John C.B. Ehringhaus
Encyclopedia
John Christoph Blucher Ehringhaus (February 5, 1882 July 31, 1949) was the Governor of North Carolina
from 1933 to 1937.
Governor O. Max Gardner coaxed Ehringhaus, a former state legislator and attorney, out of political retirement as his hand-picked successor. He narrowly defeated Lieutenant Governor
Richard T. Fountain
in a Democratic primary runoff
. Fountain claimed Ehringhaus was the tool of business interests.
Serving the state during the Great Depression
, Ehringhaus encouraged the North Carolina General Assembly
to create a state agency that would help rural areas of the state receive electricity services in order to revive the lagging economy. He also cut state spending, successfully pushed for a three-cent sales tax, extended the school year and kept the schools open and solvent.
He died on July 31, 1949.
"My name is pronounced as if spelled ear'en-house."
A dormitory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, Ehringhaus' alma mater (class of 1902) is named in his honor, and The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies
, of which Ehringhaus was a member, maintains a portrait in his honor.
The second longest bridge in the state of North Carolina, a 3.5-mile stretch over the Albemarle Sound
, is named in honor of this former governor.
Ehringhaus' grave is located in the historic Episcopal Cemetery in his hometown of Elizabeth City in Northeastern North Carolina, and the city's main thoroughfare
, Ehringhaus Street, is named in his honor.
Governor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
from 1933 to 1937.
Biography
He was born on February 5, 1882.Governor O. Max Gardner coaxed Ehringhaus, a former state legislator and attorney, out of political retirement as his hand-picked successor. He narrowly defeated Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
Richard T. Fountain
Richard T. Fountain
Richard Tillman Fountain was a North Carolina politician who served as Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1927 and as Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina from 1929 to 1933....
in a Democratic primary runoff
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
. Fountain claimed Ehringhaus was the tool of business interests.
Serving the state during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Ehringhaus encouraged the North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
to create a state agency that would help rural areas of the state receive electricity services in order to revive the lagging economy. He also cut state spending, successfully pushed for a three-cent sales tax, extended the school year and kept the schools open and solvent.
He died on July 31, 1949.
Legacy
Asked how to say his name, he told The Literary DigestLiterary Digest
The Literary Digest was an influential general interest weekly magazine published by Funk & Wagnalls. Founded by Isaac Kaufmann Funk in 1890, it eventually merged with two similar weekly magazines, Public Opinion and Current Opinion.-History:...
"My name is pronounced as if spelled ear'en-house."
A dormitory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, Ehringhaus' alma mater (class of 1902) is named in his honor, and The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies
The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies
The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies, commonly known as Di-Phi, are the debate and literary societies of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.- History :...
, of which Ehringhaus was a member, maintains a portrait in his honor.
The second longest bridge in the state of North Carolina, a 3.5-mile stretch over the Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a long barrier peninsula upon which the town of Kitty Hawk is located,...
, is named in honor of this former governor.
Ehringhaus' grave is located in the historic Episcopal Cemetery in his hometown of Elizabeth City in Northeastern North Carolina, and the city's main thoroughfare
Thoroughfare
A thoroughfare is a place of transportation intended to connect one location to another. Highways, roads, and trails are examples of thoroughfares used by a variety of general traffic. On land a thoroughfare may refer to anything from a rough trail to multi-lane highway with grade separated...
, Ehringhaus Street, is named in his honor.