Claude Roy Kirk Jr. (1926 - 2011)

Born 7 Jan 1926 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah Overton (Stokes) McDavid — married 12 Apr 1947 (to Mar 1966) in Montgomery, Alabama, USA

Died 28 Sep 2011 at age 85 in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, USA

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Claude Kirk Jr. is Notable.

Preceded by 35th Governor W. Haydon Burns

Claude R. Kirk, Jr. 36th Governor of Florida 1967—1971

Succeeded by 37th Governor Reubin Askew

Biography

36th Florida Governor. Often referred to as "Claudius Maximus" due to his flamboyant personality, Kirk was Florida's first Republican Governor since Reconstruction. During his four-year term (1967 to 1971) Florida's constitution was revised and the entire state government was reorganized. Kirk attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, where he earned a bachelor's degree in science, and later attained a law degree from the University of Alabama. He also served in the US Marine Corps during World War II and the Korean War. Bio by: Susan

Claude R. Kirk, Jr., was born in San Bernardino, California, January 7, 1926. As a boy his family moved first to Chicago, then to Alabama. In 1943, at the height of World War II, Governor Kirk graduated high school in Montgomery, Alabama, and enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17. He received officer training at Emory and Duke Universities and received a commission as a second lieutenant. Governor Kirk received a B.S. degree from Emory University in 1945 and ended his first tenure in the Marines in 1946. However, he returned to the Marines to fight again as an infantry leader and fire control spotter during the Korean War.

Claude R. Kirk joined the US Marine Corps during WWII after graduating high school, after the war he attended college graduating with a law degree in 1949. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War and attained 1st LT.

He made his fortune as one of the founders in 1956 of American Heritage Life Insurance Company. In 1960 Kirk changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican and headed the Floridians for Nixon committee. He ran for the US Senate against popular incumbent and former governor Spessard Holland. Though he lost, he received a surprising 36.1% of the vote. In 1966 Kirk became the first Republican to win the governorship since reconstruction, signaling an end to Democratic hegemony of state politics.

MOST NOTABLE CONTRIBUTIONS AS GOVERNOR

Governor Kirk was a champion of environmental causes, and was responsible for the creation of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection during his tenure. The most notable environmental-related effort which he successfully addressed was stopping the building of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal, arguing of its detrimental effects to the environment. In addition to overseeing significant revisions to the state constitution, Kirk strengthened the power of the office of the governor by securing the legislation which allowed two successive terms for governors. https://www.floridagovernorsmansion.com/the_people_s_house/former_residents/claude_roy_kirk_jr

Marriage

Alabama, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1805-1967No Image Name: Claude R Kirk Gender: Male Age: 21 Birth Date: abt 1926 Marriage Date: 12 Apr 1947 Marriage Place: Montgomery, Alabama, USA Father: Claude R Kirk Mother: Myrtle McLure Spouse: Sara Overton Stokes Film Number: 001888238

Virginia, U.S., Marriage Records, 1936-2014 Name: Claude Roy Kirk Gender: Male Race: White Age: 25 Birth Date: abt 1926 Marriage Registration Place: Portsmouth, Virginia, USA Marriage Date: 21 Mar 1951 Marriage Place: Portsmouth, Virginia, USA Father: Claude Roy Kirk Mother: Myrtle McLure Spouse: Sarah Stokes Kirk Certificate Number: 1951006032

Florida, U.S., Marriage Indexes, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001 Name: Claude Roy Kirk Jr Spouse: Erika Carola Mattfeld County of Marriage: Palm Beach Marriage Date: Feb 1967 Volume: 2497 Certificate: 6221 Source: Florida Department of Health

U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 Name: Gov. Claude Kirk Gender: Male Age: 41 Birth Date: abt 1926 Marriage Date: Jan 1967 Spouse: Erika Mattfeld

Divorce

Florida, U.S., Divorce Index, 1927-2001 Name: Claude R Kirk Jr Gender: Male Spouse's Name: Sarah Stokes Divorce Date: Mar 1966 Divorce Place: Duval, Florida, USA Certificate Number: 4587

Census

1930 United States Federal Census Name: Claude R Kirk Birth Year: abt 1926 [abt 1926] Gender: Male Race: White Age in 1930: 4 [4 3/12] Birthplace: California Marital Status: Single Relation to Head of House: Son Home in 1930: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA Map of Home: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California Street Address: 12th Ave. Block: 648 House Number: 1507 Dwelling Number: 131 Family Number: 246 Attended School: No Father's Birthplace: Oklahoma Mother's Birthplace: Arkansas Household Members Age Relationship Claude R Kirk 28 Head Myrtle M Kirk 26 Wife Claude R Kirk 4 Son Frank Kirk 57 Father

1940 United States Federal Census Name: Claude Kirk Jr Age: 14 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1926 Gender: Male Race: White Birthplace: California Marital Status: Single Relation to Head of House: Son Home in 1940: River Forest, Cook, Illinois Map of Home in 1940: River Forest, Cook, Illinois Street: Bonnie Brae House Number: 746 Inferred Residence in 1935: Oak Park, Cook, Illinois Residence in 1935: Oak Park, Cook, Illinois Resident on farm in 1935: No Sheet Number: 7B Attended School or College: Yes Highest Grade Completed: High School, 1st year Weeks Worked in 1939: 0 Income: 0 Income Other Sources: No Neighbors: View others on page Household Members Age Relationship Claude R Kirk 38 Head Myrtle Kirk 36 Wife Claude Kirk Jr 14 Son Carrolyn Kirk 4 Daughter

Military

U.S., Veterans' Gravesites, ca.1775-2019 Name: Claude Roy Kirk Jr Rank: First Lieutenant Death Age: 85 Birth Date: 7 Jan 1926 Death Date: 28 Sep 2011 Interment Place: Lake Worth, Florida, USA Cemetery Address: 6501 S. State Road 7 Cemetery Postal Code: 33467 Cemetery: South Florida National Cemetery Section: 39 Plot: 961 War: World War II; Korea Branch of Service: US Marine Corps; US Marine Corps Relative: Claude R Kirk Jr Comments: Veteran (Self)

Death

U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014No Image Name: Claude R. Kirk Birth Date: 7 Jan 1926 Issue Year: Before 1951 Issue State: Illinois Last Residence: 33409, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Florida Death Date: 28 Sep 2011

Obit

U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentNo record image Name: Claude Roy Kirk Jr. Gender: Male Death Age: 85 Birth Date: 7 Jan 1926 Death Date: 28 Sep 2011 Burial Date: 3 Oct 2011 Obituary Date: 2 Oct 2011 Spouse: Erika Mattfeld Kirk Child: Sarah Grace Brad Grace William Kirk Neillie Butler Laura Willoughby Andrew Willoughby Frank Kirk Tom Butler Claudia Kirk Barto Adriana Dolabella

Burial

South Florida National Cemetery Lake Worth, Palm Beach County, Florida, USA PLOT SECTION 39/MARKER 961

Inscription 1ST LT USMC WORLD WAR II KOREA 36 FL GOVERNOR

Sources

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCVD-RV5 : accessed 15 June 2021), Claude R Kirk in household of Claude R Kirk, Los Angeles (Districts 0001-0250), Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 225, sheet 9B, line 94, family 246, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 141; FHL microfilm 2,339,876.
• Find A Grave Memorial# 77223928

• Claude R. Kirk, Jr. on Wikipedia

• https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20110928/NEWS/801243654

• https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1993/04/18/the-claude-kirk-legacy/

• https://www.floridamemory.com/learn/exhibits/photo_exhibits/kirk/