Orland Steen Loomis
Orland Steen "Spike" Loomis (November 2, 1893 – December 7, 1942) was an American lawyer. He was elected to be the 31st Governor of Wisconsin in 1942, but died before taking office. He previously served as the 28th Attorney General of Wisconsin. He was a member of the Wisconsin Progressive Party.
Orland S. Loomis | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI), June 3, 1942 | |
| Governor-elect of Wisconsin Died before taking office | |
| In office November 4, 1942 – December 7, 1942 | |
| Preceded by | Julius P. Heil |
| Succeeded by | Walter Samuel Goodland |
| 28th Attorney General of Wisconsin | |
| In office January 4, 1937 – January 2, 1939 | |
| Governor | Philip La Follette |
| Preceded by | James E. Finnegan |
| Succeeded by | John E. Martin |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 31st district | |
| In office January 14, 1931 – January 9, 1935 | |
| Preceded by | Howard Teasdale |
| Succeeded by | James Earl Leverich |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Juneau district | |
| In office January 9, 1929 – January 14, 1931 | |
| Preceded by | Archibald A. Telfer |
| Succeeded by | Ben Tremain |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 2, 1893 Mauston, Wisconsin |
| Died | December 7, 1942 (aged 49) Madison, Wisconsin |
| Resting place | Mauston Cemetery Mauston, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican (until 1934) Wisconsin Progressive |
| Spouse(s) | Florence Marie Ely |
| Children | Robert Morgan John Jean (Ormson) |
| Mother | Clara Augusta (Steen) Loomis |
| Father | Morgan O. Loomis |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin Law School |
| Occupation | Attorney, politician |
| Known for | Elected Governor of Wisconsin, but died before taking office |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  |
| Branch/service |  American Expeditionary Forces |
| Years of service | 1918–1919 |
| Rank |  |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
Biography
Orland Loomis was born in Mauston, Wisconsin. He received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1917. He was stationed in France during World War I,[1] after which he returned to Mauston to practice law, serving as the city attorney from 1922 to 1931. He was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1928 and the Wisconsin State Senate in 1930. From 1935 to 1937 Loomis was director of the Rural Electrification Administration in Wisconsin. He was then elected Attorney General of Wisconsin, serving from 1937 to 1939.
After narrowly losing the 1940 election for Governor of Wisconsin as a Progressive, Loomis ran again in 1942, defeating the incumbent Governor Julius Heil. He died suddenly of a heart attack a month before he was to take office, and the Republican Lieutenant Governor Walter Samuel Goodland served all of Loomis's term as acting governor.[2]
Orland Steen Loomis was buried in Mauston. Loomis Road (WIS 36) in Milwaukee County is named after him.
Loomis married Florence Marie Ely on June 22, 1918. They had three children.
In 1943, the Liberty Ship SS Orland Loomis was named after him.[1]
References
- togetherweserved.com – 1LT Orland Steen Loomis. Retrieved August 6, 2013
- Orland S. Loomis, WHi-2771. Wisconsinhistory.org (December 7, 1942). Retrieved on 2016-01-22.
External links
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Philip La Follette |
Progressive nominee for Governor of Wisconsin 1940, 1942 |
Succeeded by Alexander O. Benz |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by James E. Finnegan |
Attorney General of Wisconsin 1937–1939 |
Succeeded by John E. Martin |
| Territory (1836–48) |  Privy Seal of Wisconsin | |
|---|---|---|
| State (since 1848) |
| |
(*) elected but died before taking office | ||
