Rawghlie Clement Stanford
| Rawghlie Clement Stanford | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 5th Governor of Arizona | |
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In office January 4, 1937 – January 2, 1939 |
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| Preceded by | Benjamin B. Moeur |
| Succeeded by | Robert T. Jones |
| 17th Chief Justice, Arizona Supreme Court | |
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In office February 1945 – December 1948 |
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| Preceded by | Henry D. Ross |
| Succeeded by | Arthur T. LaPrade |
| Justice, Arizona Supreme Court | |
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In office 1943–1955 |
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| Preceded by | Alfred C. Lockwood |
| Succeeded by | Fred C. Struckmeyer, Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 2, 1879 Buffalo Gap, Texas |
| Died | December 15, 1963 (aged 84) Phoenix, Arizona |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth Butchee (m. 1906-1957, her death) |
Rawghlie Clement Stanford (August 2, 1879 – December 15, 1963) was the fifth Governor of Arizona and served from 1937 to 1939. He later served on the Arizona Supreme Court from 1943 until 1955, including 3 years as Chief Justice.
Born in Buffalo Gap, Texas, he moved with his family to Phoenix, Arizona in 1881 where he attended public schools and the Arizona Normal School. Stanford served with the 34th U.S. Volunteers in the Philippines (1899-1901), during the Spanish-American War. He studied at the Tempe Normal School and the Stanford University School of Law. He was admitted to the territorial bar at Tombstone in 1905. Stanford married Ruth Butchee (1880-1957), in 1906. They had seven children.
In 1909, he moved his law practice to Phoenix. Elected judge of Maricopa County Superior Court in 1914, Stanford served two terms (1915-1922). He presided over the 1916 gubernatorial contest between Thomas E. Campbell and George W.P. Hunt. Although he was a Democrat, Stanford ruled in favor of Republican challenger Campbell. The Arizona Supreme Court later overturned this decision and awarded the Governorship to Hunt.
Stanford served on the Board of Education for Phoenix Union High School from 1920 to 1936, and was chairman of the State Democratic Central Committee from 1928 to 1929.
Stanford's first foray into statewide politics came in 1920, when he ran against incumbent Senate Marcus A. Smith in the Democratic Primary. Stanford lost, coming in second place with 8,400 votes, to Smith's 10,910. Stanford narrowly edged out fellow lawyer Albinus A. Worsley who came in third at 7,474 votes and fourth place finisher John W. Norton with 2,651 votes.
His second attempt at statewide politics came in fourteen years later, when he ran in the Democratic gubernatorial Primary of 1934. A unique election, the top three vote-getters in the Democratic primary were either the incumbent Governor, a future Governor and a former Governor. Benjamin Baker Moeur came in first with 34,792 votes (36.18%), while Stanford received 29,088 votes (30.24%), and former 7-term Governor George Hunt (who Stanford decided an election for in 1916) came in third with 27,849 votes (28.96%). State Senator James Minotto came in fourth with 4,448 votes (4.63%).
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