Thomas Clark Rye
Encyclopedia
Thomas Clarke Rye was governor of the U.S. state
of Tennessee
from 1915 to 1919. He was a native of Benton County, Tennessee.
who had been admitted to the bar
at age 21. He defeated incumbent Ben W. Hooper
's bid for reelection in 1914. Rye was a supporter of Prohibition
. He was governor of Tennessee during the U.S.
participation in World War I
, in which approximately 80,000 Tennesseans served. He promoted the so-called "Ouster Law" which provided for officials who refused to enforce laws to be removed from office. This law was aimed especially at Memphis
mayor
and political "boss" E. H. Crump
, who was known not to enforce Prohibition laws. Crump was removed from office, but not from influence, and eventually came to prefer running things through surrogates from behind the scenes to holding elected office himself.
Rye was governor during the United States
' entry into World War I
. Over 80,000 Tennesseans entered the United States Armed Forces, and more of them were deployed overseas than ever before in Tennessee history. The number of Tennesseans was the most ever serving actively in the military up to that time except for the number serving in Confederate
forces during the Civil war
.
Besides considerable other governmental reorganization, Rye's administration created the first state highway department and a board to oversee charitable institutions, as well as a State Board of Education
. He returned to the practice of law after his terms as governor.
At the time of his death, he became the second longest-lived governor in Tennessee history at the age of 90 years and 3 months. Governor John I. Cox
was the longest at 90 years, 9 months.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
from 1915 to 1919. He was a native of Benton County, Tennessee.
Biography
Rye was a Democrat and an attorneyLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who had been admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
at age 21. He defeated incumbent Ben W. Hooper
Ben W. Hooper
Ben Walter Hooper was governor of the U.S. state of Tennessee from 1911 to 1915.-Biography:Hooper, who was of illegitimate birth, spent part of his childhood in an orphanage, was unofficially "adopted" by members of his rural Baptist church, and was belatedly acknowledged by his natural father, a...
's bid for reelection in 1914. Rye was a supporter of Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
. He was governor of Tennessee during the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
participation in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, in which approximately 80,000 Tennesseans served. He promoted the so-called "Ouster Law" which provided for officials who refused to enforce laws to be removed from office. This law was aimed especially at Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and political "boss" E. H. Crump
E. H. Crump
Edward Hull "Boss" Crump was an American politician from Memphis, Tennessee. He was mayor from 1910 through 1915, and again briefly in 1940; in the intervening years he effectively appointed the mayors.-Career:...
, who was known not to enforce Prohibition laws. Crump was removed from office, but not from influence, and eventually came to prefer running things through surrogates from behind the scenes to holding elected office himself.
Rye was governor during the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' entry into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Over 80,000 Tennesseans entered the United States Armed Forces, and more of them were deployed overseas than ever before in Tennessee history. The number of Tennesseans was the most ever serving actively in the military up to that time except for the number serving in Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
forces during the Civil war
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Besides considerable other governmental reorganization, Rye's administration created the first state highway department and a board to oversee charitable institutions, as well as a State Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
. He returned to the practice of law after his terms as governor.
At the time of his death, he became the second longest-lived governor in Tennessee history at the age of 90 years and 3 months. Governor John I. Cox
John I. Cox
John Isaac Cox was Governor of Tennessee from 1905 to 1907.-Biography:Cox was born in Sullivan County, Tennessee, on November 23, 1855, and was the son of a Confederate soldier, which was less common in East Tennessee than in the rest of the state, as East Tennessee was one of the Southern...
was the longest at 90 years, 9 months.