Photograph, Press - Governor J. Marion Futrell

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Photograph, Press - Governor J. Marion Futrell

Object number2017.033.02

DateNovember 2, 1934

OriginLake Hamilton, Arkansas

MediumPaper, Ink

Dimensions7 1/16 × 9 in. (17.9 × 22.8 cm)

Credit LineOld State House Museum Collection

Terms

DescriptionA photograph from Governor Futrell’s fishing trip on November 2, 1934. The black and white photograph depicts Governor Futrell on the left, Governor O.K. Allen of Louisiana on the right, and Municipal Judge V.S. Ledgerwood in the center during a fishing duel at Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs, Arkansas. The duel was between the two governors with Judge Ledgerwood as the event host. The duel resulted in a draw with both governors catching the limit of both bass and crappie.

Junius Marion Futrell was born on August 14, 1870 in Greene County, Arkansas and he married Tera A. Smith on September 27, 1893. He was elected as a state representative in 1896 and subsequently reelected in 1900 and 1902. He went on to serve as the Greene County circuit clerk from 1906 to 1910, and furthered his political career in 1912 by becoming a state senator. From 1913 until his appointment in 1922 to the Second Division of the Second Circuit Court, Futrell practiced law in Paragould, Arkansas. He was then promoted to the Twelfth Chancery Circuit and remained there until 1933, when he was elected governor. As governor, Futrell’s objectives included cutting state aid to schools, removing machines from the workforce to allow for more employment, and tax cuts. Overall, he lowered state expenses by 51.6%. In order to help raise money, Futrell created the sales tax, ended prohibition, created the Department of State Police, and created the Highway Refunding Act of 1934. Futrell retired from politics in 1940, and on June 20, 1955 he died.

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