Angus Wilton McLean explained

Angus W. McLean
Order:56th
Office:Governor of North Carolina
Term Start:January 14, 1925
Term End:January 11, 1929
Lieutenant:Jacob E. Long
Predecessor:Cameron A. Morrison
Successor:Oliver Max Gardner
Birth Date:20 April 1870
Birth Place:Robeson County, North Carolina, U.S.
Death Place:Washington D.C., U.S.
Spouse:Margaret French McLean
Profession:Businessman
Party:Democratic
Alma Mater:University of North Carolina
Signature:Signature of Angus Wilton McLean (1870–1935).png

Angus Wilton McLean (April 20, 1870June 21, 1935) was an American lawyer and banker who was the 56th governor of North Carolina, serving from 1925 to 1929. McLean also served as Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury from 1920 to 1921.

Biography

He was born in Maxton, North Carolina and educated at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a law degree in 1892. McLean first entered politics in 1892, serving as the chairman of the Robeson County Democratic Executive Committee. A supporter of Woodrow Wilson, he was a delegate to Democratic National Conventions and sat on the Democratic National Committee.[1] From 1918 to 1922 he served on the War Finance Corporation board, and from 1920 to 1921 he was the assistant secretary of the Treasury.[2]

McLean secured the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1924 by defeating Josiah W. Bailey.[3] During his tenure, an executive budget system was initiated; a department of conservation and development was established; and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was formed. Governor McLean also helped streamlined North Carolina's economy, which led to a $2.5 million state budget surplus that his successor Oliver Gardner claimed later helped the state survive the Great Depression.[4] After completing his term, McLean retired from political life.

He died on June 21, 1935, in Washington, D.C. Death was attributed to a blood clot in his right lung. He had been ill for several weeks.[5]

Legacy

His son, Hector (1920–2012), became a bank president and state senator.[6]

The McLean family of Robeson county, origins are well documented and integrated in the larger narrative of the region. Through marriage and direct relations Angus Wilton McLean is related to the following individuals:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Angus Wilton Mclean. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201127025034/https://www.nga.org/governor/angus-wilton-mclean/. November 27, 2020. February 11, 2021. National Governors Association.
  2. Web site: Angus W McLean (1925–1929). live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201019235642/https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/angus-w-mclean-1925-1929/. October 19, 2020. North Carolina History Project.
  3. The Shaping of a Political Leader: Josiah W. Bailey and the Gubernatorial Campaign of 1924. The North Carolina Historical Review. 41. 2. 190–213. 23517188. JSTOR. Moore. John Robert. 1964.
  4. Web site: McLean, Angus Wilton. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210126191922/https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/mclean-angus-wilton. January 26, 2021. February 11, 2021. NCpedia.
  5. Web site: Angus Wilton McLean of Washington and Lumberton, NC. May 5, 2021. www.ncgenweb.us.
  6. http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/12/08/2533104/former-state-senator-hector-maclean.html News & Observer