Francis E. McGovern

Francis Edward McGovern (January 21, 1866 – May 16, 1946) was an American lawyer and politician from Wisconsin. He served as the 22nd governor of Wisconsin from 1911 to 1915. In 1911 especially he sponsored a major series of progressive achievements through the legislature.

Through most of his life, he was a member of the Republican Party; he was originally a close ally of Wisconsin U.S. senator Robert M. "Fighting Bob" La Follette—the two progressive leaders held an uneasy truce for McGovern's reelection in 1912 but became bitter rivals afterward. La Follette helped defeat McGovern in his bid for U.S. Senate in 1914, and McGovern then lost the 1916 Republican gubernatorial primary. After those losses, he largely retired from politics. Later in life, McGovern left the Republican Party and became a Democrat.

Early life McGovern was born in Elkhart Lake, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1890, and served as high school principal in Brodhead, Wisconsin, and Appleton, Wisconsin. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1897. He began the practice of law in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Political career He was elected District Attorney in Milwaukee in 1904, and served as District Attorney from 1903 to 1904 and from 1905 to 1908. In 1908, he ran for U.S. Senator but was defeated. He was elected Governor of Wisconsin in 1910 and 1912. McGovern supported the La Follette progressive wing of the Republican Party. He broke with La Follette in 1912 by supporting Theodore Roosevelt for the Republican nomination. LaFollette did support McGovern's reelection in 1912. La Follette worked to defeat him in 1914, in conjunction with anti-tax conservative Republicans, who opposed McGovern's introduction of the state's income tax — the U.S.'s first such tax, now the norm in most states.

After leaving the governorship, he resumed the practice of law. When World War I began he entered the U.S. Army as a major, and served as Judge Advocate of the 18th Division. In 1920 he served as general counsel for the U.S. Shipping Board. He was a member of the executive committee of the Wisconsin State Bar Association.

He died on May 16, 1946, in Milwaukee, and is interred in Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee.