Gordon Persons

Seth Gordon Persons

43rd Governor of Alabama
In office January 15, 1951 – January 17, 1955
Lieutenant	James Allen
Preceded by	Jim Folsom
Succeeded by	Jim Folsom
Personal details
Born	(1902-02-05)February 5, 1902 Montgomery, Alabama
Died	May 29, 1965(1965-05-29) (aged 63) Montgomery, Alabama
Resting place	Greenwood Cemetery in Montgomery, Alabama
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Alice Boyd McKeithen Persons (m. 1928-1965, his death)
Alma mater	Auburn University

Seth Gordon Persons (February 5, 1902 – May 29, 1965) was an American Democratic politician who was the 43rd Governor of Alabama from 1951 to 1955. He was born and died in Montgomery, Alabama. The Dauphin Island Bridge south of Mobile is formally named for him.

Persons built a successful business running electrical lines in rural Alabama (benefiting from Rural Electrification Administration contracts); in addition to financial gain, he also won considerable popularity.

When running for office in 1950, Persons gained notoriety by touring the state in a helicopter (prompting one opponent to dub him "the man from Mars"). He won the Democratic nomination by defeating a crowded field that included former governor Chauncey Sparks. In office, his notable accomplishments included abolishing flogging in Alabama's prisons, advocating for the establishment of Alabama Public Television, and imposing speed limits on state highways. Persons largely accomplished his goal of having four years of "no fighting," maintaining a truce among the various wings of the state Democratic Party. At the end of his term, Persons ordered the National Guard into Phenix City following the assassination of Attorney-General-elect Albert Patterson.

After leaving office as governor, Persons never sought statewide public office again, although he did make an unsuccessful run for circuit judge late in life.

Persons was an alumnus of Auburn University, though he attended for only one year. While at Auburn, Persons served as president of a student organization (known as the "Boxcar Reds and Boxcar Blacks") that traveled to away football games.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Jim Folsom	Governor of Alabama 1951–1955	Succeeded by Jim Folsom

Governors and Lieutenant Governors of Alabama

Governors	W. Bibb T. Bibb Pickens Murphy G. Moore S. Moore Gayle Clay McVay Bagby Fitzpatrick Martin Chapman Collier Winston A. Moore Shorter Watts Parsons Patton Swayne Smith Lindsay Lewis Houston Cobb E. A. O'Neal Seay T. Jones Oates Johnston Samford Jelks Comer E. O'Neal Henderson Kilby Brandon Graves Miller Graves Dixon Sparks Folsom Sr. Persons Folsom Sr. Patterson G. Wallace L. Wallace Brewer G. Wallace James G. Wallace Hunt Folsom Jr. James Siegelman Riley Bentley

Lieutenant Governors	Applegate Moren McKinstry Ligon Cunningham Gray Seed Kilby Miller McDowell Davis Merrill Knight Carmichael Ellis Inzer Allen Hardwick Boutwell Allen Brewer Beasley McMillan B. Baxley Folsom Siegelman Windom L. Baxley Folsom Ivey

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 26775867 LCCN: no2004056466

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