Frank W. Benson (Oregon Governor)

**Frank W. Benson** (March 20, 1858 – April 14, 1911) was an American politician, a Republican, and the 12th Governor of Oregon from 1909 to 1910.

## Early life

Benson was born in San Jose, California in 1858 to a minister sent west by the Methodist Epispocal Church in 1882. His father, Henry Clarke Benson, moved the family to Portland, Oregon to become editor of the _Pacific Christian Accord_ in 1864.

Young Frank was enrolled in the Portland Academy, later continuing his education at the College of the Pacific in Stockton, California. After college, he returned to Oregon, begining a career in education. In 1880, he took charge of the Methodist Umpqua Academy in Wilbur, Oregon. Benson assumed his first elected office as Superintendent of Douglas County Schools between 1882 and 1886. He relinquished the post after becoming president of a Normal School in Drain.

Benson would return to politics in 1892, after his election as Douglas County Clerk. He was relected and passed the state bar exam in 1896. In 1898, Benson began practicing law in Roseburg.

## Secretary of State and Governorship

In 1906, Benson would run for Secretary of State, winning both the Republican primary and the general election. The sitting governor George Earle Chamberlain won election to the United States Senate in 1909 and resigned the governor's seat. As Secretary of State, Frank Benson was next in the gubernatorial line of sucession, and was sworn into office March 1, 1909.

Following Governor Stephen F. Chadwick's example, who assumed the governorship in 1877 under similar circumstances, Benson kept both the Governor's and Secretary of State's offices. Although this is normally forbidden under the Oregon State Constitution. He collected pay for both offices.

Governor Benson undertook no major changes in the state government despite holding two of the states most powerful offices. Instead, he called for a special session of the Legislative Assembly to pass a bill which had been overlooked in the last (25th Biennial) Session. This bill funded operation costs for the state's major institutions, namely the state's prison, reform school, mental hospital, school for the blind, and veteran's home. He also attempted to settle a boundary dispute with neighboring Washington.

Benson had been gravely ill even before he accepted the governorship. Although his condition had seemed to improve since taking office, he left for California in 1910 to seek further treatment. On June 15, 1910, Benson telephoned his priovate secretary, transfering the Governor's powers to  Oregon State Senate President Jay Bowerman until he could return to Salem. Bowerman was sworn in as Acting Governor on June 16, 1910. Benso had indicated that he hoped to return by July 20, 1910. He did not seek reelection as Governor; but won reelection as Secretary of State in 1910. Although retaining one of his positions, Benson did not return as planned. His health continued to fail in Redlands, California, where he died April 14, 1911.

## Sources

- Oregon State Library
- Klooster, Karl. Round the Roses II: More Past Portland Perspectives, pg. 115, 1992 ISBN 0-9619847-1-6

## Other websites

- Oregon State Archives: Benson Administration -Photo and bio.

## Infobox (_governor)

- **name**: Frank W. benson
- **order**: 12<sup>th</sup>
- **office**: Governor of Oregon
- **term start**: March 1, 1909
- **term end**: June 17, 1910
- **predecessor**: George Earle Chamberlain, George Chamberlain
- **successor**: Jay Bowerman
- **birth date**: March 20, 1858
- **birth place**: San Jose, California
- **death date**: April 14, 1911
- **death place**: Redlands, California
- **spouse**: Harriet Benson
- **profession**: Lawyer
- **party**: United States Republican Party, Republican