Joseph Henry Kibbey
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| Joseph Henry Kibbey | |
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| In office 1905 – 1909 |
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| Preceded by | Alexander Oswald Brodie |
| Succeeded by | Richard Elihu Sloan |
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| Born | March 4, 1853 Centerville, Indiana |
| Died | June 14, 1924 (aged 71) Phoenix, Arizona |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Nora Burbank |
| Alma mater | Earlham College |
| Profession | Attorney |
Joseph Henry Kibbey (March 4, 1853 - June 14, 1924) was an American politician and the Territorial Governor of Arizona.
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[edit] Early life
Kibbey was born in Centerville, Indiana on March 4, 1853. He was a son of Caroline E. and John F. Kibbey. He was educated at public schools and later studied at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana.
[edit] Career
He was admitted to the Virginia State Bar in 1875. He practiced law in Richmond, Indiana until 1888. He served as city attorney in Richmond for two years. He married Nora Burbank on January 10, 1877. In 1888 he moved to Arizona for health reasons.
[edit] Arizona
In 1888 Kibbey was appointed as associate Justice of the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court. He handed down the "Kibbey Decision" which dealt with land and water in Arizona. His term as judge ended in April, 1893. He also became Republican Chair of Maricopa County twice and territorial chair three times. He was a Phoenix City Attorney in November, 1897 and a member of council in the 22nd Territorial Legislature in 1903. He was appointed Territorial Attorney General in November, 1904.
[edit] Territorial Governor of Arizona
In 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Kibbey territorial Governor of Arizona. Immediately after assuming office, Kibbey faced problems regarding a bill in the United States Congress that would have created statehood for Arizona and New Mexico, but would have combined them both into one state. He promised to resign his office instead of allowing the joint statehood bill to pass. The bill was passed by Congress, but with one stipulation. The stipulation was each territory had to vote for the provision. The final tally was 16,265 against the bill and only 3,141 for it. Thus, the measure failed.
Some of his major suggestions were the outlaw of gambling, the restriction of liquor and tobacco, and the prohibition of prostitution. He created the Territorial Railroad Commission which was the precursor to the Arizona Corporation Commission and also created Greenlee County.
Kibbey favored taxation of mines and this cost him the governorship. Mining companies were able to delay his renomination by President Theodore Roosevelt because they knew that the new President William Howard Taft would not renominate him as governor. He left office on May 1, 1909 when Taft nominated Richard Elihu Sloan.
[edit] Later years
After serving as governor, Kibbey became counsel to the Salt River Valley Water User's Association and drafted its articles of incorporation. In 1916 he was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for a United States Senate seat from Arizona. He died in Phoenix on June 14, 1924 and was buried in Greenwood Memorial Park.
[edit] References
- Wagoner, Jay J. Arizona Territory, 1863-1912; a political history. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1970.
- Goff, John S. Arizona Territorial Officials Volume 2. Arizona Black Mountain Press, Cave Creek, 1975. Chapter 16.
