Richard C. McMullen

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = Richard C. McMullen
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =
small

office = Governor of Delaware
term_start = January 19 1937
term_end = January 21 1941
predecessor = C. Douglass Buck
successor = Walter W. Bacon
birth_date = birth date|1868|1|2|mf=y
birth_place = Glasgow, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1944|2|18|1868|1|2
death_place = Wilmington, Delaware
spouse = Florence Hutchinson
party = Democratic
residence = Wilmington, Delaware
alma_mater = Goldey Commercial College
occupation = manufacturer
profession =
religion = Methodist

Richard Cann McMullen (January 2 1868 – February 18 1944) was an American manufacturer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

McMullen was born January 2 1868 at Porters, near Glasgow, Delaware, son of James & Sarah Boulden McMullen. He worked as a farm hand to meet expenses while studying at Goldey Commercial College. He married Florence Hutchinson in 1895 and they had three children, Laura B., Richard H. and Florence. They were members of the Methodist Church.

Professional career

McMullen learned the tanning and leather business while working at the Mullin and Pierson Leather Plant, later to become the Amalgamated Leather Company. In 1917 he and two partners founded the Standard Kid Company and later became Vice President, then General Manager of the Allied Kid Company in Wilmington. These companies were tanneries and leading manufactures of leather products.

Governor of Delaware

As a prominent businessman he had served two terms on the Wilmington City Council, had served on the Public Utilities and Unemployment Insurance Commission, and had turned down an offer to run for Mayor of Wilmington. After reluctantly agreeing to run, he was elected Governor of Delaware in 1936, defeating Republican Harry L. Cannon, and Isaac D. Short, a Republican running as an Independent. He served one term as Governor from January 19 1937 until January 21 1941.

McMullen was the first Democratic Governor in 36 years and throughout his term was frustrated with his inability to replace his political opponents in state government. As his term was during the latter part of the Great Depression, public works projects were going on throughout the state, including the opening of the Roosevelt Inlet at Lewes, a new bridge over Indian River Inlet and a couple of new stations for the State Police.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
"(sessions while Governor)"
-!Year!Assembly!!Senate majority!President
"pro tempore"!!House majority!Speaker
-
1937-1938
109th|
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |William A. Simonton|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |John R. Fader
-
1939-1940
110th|
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |David W. Steele|
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |Frank R. Zebley
-
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Death and legacy

McMullen was again nominated as the Democratic Party candidate for Governor in 1940, but suffered a heart attack a month before the election and withdrew from the campaign. He died February 18 1944 at Wilmington, Delaware, and is buried there, at the Riverview Cemetery.

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" | Public offices
-! Office! Type! Location! Elected! Term began! Term ended! notes
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Governor
Executive
Dover
1936
January 19 1937
January 21 1941|
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
-!Year!Office!!Subject!Party!Votes!%!!Opponent!Party!Votes!%
-
1936
Governor|
Party shading/Democratic |Richard C. McMullen
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |65,437
Party shading/Democratic |51%|
Party shading/Republican |Harry L. Cannon
Isaac D. Short
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Independent Republican
Party shading/Republican |52,782
8,400
Party shading/Republican |42%
7%
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

*cite book |title = Clearing New Ground, The Life of John G. Townsend, Jr. |last= Carter |first= Richard B. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= The Delaware Heritage Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 2001 |id= ISBN 0-924117-20-6
*cite book |title = Elbert N. Carvel |last= Martin |first= Roger |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Delaware Heritage Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1997 |id= 0-924117-08-7
*cite book |title = History of Delaware Through its Governors |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= McClafferty Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1984 |id=
*cite book |title = Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States 1789-1978|last= Sobel |first= Robert |coauthors= J. Racino |publisher=Greenwood Press |location= Westport, CT |year=1988 |id=ISBN 0-930466-00-4

=

* [http://www.state.de.us/research/Tour/information/Governors/govs-36.shtml Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery ] "Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover."

External links

* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delgov4.htm#mullen Delaware’s Governors ]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=12512261 Find a Grave ]
* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=148b224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD National Governors Association]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/mcmillen-mcmullin.html#RKD0HW487 Political Graveyard ]

Places with more information

* [http://www.hsd.org/ Historical Society of Delaware ] 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Library ] 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone]