Alaska Governor, U.S. Senator. He graduated from Harvard College in 1907, from Harvard Medical School, in 1912 and gave up the practice of medicine to enter journalism as a reporter for Boston American, in 1912. He was managing editor of the New York Tribune in 1917, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army serving in the Field Artillery Corps, during World War I. After the war, he was editor of The Nation, (1920-23), editor of the New York Post, (1932-33) and adviser to the United States delegation to the Seventh Inter-American Conference, Montevideo, Chile, in 1933. He also was director of the Division of Territories and Island Possessions of the Department of the Interior, (1934-1939) and administrator of the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration, (1935-37). He was a member of Alaska International Highway Commission, when he was appointed Governor of Alaska by President Franklin Roosevelt, serving (1939-53). In 1955, he was elected as Democrat to the United States Senate s an advocate of Alaska statehood. Known as “The father of Alaska statehood”, upon admission of Alaska as a State into the Union, Senators from that State drew four-year terms and he was twice reelected serving (1959-69). After leaving the Senate, he was a legislative consultant and president of investment firm. He died in retirement at age 87, was cremated and his ashes were scattered over Mount Ernest Gruening, north of Juneau, Alaska.
Alaska Governor, U.S. Senator. He graduated from Harvard College in 1907, from Harvard Medical School, in 1912 and gave up the practice of medicine to enter journalism as a reporter for Boston American, in 1912. He was managing editor of the New York Tribune in 1917, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army serving in the Field Artillery Corps, during World War I. After the war, he was editor of The Nation, (1920-23), editor of the New York Post, (1932-33) and adviser to the United States delegation to the Seventh Inter-American Conference, Montevideo, Chile, in 1933. He also was director of the Division of Territories and Island Possessions of the Department of the Interior, (1934-1939) and administrator of the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration, (1935-37). He was a member of Alaska International Highway Commission, when he was appointed Governor of Alaska by President Franklin Roosevelt, serving (1939-53). In 1955, he was elected as Democrat to the United States Senate s an advocate of Alaska statehood. Known as “The father of Alaska statehood”, upon admission of Alaska as a State into the Union, Senators from that State drew four-year terms and he was twice reelected serving (1959-69). After leaving the Senate, he was a legislative consultant and president of investment firm. He died in retirement at age 87, was cremated and his ashes were scattered over Mount Ernest Gruening, north of Juneau, Alaska.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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