Exhibit of Governors' Portraits in the Governor's Reception Room, Maryland State House

[photograph the portrait of Governor Albert C. Ritchie]

ALBERT C. RITCHIE, 1876-1936
Forty-ninth Governor, 1920-1935 (Democrat)
Portrait by Douglas Chandor (1897-1953), 1929.
Commissioned by the Legislature, 1927.
MSA SC 1545-1103

Albert Cabell Ritchie was born in Richmond, Virginia on August 29, 1876, and was raised in Baltimore. He received his bachelor of arts degree from The Johns Hopkins University in 1896 and a law degree from the University of Maryland, where he later taught. He was serving as Attorney General of Maryland when tapped to run for Govenor by the Democratic party. First elected in 1919 by only 165 votes, Governor Ritchie went on to serve four terms in office. He was the first governor to be re-elected by popular vote. Among the many achievements of his administration was the improvement of state roads, reorganization of the public school system, and the revision of the Workmen's Compensation Act. Most important was the reorganization of state government begun under Governor Harrington, which Ritchie personally planned and implemented. After losing his 1932 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Ritchie declined Franklin Roosevelt's offer of the vice presidency. Defeated for a fifth term in 1934, Ritchie resumed the practice of law in Baltimore where he died on February 24, 1936. He was married from 1907 to 1916 to Elizabeth Catherine Baker of Catonsville. They had no children.


This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.

Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!
© Copyright December 09, 1998 Maryland State Archives