# Edmund Root

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Edmund_Root
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Edmund_Root.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Root
> Source revision: 1347552704
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|American US Navy officer and Naval Governor of Guam}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = Capt.
| name             = Edmund Root
| image            = Captain Edmund S Root on deck of USS ASTORIA, August 1934 (8180244018) (cropped).jpg
| caption          = Captain Edmund S. Root on deck of USS Astoria (August 1934)
| alt              = Captain Edmund S. Root on deck of USS Astoria (August 1934)
| order            = 34th
| office           = Naval Governor of Guam
| term_start       = May 15, 1931
| term_end         = June 21, 1933
| predecessor      = [Willis W. Bradley](/source/Willis_W._Bradley)
| successor        = [George Andrew Alexander](/source/George_Andrew_Alexander)
| birth_name       = Edmund Spence Root
| birth_date       = {{birth date|1881|12|27}}
| birth_place      = [Delaware, Ohio](/source/Delaware%2C_Ohio)
| death_date       = {{death date and age|1961|2|27|1881|12|27}}
| death_place      = [San Diego County, California](/source/San_Diego_County%2C_California)
| party            =
| alma_mater       = [United States Naval Academy](/source/United_States_Naval_Academy)
| occupation       = American US Navy officer and Naval Governor of Guam
| spouse           = La Mira N. Root
<!--Military service-->
| nickname         = 
| allegiance       = {{flag|United States}}
| branch           = {{nowrap|30px|United States Navy Seal}} [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy)
| service_years    = 
| rank             = 20px [Captain](/source/Captain_(United_States))
| unit             = 
| commands         = {{USS|Rizal|DD-174|6}}<br>{{USS|Astoria|CA-34|6}}<br>{{USS|Rowan|DD-64|6}}
| battles          = [World War I](/source/World_War_I)
| awards           = Letter of Commendation 
}}

'''Edmund Spence Root''' (December 27, 1881 &ndash; February 27, 1961) was a [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) [Captain](/source/Captain_(United_States)) who served as the 34th [Naval Governor of Guam](/source/Naval_Governor_of_Guam). He graduated from the [United States Naval Academy](/source/United_States_Naval_Academy) in 1905, serving on many ships as an [ensign](/source/Ensign_(rank)). He served as the inaugural [commanding officer](/source/commanding_officer) of two ships: {{USS|Rizal|DD-174|6}} and {{USS|Astoria|CA-34|6}}. He served during [World War I](/source/World_War_I) as commander of the [U-boat](/source/U-boat) hunting {{USS|Rowan|DD-64|6}}, for which he received a letter of commendation. As governor, he generated controversy by expelling 112 Japanese laborers from [Guam](/source/Guam).<ref name=vancouver>{{cite news|title=U.S. Expels Japanese|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gC9lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=24gNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2364,648182&dq=edmund-spence-root&hl=en|access-date=7 April 2011|newspaper=[The Vancouver Sun](/source/The_Vancouver_Sun)|date=6 May 1933|agency=[Postmedia Network](/source/Postmedia_Network)|location=[Vancouver](/source/Vancouver)|page=20}}</ref> The [Guam Museum](/source/Guam_Museum) also opened during his term of office.

== Early life ==
On December 27, 1882, Root was born in Delaware, Ohio. Root's parents were George Root and Lori Spence.<ref name="familysearch_root1961"/>

== Career ==
=== Naval ===
Root was appointed to the [United States Naval Academy](/source/United_States_Naval_Academy) from [Ohio](/source/Ohio) in 1901.<ref>{{cite book|title=United States Congressional Serial Set|year=1902|publisher=[United States Government Printing Office](/source/United_States_Government_Printing_Office)|location=[Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WPM3AQAAIAAJ&q=%22Edmund+Spence+Root%22&pg=PA88|access-date=7 April 2011|page=88|issue=4350}}</ref> He reported aboard {{USS|Alabama|BB-8|6}} in 1906,<ref>{{cite journal|title=Alabama|journal=[Paradise of the Pacific](/source/Paradise_of_the_Pacific)|year=1906|volume=19-22|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4f7kAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Edmund+S+Root%22&pg=RA2-PA29|access-date=7 April 2011|page=29}}</ref> and 1908 he served aboard {{USS|Maine|BB-10|6}} as an [ensign](/source/Ensign_(rank)).<ref>{{cite web|title=Photo #: NH 106227 |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/i06000/i06227l.htm |work=Online Library of Selected Images |publisher=[Naval History & Heritage Command](/source/Naval_History_%26_Heritage_Command) |access-date=6 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103171922/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/i06000/i06227l.htm |archive-date=3 November 2012 |location=[Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.) |date=15 November 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On April 4, 1910, he began service aboard {{USS|Bainbridge|DD-1|6}}.<ref>{{cite book|title=Annual Report of the Navy Department|year=1910|publisher=[United States Government Printing Office](/source/United_States_Government_Printing_Office)|location=[Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.)|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_NmI7AQAAIAAJ|quote=Edmund S Root.|access-date=7 April 2011|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_NmI7AQAAIAAJ/page/n56 59]}}</ref>

In 1913, he served aboard {{USS|Glacier|AF-4|6}}.<ref>{{cite book|title=Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps|year=1914|publisher=[United States Government Printing Office](/source/United_States_Government_Printing_Office)|location=[Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ih8PAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Edmund+Spence+Root%22&pg=PA32|access-date=7 April 2011|page=32|issue=1914}}</ref> During [World War I](/source/World_War_I), Root served within the [Bureau of Navigation](/source/Bureau_of_Navigation_(United_States_Navy)) and then with the [destroyer](/source/destroyer) fleet stationed out of [Queenstown, Ireland](/source/Queenstown%2C_Ireland). In the war, he commanded {{USS|Rowan|DD-64|6}}, specifically seeking out and engaging German [U-boat](/source/U-boat)s, for which he received a letter of commendation.<ref>{{cite news|last=Associated Press|author-link=Associated Press|title=Capt. Root Named Governor of Guam|newspaper=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|date=7 April 1931|agency=[The New York Times Company](/source/The_New_York_Times_Company)|location=[New York City](/source/New_York_City)|page=39}}</ref> On May 28, 1919, Root set sail aboard {{USS|Rizal|DD-174|6}} as her first [commanding officer](/source/commanding_officer).<ref>{{cite book|last=Mooney|first=James|title=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships|year=1981|publisher=[Naval History & Heritage Command](/source/Naval_History_%26_Heritage_Command)|location=[Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.)|chapter-url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/r7/rizal.htm|access-date=5 April 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240525071830/https://www.webcitation.org/5xkT4ywGj?url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/r7/rizal.htm|archive-date=25 May 2024|chapter=Rizal|title-link=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships}}</ref> In 1934, he served as the first commanding officer of {{USS|Astoria|CA-34|6}}.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mooney|first=James|title=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships|year=1981|publisher=[Naval History & Heritage Command](/source/Naval_History_%26_Heritage_Command)|location=[Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.)|chapter-url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a13/astoria-ii.htm|access-date=6 April 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240525071912/https://www.webcitation.org/5xkUSQhLZ?url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a13/astoria-ii.htm|archive-date=25 May 2024|chapter=Astoria|title-link=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships}}</ref> In the 1940s, he headed the naval officer procurement program in [Chicago](/source/Chicago), where he oversaw the area's initial [WAVES](/source/WAVES) program.<ref>{{cite news|title=Enlistment of WAVES Begins This Week|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qXlOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vEIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5216,2805842&dq=edmund-root&hl=en|access-date=7 April 2011|newspaper=Ludington Daily News|date=14 September 1942|location=[Ludington, Michigan](/source/Ludington%2C_Michigan)|page=2}}</ref>

=== Governorship ===
Root served as [Naval Governor of Guam](/source/Naval_Governor_of_Guam) from May 15, 1931 to June 21, 1933.<ref>{{cite web|title=Naval Era Governors of Guam |url=http://guampedia.com/naval-era-governors-of-guam/ |work=Guampedia |publisher=[University of Guam](/source/University_of_Guam) |access-date=4 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711134857/http://guampedia.com/naval-era-governors-of-guam/ |archive-date=11 July 2011 |location=[Guam](/source/Guam) |date=10 August 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Root caused controversy between the United States and [Japan](/source/Japan)ese governments in 1933 when he expelled 112 Japanese citizens from [Guam](/source/Guam) after their residence permits expired.<ref name=vancouver/> The [Guam Museum](/source/Guam_Museum) opened during his term.<ref>{{cite book|last=DeLisle|first=Christine Taitano|title=Civilizing the Guam Museum|year=2010|publisher=[University of Michigan](/source/University_of_Michigan)|location=[Ann Arbor, Michigan](/source/Ann_Arbor%2C_Michigan)|page=4|work=Working Papers in Museum Studies|issue=4}}</ref> The Edmund S. Root Agricultural School in Guam is named in his honor.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Underwood|first=Robert|title=Fiftieth Anniversary|journal=[Congressional Record](/source/Congressional_Record)|date=29 February 2000|volume=146|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRECB-2000-pt2/pdf/CRECB-2000-pt2-Pg1784-4.pdf|access-date=6 April 2011|author-link=Robert A. Underwood|page=1785|publisher=[United States Government Printing Office](/source/United_States_Government_Printing_Office)|location=[Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.)}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
On May 27, 1929 Root married La Mira D. Norton in [Hempstead, New York](/source/Hempstead%2C_New_York). On February 27, 1961, Root died in San Diego, California.<ref name="familysearch_root1961">{{cite web |url=https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/9WG6-1PK/edmund-spence-root-1882-1961 |title=Edmund Spence Root |website=familysearch.org |accessdate=November 10, 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/77150862/edmund-spence-root Edmund Spence Root at findagrave.com]
* [https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=108852 Edmund Spence Root at ourcampaigns.com]

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{succession box
|before = [Willis W. Bradley](/source/Willis_W._Bradley)
|title = [Naval Governor of Guam](/source/List_of_Governors_of_Guam)
|years = 1931–1933
|after = [George A. Alexander](/source/George_A._Alexander)}}
{{s-end}}

{{Governors of Guam}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Root, Edmund Spence}}
Category:1881 births
Category:1961 deaths
Category:Governors of Guam
Category:Military personnel from San Diego
Category:United States Naval Academy alumni
Category:United States Navy personnel of World War I
Category:Military personnel from Ohio
Category:United States Navy captains
Category:WAVES (Navy)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Edmund Root](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Root) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Root?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.