Charles Armijo Woodruff (January 12, 1884 – November 23, 1945) was a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

officer and the

governor of American Samoa This is a list of Governor (United States), governors, etc. of the part of the Samoan Islands (now comprising American Samoa) under United States administration since 1900. From 1900 to 1978 governors were appointed by the Federal government o ...

from December 6, 1914, to March 1, 1915. He captained multiple ships in both the Navy and the

United States Merchant Marine The United States Merchant Marine is an organization composed of United States civilian sailor, mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of ...

. He served only briefly as governor, for a few months before ceding the office to John Martin Poyer.

Life

Woodruff was born on January 12, 1884, in

Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Fe ( ; , literal translation, lit. "Holy Faith") is the capital city, capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Santa Fe County. With over 89,000 residents, Santa Fe is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, fourt ...

, the son of Charles Woodruff and Louise (Duff) Woodruff. After leaving the

, Woodruff became a part of the

, captaining a ship. On November 23, 1945, Woodruff died by

suicide by hanging Suicide by hanging is the intentional killing of oneself (suicide) via suspension from an anchor-point such as an overhead beam or hook, by a rope or cord or by jumping from a height with a noose around the neck. Hanging is often considered to ...

in an apartment in Hotel Bossert,

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, using the venetian blinds cord in his room. A suicide note claimed he had killed himself because he had no means of making money and "missed his boat", and that suicide provided the "easiest way out".

Naval career

Woodruff was appointed to the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

from

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

on September 24, 1902. In 1906, he commanded the USS ''Pampanga'' (PG-39) as a

Lieutenant (junior grade) Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies. United States Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), i ...

. Woodruff retired from the Navy with the rank of

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...

Governorship

Woodruff relieved Nathan Post of the governor's office on December 6, 1914, serving until March 1, 1915.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodruff, Charles Armijo 1884 births 1945 deaths Governors of American Samoa United States Naval Academy alumni Suicides by hanging in New York City United States Merchant Mariners United States Navy officers Politicians from Santa Fe, New Mexico Military personnel from New Mexico American politicians who died by suicide American military personnel who died by suicide Suicides in New York City