James Rolph
James Rolph Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Rolph Jr. Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | 2 June 1934 (aged 64) Santa Clara County, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Sunny Jim |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, businessman |
| Years active | 1900–1934 |
| Known for | 27th governor of California, 30th mayor of San Francisco |
James "Sunny Jim" Rolph Jr. (August 23, 1869 – June 2, 1934) was a prominent American political figure affiliated with the Republican Party. He held the office of the 27th governor of California from January 6, 1931, until his passing in 1934 amid the Great Depression. Prior to his governorship, Rolph served as the 30th mayor of San Francisco from January 8, 1912, until stepping down in 1931 to assume the governorship. His tenure as mayor remains the longest in San Francisco’s history.
Life and career
Born in San Francisco to Margaret (née Nicol) and James Rolph, he grew up with four brothers, including Thomas Rolph, and two sisters. After attending school in the Mission District, he began his career as an office boy at a commission house. He married Annie Marshall Reid (1872–1956) and fathered at least one son, James Rolph III (1904–1980).
Rolph entered the maritime business in 1900 by partnering with George Hind. Over the following decade, he also presided over two banks, playing a key role in founding one of them. Although invited to run for mayor in 1909, he chose to wait until the 1911 election and ultimately held the mayoral office for nineteen years. Nicknamed "Sunny Jim," his public image was complemented by the theme song "There Are Smiles That Make You Happy." He made appearances as himself in early cinema including Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World's Fair at San Francisco (1915) and the comedy short Hello, 'Frisco (1924).
Aware of the significant role played by the Roman Catholic Church within San Francisco’s Italian, Irish, French, and German communities, Rolph cultivated a strong rapport with Archbishop Edward Joseph Hanna.
In addition to his responsibilities as mayor and his shipping enterprises, Rolph managed the Ship Owners and Merchants Tugboat Company and served as head of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. He also held positions as vice-president of the Panama–Pacific International Exposition and president of the Merchants' Exchange. He resigned from his mayoral post in 1931 to take office as California’s governor.
During his governorship amid a volatile era, Rolph attracted controversy for commending residents of San Jose following the November 1933 lynching of Brooke Hart’s admitted kidnappers and murderers. He pledged to pardon those involved in the incident, which earned him the moniker "Governor Lynch." Notably, he refused to authorize deployment of the National Guard to prevent the lynching just four days prior.
After unrest during the October 1933 San Joaquin cotton strike, Governor Rolph established a fact-finding panel to examine fatalities among strikers. At a hearing held in Visalia, labor activist Caroline Decker gathered evidence regarding attacks by growers on striking workers.
Death
Following multiple heart attacks, Rolph passed away in Santa Clara County on June 2, 1934, at age 64, three years into his gubernatorial term. He became California’s second governor to die while in office after Washington Bartlett in 1887. Rolph was laid to rest at Greenlawn Memorial Park located in Colma, California. Lieutenant Governor Frank Merriam succeeded him.
Legacy
On September 7, 1934, the California Toll Bridge Authority adopted a resolution to honor James Rolph by dedicating the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a permanent tribute to his legacy. While this dedication is not officially recognized, the Bay Bridge is frequently linked to his name.
In a 1993 evaluation conducted by Melvin G. Holli from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Rolph was ranked as the twenty-third most effective American mayor of a major city spanning the years 1820 to 1993.
See also
Further reading
- Chan, Loren B. "California During the Early 1930s: The Administration of Governor James Rolph, Jr., 1931-1934." Southern California Quarterly 63.3 (1981): 262-282. online
- Htnes, William M. "Our American mayors XVI. James Rolph, Jr., of San Francisco." National Municipal Review 18.3 (1929): 163-167. https://doi.org/10.1002/ncr.4110180304
- Leikin, Steve. "Governor James Rolph And The Great Depression In California." California History 84.4 (2007): 79-81.
- Segal, Morley. "James Rolph, Jr., and the Early Days of the San Francisco Municipal Railway." California Historical Society Quarterly 43.1 (1964): 3-18. online
- Starr, Kevin. Endangered Dreams: The Great Depression in California (1996).
- Worthen, James. Governor James Rolph and the Great Depression in California (McFarland, 2010).
External links
- Biography from the State of California
- James Rolph, Jr. at The Political Graveyard
- Biography from the Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco
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