Governors: Charles Rendell Mabey

CHARLES RENDELL MABEY

1877–1959

Charles Rendell Mabey was born in Bountiful, Utah in 1877. He attended the University of Utah and worked for ten years as a teacher and administrator. Mabey served in the Utah National Guard during the Spanish-American War and received a citation for gallantry.

Mabey began his political career as a justice of the peace and later served as city councilman and mayor of Bountiful. He also served two terms in the state Legislature. When WWI began, Mabey served again with the Utah National Guard.

In the gubernatorial race of 1920, Mabey campaigned vigorously, promising development of the state’s resources and economy in state administration. As governor he quickly began his plan to streamline state administration, which was very successful—the administration costs decreased nearly $170,000 in one fiscal year. Upgrading the quality of public education was important to Mabey, and under his encouragement, the Legislature increased education funding to the entire state. The state saw the construction of nearly 500 miles of new roads during Mabey’s leadership.

ARTIST

Lee Greene Richards (1878–1950) was a well-known Utah artist who studied with J.T. Harwood and trained in France. In 1904, he received honorable mention at the Paris Salon, making him the first Utah painter to receive this honor. Richards’ artwork can be seen throughout the Capitol with murals in both the rotunda and Senate chamber as well as portraits of Utah governors Spry and Maw.