Arthur Yager (October 29, 1858 – December 24, 1941) served as the

governor of Puerto Rico The governor of Puerto Rico () is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. Elected to a 4 year-term through popular vote by the residents of the archipelago and island, ...

from 1913 to 1921.

Biography

Yager was born in Campbellsburg in Henry County,

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Georgetown College in Kentucky, and a doctorate from

Johns Hopkins University The Johns Hopkins University (often abbreviated as Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1876 based on the European research institution model, J ...

. Yager then became a professor of history, economics, and politics at Georgetown College while becoming active in politics. He served as President of Georgetown College from 1908 to 1913. In 1913,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

, a fellow Democrat who had been a classmate of Yager's when both attended

, appointed Yager to the governorship of Puerto Rico. During Yager's administration, and with his support, the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

adopted the Jones-Shafroth Act (also called Jones Act) of 1917, which imposed

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

citizenship Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state. Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationalit ...

Puerto Ricans Puerto Ricans (), most commonly known as Puerto Rico#Etymology, Boricuas, but also occasionally referred to as '':es:Anexo:Gentilicios de Puerto Rico#Lista general, Borinqueños'', '':es:Anexo:Gentilicios de Puerto Rico#Lista general, Borincan ...

. Yager served as governor until Wilson's presidency expired. He was succeeded by Emmet Montgomery Reily, an appointee of President

Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was one of the most ...

. Yager returned to Kentucky, where he died in Pewee Valley at the age of 83. A collection of Yager's correspondence from his time as Governor is archived at the Filson Historical Society in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

and open for research.

References

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External links

Yager Collection at Georgetown College

1858 births 1941 deaths People from Henry County, Kentucky Kentucky Democrats Governors of Puerto Rico Presidents of Georgetown College (Kentucky) Georgetown College (Kentucky) faculty Georgetown College (Kentucky) alumni Johns Hopkins University alumni {{LouisvilleMSA-stub