James A. Rhodes photograph

Photograph of Ohio Governor James A. Rhodes from the Columbus Citizen-Journal Collection. He is pictured with a stack of the Ohio biennial executive budget for the years 1975-1977. James Rhodes (1909-2001) served four terms as governor of Ohio, more than any other Ohio governor. Rhodes was born in Coalton, Ohio, and his father, a Welsh coal miner, died when he was eight years old. Rhodes attended Ohio State University, but had to drop out to support his mother and sisters. In 1937, Rhodes was elected to the Columbus Board of Education. He served two terms as auditor before being elected mayor of Columbus in 1943. He then served as auditor of state from 1952 to 1962, and ran for governor twice before being elected in 1962. In May 1970, Rhodes ordered National Guard troops to the Kent State University campus, resulting in the tragic shootings of four students after days of anti-Vietnam War protests. During his four terms as governor, Rhodes advocated for more funding for universities and was responsible for the development of dozens of new parks, highways, and airports