Richard C. Dillon

{{Short description|8th Governor of New Mexico}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Richard C. Dillon | image = File:Richard Charles Dillon in 1927.jpg | caption = | order1 = 8th | office1 = Governor of New Mexico | term_start1 = January 1, 1927 | term_end1 = January 1, 1931 | lieutenant1 = Edward F. Sargent<br />[[Hugh B. Woodward]]<br />''Vacant'' | predecessor1 = [[Arthur T. Hannett]] | successor1 = [[Arthur Seligman]] | office2 = Member of the [[New Mexico Senate]] | term2 = 1924–1927 | birth_date = {{birth date|1877|6|24|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[St. Louis, Missouri]], U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1966|1|5|1877|6|24}} | death_place = [[Encino, New Mexico]], U.S. | spouse = Maurine Williams | profession = [[Entrepreneur]] | party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] | footnotes = }} '''Richard Charles Dillon''' (June 24, 1877 – January 5, 1966) was an American entrepreneur, politician and the eighth [[governor of New Mexico]], from January 1, 1927 to January 1, 1931.

== Early life == Dillon was born in [[St. Louis]], Missouri on June 24, 1877. His early education was attained in the common schools of Missouri. In 1889, his family moved to [[Springer, New Mexico]]. He attended the public schools there. Before entering politics, he worked as a railroad laborer and a merchant.

== Politics == Dillon won election to the [[New Mexico State Senate]] in 1924. He held the position for two years. He then secured the Republican gubernatorial nomination. He was elected the governor of [[New Mexico]] by a popular vote on November 2, 1926. In 1928 he was reelected to a second term, becoming the first New Mexico governor to successfully run for reelection since the state's first governor, [[William C. McDonald (governor)|William C. McDonald]]. During his tenure, the state government was managed in an efficient business-like method and [[Carlsbad Caverns]] was declared a national park by the federal government.

== Later years == After leaving office, he retired from political life. He remained active in his business career. He eventually established the R.C. Dillon Company. He died on January 5, 1966. He was buried at Fairview Memorial Park in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]].

== References == {{Reflist}} * Sobel, Robert and John Raimo. ''Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978''. Greenwood Press, 1988. {{ISBN|978-0-313-28093-1}}

{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Manuel B. Otero}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[Governor of New Mexico]]|years=[[1926 New Mexico gubernatorial election|1926]], [[1928 New Mexico gubernatorial election|1928]]}} {{s-aft|after=Clarence M. Botts}} {{s-bef|before=Clarence M. Botts}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[Governor of New Mexico]]|years=[[1932 New Mexico gubernatorial election|1932]]}} {{s-aft|after=Jaffa Miller}} {{s-bef|before=Herbert B. Holt}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[United States Senator|U.S. Senator]] from [[New Mexico]]<br>([[Classes of United States senators|Class 2]])|years=[[1934 United States Senate special election in New Mexico|1934]]}} {{s-aft|after=Ernest W. Everly}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Arthur T. Hannett]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Governor of New Mexico]]|years=1927–1931}} {{s-aft|after=[[Arthur Seligman]]}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dillon, Richard C.}} [[Category:1877 births]] [[Category:1966 deaths]] [[Category:Republican Party governors of New Mexico]] [[Category:Republican Party New Mexico state senators]] [[Category:Politicians from St. Louis]] [[Category:People from Springer, New Mexico]] [[Category:20th-century members of the New Mexico Legislature]]