Governor Earl W. Snell's Administration Earl Snell was Oregon's
governor from January 11, 1943 to October 28, 1947. Earl Snell
was born in Olex, Oregon on July 11, 1895. Snell served in the
Army during World War I, coming back to Gilliam County at war's
end. He tried the newspaper business before entering the
automobile business in Arlington and Condon. From 1915 to 1945
he operated a dealership with a partner. Snell served on
Arlington's City Council. Snell began his political career in
1927 when he was elected state representative. Snell remained in
the Legislative Assembly until 1934 when he left his position as
Speaker of the House to take the elected position of Secretary
of State. He served as Secretary of State from 1934 to 1942,
then was elected Oregon's twenty-third governor in 1942.
Governor Snell was re-elected in 1946 and served until October
28, 1947, when he was killed in a plane crash in the wild
terrain east of Klamath Falls along with Secretary of State
Robert S. Farrell Jr., President of the