Wilbur Lucius Cross (April 10, 1862 – October 5, 1948) was an American literary critic who served as the 71st governor of Connecticut from 1931 to 1939.
Born in 1862 in Mansfield, Connecticut, Cross attended Natchaug School in Willimantic, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale College (B.A. 1885) and served as principal of Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut for a short time around 1885 before returning to Yale as a graduate student, earning a PhD in English literature in 1889. Cross spent several years as a high school principal and schoolteacher at Staples High School in Westport before being offered a job as a professor of English at Yale in 1894. Over the next 36 years, he taught at Yale, became editor of the Yale Review, Sterling Professor of English in 1922, and Dean of the Yale Graduate School from 1916 to 1930.[1][2] On July 17, 1889, he was married to Helen Baldwin Avery, and they had four children; Wilbur Lucius Cross, Jr., Avery Cross, Elizabeth Cross, and Arthur Cross.[3]
Cross became a well-known literary critic. Along with C. F. Tucker Brooke, Cross was the editor of the Yale Shakespeare; he also edited the Yale Review for almost 30 years. He wrote several books, including Life and Times of Laurence Sterne (1909) and The History of Henry Fielding (1918), and several books on the English novel.
After retiring from Yale, Cross was elected governor of Connecticut as a Democrat in 1930 and served as Governor for four two-year terms, from January 7, 1931, to January 4, 1939. He was a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Connecticut in 1936.[4] He was defeated in 1938 in his attempt to gain re-election for a fifth term. He is credited with passage of several items of reform legislation during his tenure of governor, which included measures related to the abolition of child labor, and instituted a minimum wage rate. Also there was legislation that authorized governmental reorganization, and improved factory laws. He also endorsed legislation that authorized funding for the rebuilding of the Connecticut State College, which included the construction of the first campus library, named the Cross Library.
During his tenure, eugenicist Harry H. Laughlin served on a commission proposing radical eugenic policies; these policies were never implemented.[5]
After retiring from public service, he continued to stay active in his writing and research projects.[6]
Death and legacy
Cross died on October 5, 1948, in New Haven, at the age of 86. He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery, New Haven, Connecticut.[7]
^"Wilbur Lucius Cross". Connecticut State Library. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
^"Guide to the Wilbur Lucius Cross Papers" (MS 155). Yale University Library. hdl:10079/fa/mssa.ms.0155. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^"Wilbur Lucius Cross". NNDB Soylent Communications. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
^"Wilbur Lucius Cross". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
^Paul Bass, "Cross Era's Dark Secret Resurfaces" New Haven Independent, Sept. 24, 2014.
^"Wilbur Lucius Cross". National Governors Association. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
^"Informativa per l'utenza: il sito cslib.org diventerà truffa.net".
Works
Proclamations of His Excellency Wilbur L. Cross, Governor of the State of Connecticut. Hartford, CT: Prospect Press, 1937.
Connecticut Yankee: An Autobiography. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1943.
External links
Wikisource has original works by or about: Wilbur Lucius Cross
Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
Governor Cross Lent Name To Library
The Political Graveyard
Connecticut State Library
National Governors Association
Wilbur Lucius Cross papers (MS 155). Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library.[1]
wilbur, lucius, cross, april, 1862, october, 1948, american, literary, critic, served, 71st, governor, connecticut, from, 1931, 1939, 71st, governor, connecticutin, office, january, 1931, january, 1939lieutenantsamuel, spencerroy, wilcoxt, frank, hayespreceded. Wilbur Lucius Cross April 10 1862 October 5 1948 was an American literary critic who served as the 71st governor of Connecticut from 1931 to 1939 Wilbur Lucius Cross71st Governor of ConnecticutIn office January 7 1931 January 4 1939LieutenantSamuel R SpencerRoy C WilcoxT Frank HayesPreceded byJohn H TrumbullSucceeded byRaymond E BaldwinPersonal detailsBorn 1862 04 10 April 10 1862Mansfield Connecticut U S DiedOctober 5 1948 1948 10 05 aged 86 New Haven Connecticut U S Political partyDemocraticSpouseHelen Baldwin Avery CrossChildrenWilbur Lucius Cross Jr Avery CrossElizabeth CrossArthur Cross Wilbur Cross III grandson Alma materYale