Groesbeck was born in Warren, Michigan, the son of Macomb County Sheriff Louis Groesbeck and his wife Julia (Coquillard) Groesbeck.[2] Groesbeck attended the public schools of Mount Clemens, Michigan, and of Wallaceburg, Ontario, where his parents resided for two years with their family. Groesbeck wanted to become a lawyer from an early age, and undertook the study of law in the office of an attorney at Port Huron, Michigan. He went on to earn a law degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1893. He was admitted to the bar that year and set up practice in Detroit where he rapidly gained the "respect, goodwill and confidence of his colleagues, because of his close conformity to the highest ethical standards of the profession".[3]
In 1920, he won the Republican primary election for governor and defeated Democrat and former governor Woodbridge N. Ferris in the general election. After being re-elected in 1922 and 1924, Groesbeck lost to Fred W. Green in the 1926 Republican primary election.[4]
In 1924, he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention, which chose President Calvin Coolidge to be re-elected.
In addition to Groesbeck's political work, he was one of the builders of the Flint-Saginaw Interurban Railway.[3]
In 1925, Groesbeck vetoed legislation that would have created a state poet laureate. Time magazine reported:[7]
Forgetful of the state poets of republican Athens, the Governor's historical knowledge led him to describe the bill as "a reversion to monarchical customs" which "has no place in a republican form of government."
During his six years in office, the state's highway growth continued, prison reform measures were sanctioned, state titles for automobiles began, and state government was restructured and consolidated.
He was defeated in the 1930 Republican primary election by Wilber M. Brucker.[4]
Groesbeck is recognized as an important "road builder" in Michigan, being the first governor to champion the use of concrete and "take Michigan out of the mud."
In 1924, he opposed a ballot initiative (sponsored by the Public School Defense League) to require attendance at public schools and outlaw private ones; this placed him at odds with the position of the then increasingly popular Ku Klux Klan, which supported the opposing candidate, James Hamilton.[8]
Groesbeck Highway (M-97) was named for the governor, both because of the local prominence of the Groesbeck family in Macomb county and Oakland County and because of his strong support for building roads and highways in Michigan.[10][11]
He is memorialized by a state historical marker[12] in the City of Warren.[13][14]
References
^Alex J. Groesbeck: Portrait of a Public Man – "Groesbeck was born in Warren Township, Macomb County, but there is some confusion concerning the exact date. ... He always insisted the correct date was November 7, 1873 ..."
