Battle of Old Fort Wayne

Philip Matthew Donnelly (March 6, 1891 – September 12, 1961) was an American politician serving as the 41st and 43rd Governor of Missouri. He was a Democrat. Donnelly and Christopher S. "Kit" Bond are the only Missouri governors to serve two non-consecutive terms.

Personal history

Donnelly in 1945

Donnelly was born in Lebanon, Missouri, in 1891, the son of Phil and Margaret (Halloran) Donnelly.[1] Following his graduation from Lebanon High School in 1909 Donnelly attended St. Louis University, earning a law degree in 1913.[2] Donnelly returned to his native Lebanon and entered private practice with J.W. Farris. In 1915 he wed Miss Juanita McFadden. They had one child, a son David, who himself became an attorney and joined his father's law practice.[3]

Political history

Soon after his passing of the Missouri Bar and return to Lebanon Donnelly expressed an interest in politics. His first office was that of Lebanon city attorney, followed by election to one term as Laclede County prosecutor.[2] Phil Donnelly entered state politics in 1922 by being elected State Representative for the Laclede County area. After one term in the House he was elected to Missouri State Senate in 1924 and remained there for the next twenty years.[3] Senator Donnelly became Governor Donnelly for the first time after winning the 1944 gubernatorial race.

Highlights of his first term as governor included overseeing the implementation of a new Missouri state constitution in 1946, creation of the Missouri Department of Revenue, and welcoming international statesman Winston Churchill to Fulton, Missouri, for the famous Iron Curtain speech at Westminster College. Missouri law prohibited someone from serving two consecutive terms as governor, so Donnelly was ineligible to run again in 1948. However, he ran for governor again in 1952 and won easily. Following his second term, a first in Missouri history, he semi-retired to a law practice in Lebanon with his son. Phil M. Donnelly died September 12, 1961, and is buried in the Lebanon, Missouri city cemetery.[2]

Honors

References

  1. ^ The Messages and Proclamations of Governor Phil M. Donnelly by Floyd C. Shoemaker via the Missouri State Historical Society, 1951.
  2. ^ a b c "National Governors Association". Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Phil M. Donnelly". www.nndb.com. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  4. ^ Rooney, Sonya. "Research Guides: WashU Commencement History: Honorary Degrees Awarded by W.U." libguides.wustl.edu. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  5. ^ Floyd C. Shoemaker (June 11, 2018). "The Messages And Proclamations Of The Governors Of The State Of Missouri Volume XVI". The State Historical Society Of Missouri. Retrieved June 11, 2018 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ^ "MU in Brick and Mortar - Donnelly Hall". Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Larry McDaniel
Democratic nominee for Governor of Missouri
1944
Succeeded by
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Governor of Missouri
1952
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Missouri
1945–1949
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Forrest Smith
Governor of Missouri
1953–1957
Succeeded by