Oliver Max Gardner (22 March 1882 -- 6 February 1947) was the Democratic governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1929 to 1933. Prior to becoming Governor, Gardner was elected as a state senator from Cleveland County, North Carolina (serving one term as President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate) and as Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina (1917-1921). In 1920, he lost the Democratic primary runoff for Governor to Cameron Morrison.[1]
After leading North Carolina through the early years of the Great Depression as governor, Gardner practiced law in Washington, D.C. and was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt chairman of the advisory board to the Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion and later a member of the Joint Anglo-American Commission on Palestine. He was appointed by President Harry S. Truman to be ambassador to the United Kingdom, but died before ever arriving in London. Gardner was part of the influential "Shelby Dynasty" or "Cleveland Dynasty" of related politicians, which included Governor Clyde Hoey. Gardner was the only person ever to captain the football teams of both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. Gardner-Webb University is named for Gardner and his wife, Fay Webb Gardner. The fine arts building at Gardner-Webb University is named for him as well. Gardner Hall, a dormitory at Appalachian State University, is also named for him. The O. Max Gardner Award was established in his will to recognize University of North Carolina system faculty who have "made the greatest contributions to the welfare of the human race." It is the only award for which all faculty members of the 16 UNC campuses are eligible and is considered the UNC system's highest faculty honor.[2]
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| Preceded by Elijah L. Daughtridge |
Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina 1917–1921 |
Succeeded by William B. Cooper |
| Preceded by Angus Wilton McLean |
Governor of North Carolina 1929–1933 |
Succeeded by John C.B. Ehringhaus |
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| Caswell • Nash • Burke • A. Martin • Caswell • Johnston • A. Martin • Spaight • Ashe • Davie • Williams • Turner • Alexander • Williams • Stone • Smith • Hawkins • Miller • Branch • Franklin • Holmes • Burton • Iredell • Owen • Stokes • Swain • Spaight Jr. • Dudley • Morehead • Graham • Manly • Reid • Winslow • Bragg • Ellis • Clark • Vance • Holden • Worth • Holden • Caldwell • Brogden • Vance • Jarvis • Scales • Fowle • Holt • Carr • Russell • Aycock • Glenn • Kitchin • Craig • Bickett • Morrison • McLean • Gardner • Ehringhaus • Hoey • Broughton • Cherry • W.K. Scott • Umstead • Hodges • Sanford • Moore • R.W. Scott • Holshouser • Hunt • J. Martin • Hunt • Easley |  |
