William F. Quinn
Encyclopedia
William Francis Quinn was the Governor of the Territory of Hawai'i
from 1957 to 1959 and the Governor of the State of Hawai'i
from 1959 to 1962. Originally appointed to the office by President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
, Quinn was the last executive of an era of Republican rule over the Hawaiian Islands
which began during the overthrow of the monarchy
in 1893, and the last Republican to serve as Governor until Linda Lingle
in 2002. Quinn appeared as a guest on the television program "What's My Line". He was the recipient of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
, a papal knighthood conferred by Pope John Paul II.
on July 13, 1919. His family moved to St. Louis, Missouri
during his youth, where he attended prep school at St. Louis University High School and college at St. Louis University, graduating in 1940. Quinn entered Harvard Law School
, but only finished after his stint in the military. He graduated cum laude in 1947. He served in Hawaii
in naval intelligence during World War II
. Upon his discharge from service, he settled permanently in Honolulu, Hawai'i
.
attorney Garner Anthony, Quinn brokered a deal with the Territorial Land Office and Hawaiian Homes Commission to allow the ranch a more lengthy period of time in which to evacuate the property.
Quinn involved himself in territorial politics and ran for the territorial senate in 1956.
Quinn worked closely with Congressional Delegate
John A. Burns
on the Hawaii Statehood Commission. President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Quinn Governor of the Territory of Hawaii
in 1957. In 1959, he defeated challenger John A. Burns to win the new state's first gubernatorial election. In 1961, Governor Quinn was Grand Marshall of the Tournament of Roses Parade
in Pasadena, California
. During the 1962 gubernatorial election, a challenge from Lieutenant Governor James Kealoha
split the vote, throwing the election to the Democrat
John A. Burns
.
In 1976, Quinn ran for the United States Senate, an election he lost to Spark Matsunaga
.
He was president, of Dole Pineapple Company
1965 to 1972, chairman of the board of both the Honolulu Symphony
and the East-West Center
.
Quinn lectured, occasionally traveled on the public speaking circuit serving as a Republican elder statesman, and spent time with his family in Hawai'i. A devout Catholic, he was the recipient of a papal knighthood in the Order of The Holy Sepulcher.
He was a dedicated actor and singer in the Honolulu Light Opera. His most notable role was in the 1940s production of Brigadoon
.
In March 2006, Quinn was injured in a fall and never fully recovered. Quinn died on August 28, 2006, and was buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
.
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
from 1957 to 1959 and the Governor of the State of Hawai'i
Governor of Hawaii
The Governor of Hawaii is the chief executive of the state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 1 through 6. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state...
from 1959 to 1962. Originally appointed to the office by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, Quinn was the last executive of an era of Republican rule over the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
which began during the overthrow of the monarchy
Republic of Hawaii
The Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of the government that controlled Hawaii from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a republic. The republic period occurred between the administration of the Provisional Government of Hawaii which ended on July 4, 1894 and the adoption of the Newlands...
in 1893, and the last Republican to serve as Governor until Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle was the sixth Governor of Hawaii. Lingle holds a number of distinctions: first Republican elected governor of Hawaii since the departure of William F...
in 2002. Quinn appeared as a guest on the television program "What's My Line". He was the recipient of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
, a papal knighthood conferred by Pope John Paul II.
Early years
Quinn was born in Rochester, New YorkRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
on July 13, 1919. His family moved to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
during his youth, where he attended prep school at St. Louis University High School and college at St. Louis University, graduating in 1940. Quinn entered Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, but only finished after his stint in the military. He graduated cum laude in 1947. He served in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in naval intelligence during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Upon his discharge from service, he settled permanently in Honolulu, Hawai'i
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
.
Law and political career
In 1949, in a deal involving homestead development of the area of Waimea in Hawaii County, as a lawyer with Parker RanchParker Ranch
Parker Ranch is a working cattle ranch on the Island of Hawaii in the state of Hawaii, now run by a charitable trust.-History:The ranch was founded in 1847 and is one of the oldest ranches in the United States, pre-dating many mainland ranches in Texas and other southwestern states by more than 30...
attorney Garner Anthony, Quinn brokered a deal with the Territorial Land Office and Hawaiian Homes Commission to allow the ranch a more lengthy period of time in which to evacuate the property.
Quinn involved himself in territorial politics and ran for the territorial senate in 1956.
Quinn worked closely with Congressional Delegate
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
John A. Burns
John A. Burns
John Anthony Burns served as the second Governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974. Born in Fort Assinniboine, Montana, Burns was a resident of Hawaii from 1913....
on the Hawaii Statehood Commission. President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Quinn Governor of the Territory of Hawaii
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
in 1957. In 1959, he defeated challenger John A. Burns to win the new state's first gubernatorial election. In 1961, Governor Quinn was Grand Marshall of the Tournament of Roses Parade
Tournament of Roses Parade
The Tournament of Roses Parade, better known as the Rose Parade, is "America's New Year Celebration", a festival of flower-covered floats, marching bands, equestrians and a college football game on New Year's Day , produced by the non-profit Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.The annual...
in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. During the 1962 gubernatorial election, a challenge from Lieutenant Governor James Kealoha
James Kealoha
James Kealoha, formally James Kimo Kealoha, and also known as Jimmy Kealoha , of Hilo, Hawaii was the first Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii in the administration of Governor of Hawaii William F. Quinn...
split the vote, throwing the election to the Democrat
Democratic Party of Hawaii
The Democratic Party of Hawaii is an arm of the Democratic Party of the United States based in Honolulu, Hawaii. The party is a centralized organization established to promote the party platform as drafted in convention biennially...
John A. Burns
John A. Burns
John Anthony Burns served as the second Governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974. Born in Fort Assinniboine, Montana, Burns was a resident of Hawaii from 1913....
.
In 1976, Quinn ran for the United States Senate, an election he lost to Spark Matsunaga
Spark Matsunaga
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga was a United States Senator from Hawaii. He was an American Democrat whose legislation in the United States Senate led to the creation of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians.-Career:Matsunaga became a United States Army Reservist in 1941,...
.
Later years and personal life
Quinn married Nancy Ellen Witbeck. and the couple had seven children. They were members of the Portlock Road Association.He was president, of Dole Pineapple Company
Dole Food Company
Dole Food Company, Inc. is an American-based agricultural multinational corporation headquartered in Westlake Village, California. The company is the largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world, operating with 74,300 full-time and seasonal employees who are responsible for over 300...
1965 to 1972, chairman of the board of both the Honolulu Symphony
Honolulu Symphony
The Honolulu Symphony, also known as the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, was founded in 1900. The Honolulu Symphony is the oldest symphony orchestra in the USA west of the Rocky Mountains. Originally housed in a clubhouse on the slopes of Punchbowl, the Honolulu Symphony now plays from the Neal S...
and the East-West Center
East-West Center
The East–West Center , headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, is an education and research organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations and understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific and the United States....
.
Quinn lectured, occasionally traveled on the public speaking circuit serving as a Republican elder statesman, and spent time with his family in Hawai'i. A devout Catholic, he was the recipient of a papal knighthood in the Order of The Holy Sepulcher.
He was a dedicated actor and singer in the Honolulu Light Opera. His most notable role was in the 1940s production of Brigadoon
Brigadoon
Brigadoon is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. Songs from the musical, such as "Almost Like Being in Love" have become standards....
.
In March 2006, Quinn was injured in a fall and never fully recovered. Quinn died on August 28, 2006, and was buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is a cemetery located in Honolulu, Hawaii that serves a memorial to those men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces...
.