Gov. Alexander Monroe Dockery

About

ALEXANDER M. DOCKERY was born near Gallatin, Missouri on February 11, 1845. His education was attained at Macon Academy, and at the St. Louis Medical College, from which he graduated in 1865. He then established his medical career in Chillicothe, Missouri. Dockery served as county physician of Livingston County from 1870 to 1874. He was president of the Chillicothe Board of Education from 1871 to 1873, a member of the Board of Curators at the University of Missouri from 1878 to 1882, and chairman of the 10th District Democratic Congressional Committee from 1878 to 1882. He was a member of the Gallatin City Council from 1878 to 1881, Gallatin Mayor in 1881, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1883 to 1899, and chairman of the Democratic state conventions in 1886 and 1906. Dockery secured the Democratic gubernatorial nomination and was elected governor in November 1900. During his tenure, election reform measures were authorized; a franchise tax law was sanctioned; funding for public education was increased; and districting of schools was initiated. After completing his term, Dockery left office and continued to remain politically active. He served as treasurer of the Democratic State Committee in 1912 and 1914, and was the third assistant postmaster-general from 1913 to 1921. Governor Alexander M. Dockery passed away on December 26, 1926, and was buried in the Edgewood Cemetery in Chillicothe, Missouri.

Source

Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress

Messages and Proclamations of the Governors of the State of Missouri (Produced by the Missouri Historical Society)

Missouri State Archives (Jefferson City, MO)

Official Manual of the State of Missouri (2005-2006)
Previous editions are not available online, but are in hard copy in the State Archives.

The Political Graveyard

Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 2, Westport, Conn.; Meckler Books, 1978.