UniversityProfessionLiterary critic editor author politician Contents 1 Biography 2 Death and legacy 3 See also 4 Footnotes 5 Works 6 External linksBiography EditBorn in 1862 in Mansfield Connecticut Cross attended Natchaug School in Willimantic Connecticut He graduated from Yale College B A 1885 and served as principal of Staples High School in Westport Connecticut for a short time around 1885 before returning to Yale as a graduate student earning a PhD in English literature in 1889 Cross spent several years as a high school principal and schoolteacher at Staples High School in Westport before being offered a job as a professor of English at Yale in 1894 Over the next 36 years he taught at Yale became editor of the Yale Review Sterling Professor of English in 1922 and Dean of the Yale Graduate School from 1916 to 1930 1 2 On July 17 1889 he was married to Helen Baldwin Avery and they had four children Wilbur Lucius Cross Jr Avery Cross Elizabeth Cross and Arthur Cross 3 Cross became a well known literary critic Along with C F Tucker Brooke Cross was the editor of the Yale Shakespeare he also edited the Yale Review for almost 30 years He wrote several books including Life and Times of Laurence Sterne 1909 and The History of Henry Fielding 1918 and several books on the English novel After retiring from Yale Cross was elected governor of Connecticut as a Democrat in 1930 and served as Governor for four two year terms from January 7 1931 to January 4 1939 He was a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Connecticut in 1936 4 He was defeated in 1938 in his attempt to gain re election for a fifth term He is credited with passage of several items of reform legislation during his tenure of governor which included measures related to the abolition of child labor and instituted a minimum wage rate Also there was legislation that authorized governmental reorganization and improved factory laws He also endorsed legislation that authorized funding for the rebuilding of the Connecticut State College which included the construction of the first campus library named the Cross Library During his tenure eugenicist Harry H Laughlin served on a commission proposing radical eugenic policies these policies were never implemented 5 After retiring from public service he continued to stay active in his writing and research projects 6 Death and legacy EditCross died on October 5 1948 in New Haven at the age of 86 He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery New Haven Connecticut 7 Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven Connecticut Wilbur Cross School in Bridgeport Connecticut and Connecticut s Wilbur Cross Parkway and Wilbur Cross Highway were named in his honor as was Yale s Wilbur L Cross Medal awarded for outstanding achievement in professional life The first campus library at the University of Connecticut then Connecticut State College built with bond revenues authorized during Cross s governorship and opened in 1939 was named for Cross in 1942 Wilbur Cross s autobiography Connecticut Yankee was published in 1943 See also EditList of governors of ConnecticutFootnotes Edit Wilbur Lucius Cross Connecticut State Library Retrieved December 16 2012 Guide to the Wilbur Lucius Cross Papers MS 155 Yale University Library hdl 10079 fa mssa ms 0155 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Wilbur Lucius Cross NNDB Soylent Communications Retrieved December 16 2012 Wilbur Lucius Cross The Political Graveyard Retrieved December 16 2012 Paul Bass Cross Era s Dark Secret Resurfaces New Haven Independent Sept 24 2014 Wilbur Lucius Cross National Governors Association Retrieved December 16 2012 Informativa per l utenza il sito cslib org diventera truffa net Works EditProclamations of His Excellency Wilbur L Cross Governor of the State of Connecticut Hartford CT Prospect Press 1937 Connecticut Yankee An Autobiography New Haven CT Yale University Press 1943 External links Edit Wikisource has original works by or about Wilbur Lucius Cross Columbia Encyclopedia Sixth Edition Governor Cross Lent Name To Library The Political Graveyard Connecticut State Library National Governors Association Wilbur Lucius Cross papers MS 155 Manuscripts and Archives Yale University Library 1 Party political officesPreceded byCharles G Morris Democratic nominee for Governor of Connecticut1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 Succeeded byRobert A HurleyPreceded byFrancis T Maloney Democratic nominee for U S Senator from Connecticut Class 1 1946 Succeeded byJoseph M TonePolitical officesPreceded byJohn H Trumbull Governor of Connecticut1931 1939 Succeeded byRaymond E Baldwin Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wilbur Lucius Cross amp oldid 1127648147, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
