Rhode Island Governor. He served two terms as the 48th governor of Rhode Island. Born Lucius Fayette Clark Garvin to prominent East Tennessee University Professor James Garvin and Sarah Ann Gunn, he attended Guilford College, a Friend's boarding school in North Carolina, and graduated from Amherst College in 1862. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the 51st Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteers and served in several battles in North Carolina during the American Civil War. He was diagnosed with Malaria during the war. After the war he studied medicine and graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1867. He was offered a practice at the huge Lonsdale Company in Cumberland, Rhode Island, a position he held for 55 years. He was also the state medical examiner. Politically, he was a Republican until 1876 when he switched to the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party supported the right of women to vote, which he did. He served as a State Representative and State Senator from 1883 to 1903. In 1901 he lost a bid for governor to Charles Dean Kimball. He defeated Governor Kimball in 1903 and served until 1905. He had a strong stance for anti-corruption in politics. He was defeated 5 times in bids to be elected a United States Congressman from the 2nd district. He married Lucy Waterman Southmayd on December 23, 1869 and had 3 daughters before his wife died in January of 1892. On April 2, 1907 he married Sarah Emma Tomlinson, a blind woman, and they had 2 sons. In 1912, one of his daughters committed suicide by drowning in a river. He joined the Progressive Party in 1912 but returned to the Democrats in 1916 and again served in the Rhode Island Senate at the age of 79 from 1921 until his death.
Rhode Island Governor. He served two terms as the 48th governor of Rhode Island. Born Lucius Fayette Clark Garvin to prominent East Tennessee University Professor James Garvin and Sarah Ann Gunn, he attended Guilford College, a Friend's boarding school in North Carolina, and graduated from Amherst College in 1862. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the 51st Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteers and served in several battles in North Carolina during the American Civil War. He was diagnosed with Malaria during the war. After the war he studied medicine and graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1867. He was offered a practice at the huge Lonsdale Company in Cumberland, Rhode Island, a position he held for 55 years. He was also the state medical examiner. Politically, he was a Republican until 1876 when he switched to the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party supported the right of women to vote, which he did. He served as a State Representative and State Senator from 1883 to 1903. In 1901 he lost a bid for governor to Charles Dean Kimball. He defeated Governor Kimball in 1903 and served until 1905. He had a strong stance for anti-corruption in politics. He was defeated 5 times in bids to be elected a United States Congressman from the 2nd district. He married Lucy Waterman Southmayd on December 23, 1869 and had 3 daughters before his wife died in January of 1892. On April 2, 1907 he married Sarah Emma Tomlinson, a blind woman, and they had 2 sons. In 1912, one of his daughters committed suicide by drowning in a river. He joined the Progressive Party in 1912 but returned to the Democrats in 1916 and again served in the Rhode Island Senate at the age of 79 from 1921 until his death.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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