Edmund Root

On December 27, 1882, Root was born in Delaware, Ohio. Root's parents were George Root and Lori Spence.

Root was appointed to the United States Naval Academy from Ohio in 1901.{{cite book|title=United States Congressional Serial Set|year=1902|publisher=United States Government Printing Office|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WPM3AQAAIAAJ&q=%22Edmund+Spence+Root%22&pg=PA88|access-date=7 April 2011|page=88|issue=4350}} He reported aboard {{USS|Alabama|BB-8|6}} in 1906,{{cite journal|title=Alabama|journal=Paradise of the Pacific|year=1906|volume=19-22|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4f7kAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Edmund+S+Root%22&pg=RA2-PA29|access-date=7 April 2011|page=29}} and 1908 he served aboard {{USS|Maine|BB-10|6}} as an ensign.{{cite web|title=Photo #: NH 106227 |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/i06000/i06227l.htm |work=Online Library of Selected Images |publisher=Naval History & Heritage Command |access-date=6 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103171922/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/i06000/i06227l.htm |archive-date=3 November 2012 |location=Washington, D.C. |date=15 November 2008 |url-status=dead }} On April 4, 1910, he began service aboard {{USS|Bainbridge|DD-1|6}}.{{cite book|title=Annual Report of the Navy Department|year=1910|publisher=United States Government Printing Office|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_NmI7AQAAIAAJ|quote=Edmund S Root.|access-date=7 April 2011|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_NmI7AQAAIAAJ/page/n56 59]}}

In 1913, he served aboard {{USS|Glacier|AF-4|6}}.{{cite book|title=Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps|year=1914|publisher=United States Government Printing Office|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ih8PAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Edmund+Spence+Root%22&pg=PA32|access-date=7 April 2011|page=32|issue=1914}} During World War I, Root served within the Bureau of Navigation and then with the destroyer fleet stationed out of Queenstown, Ireland. In the war, he commanded {{USS|Rowan|DD-64|6}}, specifically seeking out and engaging German U-boats, for which he received a letter of commendation.{{cite news|last=Associated Press|author-link=Associated Press|title=Capt. Root Named Governor of Guam|newspaper=The New York Times|date=7 April 1931|agency=The New York Times Company|location=New York City|page=39}} On May 28, 1919, Root set sail aboard {{USS|Rizal|DD-174|6}} as her first commanding officer.{{cite book|last=Mooney|first=James|title=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships|year=1981|publisher=Naval History & Heritage Command|location=Washington, D.C.|chapter-url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/r7/rizal.htm|access-date=5 April 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240525071830/https://www.webcitation.org/5xkT4ywGj?url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/r7/rizal.htm|archive-date=25 May 2024|chapter=Rizal|title-link=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships}} In 1934, he served as the first commanding officer of {{USS|Astoria|CA-34|6}}.{{cite book|last=Mooney|first=James|title=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships|year=1981|publisher=Naval History & Heritage Command|location=Washington, D.C.|chapter-url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a13/astoria-ii.htm|access-date=6 April 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240525071912/https://www.webcitation.org/5xkUSQhLZ?url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a13/astoria-ii.htm|archive-date=25 May 2024|chapter=Astoria|title-link=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships}} In the 1940s, he headed the naval officer procurement program in Chicago, where he oversaw the area's initial WAVES program.{{cite news|title=Enlistment of WAVES Begins This Week|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qXlOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vEIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5216,2805842&dq=edmund-root&hl=en|access-date=7 April 2011|newspaper=Ludington Daily News|date=14 September 1942|location=Ludington, Michigan|page=2}}

Root served as Naval Governor of Guam from May 15, 1931 to June 21, 1933.{{cite web|title=Naval Era Governors of Guam |url=http://guampedia.com/naval-era-governors-of-guam/ |work=Guampedia |publisher=University of Guam |access-date=4 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711134857/http://guampedia.com/naval-era-governors-of-guam/ |archive-date=11 July 2011 |location=Guam |date=10 August 2010 |url-status=dead }} Root caused controversy between the United States and Japanese governments in 1933 when he expelled 112 Japanese citizens from Guam after their residence permits expired. The Guam Museum opened during his term.{{cite book|last=DeLisle|first=Christine Taitano|title=Civilizing the Guam Museum|year=2010|publisher=University of Michigan|location=Ann Arbor, Michigan|page=4|work=Working Papers in Museum Studies|issue=4}} The Edmund S. Root Agricultural School in Guam is named in his honor.{{cite journal|last=Underwood|first=Robert|title=Fiftieth Anniversary|journal=Congressional Record|date=29 February 2000|volume=146|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRECB-2000-pt2/pdf/CRECB-2000-pt2-Pg1784-4.pdf|access-date=6 April 2011|author-link=Robert A. Underwood|page=1785|publisher=United States Government Printing Office|location=Washington, D.C.}}

On May 27, 1929 Root married La Mira D. Norton in Hempstead, New York. On February 27, 1961, Root died in San Diego, California.{{cite web |url=https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/9WG6-1PK/edmund-spence-root-1882-1961 |title=Edmund Spence Root |website=familysearch.org |accessdate=November 10, 2021}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/77150862/edmund-spence-root Edmund Spence Root at findagrave.com]
• [https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=108852 Edmund Spence Root at ourcampaigns.com]

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{{succession box

|before = Willis W. Bradley

|title = Naval Governor of Guam

|years = 1931–1933

|after = George A. Alexander}}

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{{Governors of Guam}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Root, Edmund Spence}}

Category:1881 births

Category:1961 deaths

Category:Governors of Guam

Category:Military personnel from San Diego

Category:United States Naval Academy alumni

Category:United States Navy personnel of World War I

Category:Military personnel from Ohio

Category:United States Navy captains

Category:WAVES (Navy)