Wintergreen – Gaultheria procumbens

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Henry Leroy Hess (October 12, 1890 – March 15, 1974)[1] was an American lawyer and politician from Oregon.

Biography

Hess was born in 1890 in Rexburg, Idaho.[1]

A Democrat, Hess served a term in the Oregon State Senate from 1933 until 1937, representing Union and Wallowa counties.[2][3] In 1938, he ran for Governor of Oregon. In the Democratic primary, he ran against incumbent Governor Charles Martin, as well as state representative O. Henry Oleen.[4] Harold L. Ickes, Roosevelt's Secretary of the Interior and a key implementer of New Deal policies, indicated his support for Hess, though Roosevelt himself stayed officially neutral.[5] He defeated Martin and Oleen with 49% of the vote.[4][6] In the general election, Hess lost to Republican candidate Charles A. Sprague with 43% of the vote.[7]

Following his defeat, Hess served as U.S. Attorney for the United States District Court for the District of Oregon from 1945 until 1954. He was also a delegate to the 1944 Democratic National Convention.[8]

Hess married Madeline Mae Owsley (1911–2003) on March 30, 1964, in Stevenson, Washington.[9] He had a son, Henry L. Hess Jr., from a different relationship.[9]

Hess died on March 15, 1974, in Washington County, Oregon.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Bodine, Ronny O. (2002). A Genealogical History of the Owsley Family Part 3 - Being a Preliminary Account of the Descendants of Thomas Owsley (1752-1825), of Rockcastle County, Kentucky. p. 61.
  2. ^ "Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide 1933 Regular Session (37th): January 9 – March 9". Oregon State Archives. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  3. ^ "Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide 1935 Regular Session (38th): January 14 – March 13". Oregon State Archives. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Governor Martin defeated by Hess in Oregon contest". Reading Eagle. May 22, 1938. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  5. ^ "Martin-Hess race is close in New Deal test in Oregon" (PDF). The New York Times. May 21, 1938. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  6. ^ "OR Governor Race - Democratic Primary - May 20, 1938". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  7. ^ "OR Governor Race - Nov 08, 1938". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  8. ^ "Hess". Political Graveyard. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Madeline Mae Hess - Obituary". Daniels-Knopp. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Governor of Oregon
1938 		Succeeded by
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