CHARLES RENDELL MABEY
Governor 1921-1925
Charles Rendell Mabey (1877-1959) was born in Bountiful, Utah. He attended the
University of Utah and worked for ten years as a teacher and administrator. Mabey
served in the Utah National Guard during the Spanish-American War and received a
citation for gallantry.
Mabey’s public service career began when he served as a justice of the peace, and later as
city councilman and mayor of Bountiful. He also served two terms in the state
Legislature. When World War I began, Mabey served again with the Utah National
Guard.
In the gubernatorial race of 1920, Mabey ran an active and persistent campaign, taking a
strong and positive stance on developing state resources while minimizing government
administration. Once elected, he cut state administration costs by nearly $170,000 in one
fiscal year and condensed redundant state boards into fewer departments. Mabey valued
public education highly, and under his encouragement, the Legislature increased
education funding to the entire state. Additionally, almost 500 miles of new roads were
built in Utah during Mabey’s term, an impressive legacy that shaped the future
development of the state.
ARTIST
Lee Greene Richards (1878-1950) was a well-known Utah artist who studied with J.T.
Harwood and trained in France. In 1904, he received an honorable mention at the Paris
Salon, making him the first Utah painter to receive this honor. Richards’ artwork can be
seen throughout the Capitol: murals in the rotunda and Senate chamber, as well as
portraits of Utah governors Spry and Maw.