Peter Roe Nugent (1893–September 24, 1975) was an American politician who served as mayor of Savannah, Georgia and as vice-chairman and pioneer member of the Georgia Ports Authority.

Peter Roe Nugent
Georgia Ports Authority
In office
1949–1955
Appointed byHerman Talmadge
55th Mayor of Savannah, Georgia
In office
1945–1947
Preceded byThomas Gamble
Succeeded byJohn G. Kennedy
Personal details
Born1893
Savannah, Georgia
DiedSeptember 24, 1975
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMary Louise Lynch
Children4
Parents
  • Thomas Nugent (father)
  • Nellie Roe Nugent (mother)
EducationB.A. Georgia Institute of Technology
OccupationBaker

Biography

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Nugent was born to a prominent Catholic family in Savannah in 1893, the son of Nellie Roe and Thomas Nugent.[1] His father was an immigrant from Australia and his mother a Savannah native.[1] He graduated from the Benedictine Military School and Georgia Institute of Technology.[1] In 1915, he and his father started a bakery of which he became the proprietor.[1] His sister, Helen Roe Nugent, served as president of the Savannah-Atlanta Diocesan Council of the National Council of Catholic Women.[1] In 1937, he was elected to the City Council of Savannah.[1] On November 4, 1942, he was named vice-chairman of the City Council after Harry B. Grimshaw was named chairman; and on January 22, 1945, he was named chairman.[2] On July 25, 1945, he was elected mayor by the City Council upon the untimely death of mayor Thomas Gamble.[1][2][3]

While in office, Nugent was dedicated to developing the paper industry in the region,[4] lead a campaign to test all 125,000 residents of the county for tuberculosis and syphilis in order to treat and eradicate the diseases,[5][6] presided over a state visit by Winston Churchill,[7] conducted a major cleanup of the city[8][9] after criticism from Lady Nancy Astor that Savannah was "like a beautiful woman with a dirty face"[10][11] (she later apologized),[12] and secured the establishment of a Savannah branch for Georgia State University (to serve freshman and sophomores).[13]

He declined to enter the race for mayor after the end of his term on January 27, 1947.[14] The Democrat nominee for mayor was Democrat John G. Kennedy, of the Citizen's Progressive League which had been in opposition to his administration.[15] Kennedy was the only candidate on the ballot in the general election although he accused unnamed members of the outgoing Nugant administration of illegally inserting 15–20,000 stick-in ballots for pasting on the general ballot.[16] Kennedy won in a landslide and the entire City Council was replaced.[17] From 1949 to 1955, he again served as chairman of the City Council during the administration of mayor Olin F. Fulmer[2] and helped to facilitate the exchange of Savannah-owned Hunter Field for the Chatham Air Force Base.[18] In 1949, he was appointed by Governor Herman Talmadge to the 3-member Georgia Ports Authority[19] and was soon after named vice-chairman.[20] In 1950, Nugent helped to secure a $4,500,000 loan from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for Port of Savannah expansion.[21] He resigned from the Port Authority in 1955.[22][23]

Nugent was a former president of the Hibernian Society,[24] the Chamber of Commerce, the Southern Baker's Association, and the Chatham County Board of Education.[1]

Personal life

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Lynch married Mary Louise Lynch of Savannah; they had four children: Mrs. J H. Clancy Jr., John Nugent, Thomas Nugent, and Mary Roe Nugent.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Peter Roe Nugent Elected Mayor By Savannah Alderman". The Bulletin of the Catholic Laymen's Society of Georgia. August 25, 1945.
  2. ^ a b c "A List of Mayors and Aldermen of the City of Savannah, Georgia, 1790-2012". savannahga.gov.
  3. ^ "Bakery Firm President Named To Serve as Savannah Mayor". The Macon Telegraph. July 27, 1945 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Savannah Looks To Expanded Papers Uses". The Atlanta Constitution. January 15, 1947 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Lesnesne, Henry (November 11, 1945). "Concerted Attack Opened Against TB and Syphilis". The Columbus Ledger – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Savannahans Queue Up for VD Tests". The Atlanta Constitution. October 16, 1945 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Boring, Bill (January 17, 1946). "Churchill in Savannah; Other Days". The Atlanta Constitution – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "One of History's Biggest Clean-ups is Accomplished by City of Savannah". The Macon News. February 24, 1946 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Insulted Savannah Washes Face, Puts Rose in Hair for Bankers". The Atlanta Constitution. March 4, 1946 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Astor-Despised Dirt Ousted by Galled Savannah". The Atlanta Constitution. February 21, 1946 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Can Go-On Cussing, Lady Astor Says, If Savannah Tidies Up". The Columbus Ledger. February 26, 1946 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Lady Astor Gives Praise to Savannah For Cleanup". The Macon Telegraph. March 12, 1946 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "News About Georgia". The Atlanta Constitution. May 27, 1947 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Savannah Mayor Refuses to Enter December Race". The Atlanta Constitution. October 16, 1946 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Bouhan Sits On Sidelines". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. October 27, 1946 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Write-In Poses Snarl In Savannah". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. January 14, 1947 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Harris, Bill (January 26, 1947). "Monday is "Moving Day" in Savannah City Hall". The Atlanta Constitution – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Savannah Swaps Air Base". The Macon News. November 24, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Talmadge Appointments to Clear Slate". The Atlanta Constitution. February 17, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ Miller, W. O. (March 11, 1949). "Port Project Pland Made For Savannah". The Columbus Ledger – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Wright, Wellington (January 11, 1950). "State Sets Port Work With $4,500,000 RFC Loan". The Atlanta Constitution – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Nugent To Leave Port Authority". The Macon News. January 29, 1955 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "P.R. Nugent Resigns Port Post". The Atlanta Constitution. January 29, 1955 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Hibernian Society Elects Peter Nugent President". The Atlanta Constitution. March 18, 1944 – via Newspapers.com.