and taxation law, through which he established political and corporate ties. He was also exposed to politics when selected as a Utah delegate to Democratic National Convention in 1952. Running as a "sacrificial lamb" Democrat for the Utah governorship, he defeated Mitchell Melich by 58,000 votes (receiving 227,000 votes total) due to the national shift away from the Republican Party. He would became one of the most popular governors in state history, known for a centrist, conciliatory and a pro-business and development stance. Re-elected easily in 1968 (defeating Carl W. Buehner) and 1972 (defeating Nicholas L. Strike), he established the Little Hoover Commission to restructure state government, established the Utah Police Training Academy, created the Governor's Conference on the Arts, chaired the National Governor's Conference from 1974 to 1975, served as president of the Council of State Governments from 1974 to 1975, chair of the Western Governor's Conference 1969 to 1970, and co-chair of the Four Corners Regional Commission 1971. Upon leaving office, he returned to practicing law in Salt Lake City until his death. The Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City and the Calvin L. Rampton Complex in Taylorsville, is named after him.
Utah Governor. Serving in his state's highest office as the 11th Governor of Utah from 1965 to 1977, he was the only 3-term governor in Utah history. Born in Bountiful Davis County, Utah, to Lewellyn Smith and Janet Campbell, he later married Lucybeth Cardon on March 10, 1940 with whom he had four children. Graduating Davis High School in 1931, he was forced to take over the family automobile business upon the death of his father. Upon selling the business in 1933, he began studying at the University of Utah, graduating in 1936. He attended law school at George Washington University but received his J.D. from the University of Utah. From 1936 to 1938, while at George Washington, he served as the administrative assistant to Utah Congressman J. Will Robinson. As a Democrat, Rampton continued his public service as Davis County Attorney from 1939 to 1941 before service in the U.S. Army during World War II (WWII). There, he attained the rank of Major in Europe as Chief of the Senior U.S. Army Claims Commission in Paris. After the war, he settled in Salt Lake City at a practicing attorney with expertise on transportation and taxation law, through which he established political and corporate ties. He was also exposed to politics when selected as a Utah delegate to Democratic National Convention in 1952. Running as a "sacrificial lamb" Democrat for the Utah governorship, he defeated Mitchell Melich by 58,000 votes (receiving 227,000 votes total) due to the national shift away from the Republican Party. He would became one of the most popular governors in state history, known for a centrist, conciliatory and a pro-business and development stance. Re-elected easily in 1968 (defeating Carl W. Buehner) and 1972 (defeating Nicholas L. Strike), he established the Little Hoover Commission to restructure state government, established the Utah Police Training Academy, created the Governor's Conference on the Arts, chaired the National Governor's Conference from 1974 to 1975, served as president of the Council of State Governments from 1974 to 1975, chair of the Western Governor's Conference 1969 to 1970, and co-chair of the Four Corners Regional Commission 1971. Upon leaving office, he returned to practicing law in Salt Lake City until his death. The Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City and the Calvin L. Rampton Complex in Taylorsville, is named after him.
Bio by: Dr. Bob Schneider
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