R. Gregg Cherry

Robert Gregg Cherry (October 17, 1891 – June 25, 1957) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 61st governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1945 to 1949.

R. Gregg Cherry
R. Gregg Cherry, 1945
61st Governor of North Carolina
In office January 4, 1945 – January 6, 1949
Lieutenant	Lynton Y. Ballentine
Preceded by	J. Melville Broughton
Succeeded by	W. Kerr Scott
Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 26th district
In office November 5, 1940 – November 7, 1944
Preceded by	J. H. Separk
Succeeded by	Stephen B. Dolley
Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party
In office July 30, 1937 – August 14, 1940
Preceded by	J. Wallace Winborne
Succeeded by	Emery B. Denny
Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives
In office December 10, 1936 – January 4, 1939
Preceded by	R. Grady Johnson
Succeeded by	D. L. Ward
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from Gaston County
In office November 4, 1930 – November 5, 1940
Succeeded by	Basil Whitener
25th Mayor of Gastonia
In office 1919–1923
Preceded by	Arthur M. Dixon
Succeeded by	B. H. Parker
Personal details
Born	Robert Gregg Cherry (1891-10-17)October 17, 1891 York County, South Carolina, U.S.
Died	June 25, 1957(1957-06-25) (aged 65) Gastonia, North Carolina, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Lula Mildred Stafford ​ ​ (m. 1921)​
Education	Duke University
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Battles/wars	World War I

Early life and family

Childhood, education, and military service

Born in York County, South Carolina near Rock Hill, Cherry grew up in Gastonia, North Carolina with relatives after the death of his parents. He earned bachelor's and law degrees at Trinity College (now Duke University).^[1] He organized and led a volunteer artillery company during World War I.

Marriage

In 1921, he married Lula Mildred Stafford, the daughter of the Mayor of Greensboro Emory Junius Stafford.^[2]

Career

Cherry served as mayor of Gastonia from 1919 to 1923,^[3] as a member and speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, as chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party (1937–1940), and as a member of the North Carolina Senate. In Gastonia, it was joked that he was the best lawyer in town when sober, and the second-best lawyer in town when drunk.^[4]

In 1944, Cherry was elected governor as the last in a series of governors affiliated with the political machine of former governor O. Max Gardner.^[5] He was sworn in on January 4, 1945.^[6] While campaigning for governor, Cherry went, according to one observer,

up and down the state preaching health and hard work, better educational facilities and sound financing, improved opportunities for the state employees, veterans, and teachers, better roads, rural telephone service and electricity for everyone, fair treatment of labor, improved agriculture, conservation and development of the state's resources, tax reduction where possible, and plans for a post-war construction program. ^[7]

Cherry inherited an economy facing material and labor shortages as a result of the ongoing Second World War. One of his primary focuses during his term was the improvement of mental health care at state-run facilities. Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, North Carolina, is named for him.

Unlike other Southern Democrats, Cherry, despite his segregationist views, supported Harry S. Truman for re-election in 1948 and did not join the Dixiecrats.^[8] He was succeeded by W. Kerr Scott on January 6, 1949.^[6] He retired from politics and returned to the practice of law.