Alex Groesbeck | |
---|---|
30th Governor of Michigan | |
In office January 1, 1921 – January 1, 1927 |
|
Lieutenant |
Thomas Read George W. Welsh |
Preceded by | Albert E. Sleeper |
Succeeded by | Fred W. Green |
Attorney General of Michigan | |
In office 1917–1920 |
|
Governor | Albert Sleeper |
Preceded by | Grant Fellows |
Succeeded by | Merlin Wiley |
Personal details | |
Born |
Warren, Michigan |
November 7, 1873
Died | March 10, 1953 Detroit, Michigan |
(aged 79)
Political party | Republican |
Alma mater | University of Michigan |
Alexander Joseph "Alex" Groesbeck (November 7, 1873 – March 10, 1953) was an American politician who served as Attorney General and the 30th Governor of the State of Michigan.
Groesbeck was born in Warren, Michigan, the son of Macomb County Sheriff Louis Groesbeck and his wife Julia (Coquillard) Groesbeck. Groesbeck attended the public schools of Mount Clemens, Michigan, and of Wallaceburg, Ontario, where his parents resided for two years with their family. Groesbeck wanted to become a lawyer from an early age, and undertook the study of law in the office of an attorney at Port Huron, Michigan. He went on to earn a law degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1893. He was admitted to the bar that year and set up practice in Detroit where he rapidly gained the "respect, goodwill and confidence of his colleagues, because of his close conformity to the highest ethical standards of the profession".
Groesbeck's entrance into state politics came in 1912, when he led efforts to select a delegation to the Republican National Convention favorable to the renomination of U.S. President William Howard Taft. Groesbeck also actively led the party faction supporting Taft in the general election. In the same year, Groesbeck was elected the state party chairman, serving until 1914. He was a candidate for Governor of Michigan in 1914, but lost in the Republican primary election to Chase S. Osborn. In 1916, Groesbeck was elected Attorney General of Michigan, and was re-elected in 1918.