Goodwin Knight
Goodwin Jess "Goodie" Knight (December 9, 1896 – May 22, 1970) was an American politician and judge who served as the 31st governor of California from 1953 to 1959. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 35th lieutenant governor of California from 1947 to 1953 under Governor Earl Warren.
Goodwin Knight | |
|---|---|
Knight in 1956 | |
| 31st Governor of California | |
| In office October 5, 1953 – January 5, 1959 | |
| Lieutenant | Harold J. Powers |
| Preceded by | Earl Warren |
| Succeeded by | Pat Brown |
| 35th Lieutenant Governor of California | |
| In office January 7, 1947 – October 5, 1953 | |
| Governor | Earl Warren |
| Preceded by | Frederick F. Houser |
| Succeeded by | Harold J. Powers |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Goodwin Jess Knight December 9, 1896 Provo, Utah, U.S. |
| Died | May 22, 1970 (aged 73) Inglewood, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Arvilla Cooley
(m. 1925; died 1952)Virginia Carlson (m. 1954) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Stanford University |
| Profession | Judge |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1918–1919 |
| Rank | Seaman |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
Knight was born in Utah and moved to Los Angeles with his family when he was a child. He followed a career in law and politics, becoming a Superior Court judge before moving into politics. He was elected lieutenant governor of California in 1946, serving under Governor Earl Warren. Upon Warren's appointment as Chief Justice of the United States by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Knight assumed the governorship before being elected in his own right in 1954. His tenure as governor was marked by conflicts within his party. He chose not to run for a second term as governor in 1958 and made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate. He attempted to make a return to the governorship in 1962, but withdrew from the race.
Knight was married twice and had two daughters. He died in 1970, shortly after the suicide of his daughter. His funeral was attended by high-profile individuals including then-California Governor Ronald Reagan and U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater.