Background
Mcgovern, Francis Edward was born on January 21, 1866 in near Elkhart, Wisconsin, United States. Son of Lawrence and Ellen (Wren) M.
Governor of Wisconsin politician
Mcgovern, Francis Edward was born on January 21, 1866 in near Elkhart, Wisconsin, United States. Son of Lawrence and Ellen (Wren) M.
Bachelor of Laws, University of Wisconsin, 1890. Unmarried. Principal and superintendent schools, Brodhead, Wisconsin, 1890-1893. Principal High School, Appleton, Wisconsin, 1893-1897.
Admitted to bar, 1897, and practiced at Milwaukee.
First assistant district attorney, Milwaukee County, 1901-1905. District attorney, 1905-1909.
Governor of Wisconsin, 2 terms, 1911-1913, 1913-1915. Commissioned major United States of America, August 12, 1918.
Judge advisory 18th Division, then at Camp Travis, Texas, and Camp Grant, Illinois.
Promoted to rank of lieutenant colonel, June 12, 1919. Discharged, February 2, 1920, to accept appointment as general counsel United States Shipping Board and Emergency Fleet Corporation, Washington. Resigned, June 15, 1920, to resume practice of law.
He served as the 22nd Governor of Wisconsin from 1911 to 1915. He began the practice of law in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was elected District Attorney in Milwaukee in 1904, and served as District Attorney from 1903-1904 and from 1905-1908.
In 1908, he ran for United States. Senator but was defeated.
He was elected Governor of Wisconsin in 1910 and 1912. McGovern supported the Louisiana Follette progressive wing of the Republican Party.
He broke with LaFollette in 1912 by supporting Theodore Roosevelt and LaFollette worked to defeat his reelection in 1914, in conjunction with anti-tax conservative Republicans. He ran for United States. Senator in 1914 and was defeated.
After leaving the governorship, he resumed the practice of law.
When World War I began he entered the United States. Army as a Major, and served as Judge Advocate of the 18th Division. In 1920 he served as general counsel for the United States. Shipping Board. He resumed the practice of law in Milwaukee in 1921 and served as president of the Milwaukee Bar Association in 1923.
He died on May 16, 1946 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is interred in Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee.
Member Wisconsin bar association, Milwaukee Bar Association (president 1923), Phi Beta Kappa. Former trustee and director Milwaukee The Art Institute of Chicago. Member Military Order Foreign Wars.
Mason (32°).
Clubs: City, Milwaukee Athletic, Kiwanis (honorary).