Frank
Robert Gooding (born September
16, 1859 in
Tiverton,
England & died June 24,
1928 in
Gooding,
Idaho) was a
Republican
United States Senator
and
Governor of Idaho. The
city of Gooding and
Gooding County, both in
Idaho, are named after him.
Gooding emigrated to the United States with his family
in 1867. The family settled on a farm near
Paw Paw,
Michigan. Gooding
attended the common schools there, and moved to
Mount Shasta,
California in 1877, and
engaged in farming and mining.
Gooding moved to
Idaho Territory in 1881
and settled in
Ketchum where he worked
as a mail carrier, and subsequently engaged in the
firewood and charcoal business. In 1888 he settled near
present-day Gooding.
After Idaho became a state in 1890,
Gooding emerged as a leader of the
conservative faction of
the
Idaho Republican Party.
Gooding was a powerful figure in Idaho in the early 20th
Century, as demonstrated by the fact the City of Gooding
and Gooding County were both named after him in his
lifetime. Gooding also managed to get elected to the
Idaho Legislature in
1898 and as Governor of Idaho in 1904 before he became a
United States citizen.
Gooding had a reputation for having an
off-putting and abrasive personality, and often clashed
with others in the Republican Party, notably
progressive Senator
William E. Borah.
From 1905 to 1909, Gooding served as
Governor of Idaho. During his administration the Idaho
State Capitol building in
Boise was constructed.
In 1918 Gooding was the Republican
nominee in a special U.S. Senate election to complete
the term of
James H. Brady, who
died in office early in the year. Gooding was defeated
by
Democrat
John F. Nugent.
In 1920 Gooding defeated Nugent for a
full six-year term in the Senate. He took office in
January 1921 two months before his term began to replace
Nugent, who resigned to accept an appointment on the
Federal Trade Commission.
Gooding was reelected in 1926 by
defeating Nugent again. He died in office in 1928 and
was succeeded by a political protégé,
John W. Thomas.
Gooding is buried in
Elmwood Cemetery in
Gooding.
More Information on Frank
Gooding.