Horner, Henry, 1878-1940

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Henry Horner (November 30, 1878 – October 6, 1940) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as Governor of Illinois from January 1933 until his death. He was the first Jewish governor.

Born Henry Levy in Chicago, he assumed his mother's surname of Horner following his parents divorced. After attending the University of Chicago, he earned an LL.B. degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. After establishing a legal career in Chicago, Horner entered public service. He secured an appointment as a Cook County probate judge, a position he held from 1915 to 1931. Horner won the 1932 Democratic gubernatorial nomination and general election was sworn into the Illinois governorship on January 9, 1933. He was reelected to a second term in 1936. During his tenure, the 18th Amendment was sanctioned, ending prohibition, a two percent sales tax rate was endorsed as well as a state tax on real estate and personal property and a permanent voters registration system was enacted that required voters’ signatures to match records kept on file by election officials.

Horner suffered a stroke four days before the November 1938 election, thereafter spending five months recovering in Florida. Horner's health wavered over the next year until a collapse in the summer of 1940. He convalesced in Winnetka and Highland Park, Illinois from June 1940 until his death in early October. He is interred at Zion Gardens Cemetery in Chicago.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Henry Horner : commercials, 1936. University of Oklahoma, Political Community Archives
referencedIn Illinois. Governor (1933-1940 : Horner). Henry Horner correspondence, 1933-1940. Illinois State Archive
referencedIn Henry Horner obituaries scrapbook [photocopy], ca. 1940. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Papers re: Lincoln Collection, ca. 1925-1939. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. [Collection of poems about Abraham Lincoln / collected by Henry Horner] Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Harrison, Carter H. (Carter Henry), 1860-1953. Carter H. Harrison IV papers, 1637-1953, (bulk 1840-1950). Newberry Library
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Papers, 1931-1939. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Alexander Woollcott correspondence, ca. 1856-1943 (inclusive), 1920-1943 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Letters, November 10, 1936, n.d. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Document and letter, 1933, 1935. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf McCulloch, Frank W., 1905-1996. Frank W. McCulloch papers, 1931-1988 (bulk 1931-1948). Chicago History Museum
referencedIn Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967. Papers, 1929-1957. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Letters: Springfield, [Ill.] to Justin G. Turner, Chicago, Ill., 1936, 1937. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Papers, 1899-1940. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Lewis, Louie E., 1893-1968. Papers, 1927-1968. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Letter: Springfield, [Ill.], to Carl Sandburg, Harbert, Mich., 1940 Apr. 29. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Lincoln Fellowship of Southern California. Memorial resolution ... done at Los Angeles, California this 8th day of February, 1941 : [resolution to honor Henry Horner, late governor of Illinois.] Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Articles and speeches, ca. 1920-1940. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Letter of Henry Horner, 1936. Library of Congress
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Scrapbooks dealing with national and state politics, of the period 1932-1940. Chicago History Museum
referencedIn Chicago Teachers' Federation. Chicago Teachers' Federation records, 1864-1968 (bulk 1898-1968). Chicago History Museum
referencedIn Sheldon Glueck papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Horner, Henry, 1878-1940. Letter : Springfield, [Ill.], to [Oliver] Roger Barrett, Chicago, Ill., 1940 Jan. 20. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Julius Bisno Collection, undated, 1780, 1801-1980 American Jewish Historical Society
referencedIn Nestor, Agnes, 1880-1948. Agnes Nestor papers, 1896-1954. Chicago History Museum
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Allen, James M. person
associatedWith Angle, Paul M. (Paul McClelland), 1900-1975. person
associatedWith Barrett, Oliver R. (Oliver Roger), 1873-1950, person
associatedWith Bisno, Julius, 1911- person
associatedWith Cermak, Anton Joseph, 1873-1933. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Chicago-Kent College of Law corporateBody
associatedWith Chicago Teachers' Federation corporateBody
associatedWith Democratic Party (Ill.) corporateBody
associatedWith Douglas, Stephen A. (Stephen Arnold), 1813-1861 person
associatedWith Eisenschiml, Otto, 1880-1963. person
associatedWith Emmerson, Louis L. (Louis Lincoln), 1863-1941, person
associatedWith Glueck, Sheldon, 1896- person
associatedWith Gossett, E. T., person
associatedWith Harrison, Carter H. (Carter Henry), 1860-1953. person
associatedWith Illinois. Governor (1933-1940 : Horner) corporateBody
associatedWith Illinois. Probate Court (Cook County) corporateBody
associatedWith Illinois State Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kelly, Edward J. (Edward Joseph), 1876-1950. person
associatedWith Kerner, Otto, 1884-1952, person
associatedWith Lewis, Louie E., 1893-1968. person
associatedWith Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 person
associatedWith Lincoln Fellowship of Southern California. corporateBody
associatedWith McCulloch, Frank W., 1905-1996. person
associatedWith Nash, Patrick Austin, 1863-1943. person
associatedWith Nestor, Agnes, 1880-1948. person
associatedWith Oakleaf, Joseph Benjamin, 1858-1930. person
associatedWith Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967, person
associatedWith Stelle, John, 1891-1962. person
associatedWith Tarbell, Ida M. (Ida Minerva), 1857-1944. person
associatedWith Turner, Justin G., 1898-1976, person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf University of Chicago. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Oklahoma. Political Commercial Archive. corporateBody
correspondedWith Woollcott, Alexander, 1887-1943 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Chicago IL US
Winnetka IL US
Subject
Floods
Advertising, political
Aeronautics
Agricultural laws and legislation
Authors, American
Political campaigns
Corrections
Depressions
Elections
Elections
Elections
Freemasonry
Governor
Governors
Jewish statesmen
Jews
Judges
Lincoln
New Deal, 1933-1939
Politicians
Politics, Practical
Probate law and practice
Public welfare
Radio advertising
Strikes and lockouts
Occupation
Compilers
Governors
Jurists
Lawyers
Activity

Person

Birth 1878-11-30

Death 1940-10-06

Male

Americans

English

Information

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