Ernest Lister, a pivotal figure in Washington state’s history, was born in England on June 15, 1870, in Halifax, West Yorkshire.
He immigrated to Tacoma as a teenager with his family to join his uncle David Lister, a successful iron foundry owner and former mayor of New Tacoma.
At just fifteen years old, Lister began his career as an iron molder apprentice at the family business, Standard Iron Works (J.H. Lister & Sons).
In addition to his work at the family foundry, he spent a year at the A.B. Todd Machine Company’s foundry.
Lister quickly became a leader in the Tacoma Molders Union and was actively involved with the Tacoma Trades Council.
In 1893, he married Alma Thornton, with whom he had two children, Florence and John.
Alma Lister was not just a devoted spouse but also a prominent clubwoman, serving as president of the Pierce County Women’s Democratic Association and contributing to the Red Cross during World War I.
Lister’s foray into politics began when he became a U.S. citizen in 1891.
At the age of twenty-four, he was elected to the Tacoma city council representing the Seventh Ward as a member of the Populist Party.
His teetotaler beliefs led him to vote against all saloon license applications during his tenure on the council.
With larger ambitions in mind, Lister supported fellow Populist John Rogers’s campaign for governor in 1896, leading to his appointment as chair of the new State Board of Control overseeing welfare institutions in Washington state.
As the political landscape shifted, Lister and Rogers migrated to the Democratic Party in 1900.
After Rogers’s untimely death in 1901, Lister continued in his role as chair until he was dismissed by Republican Governor Henry McBride in 1903.
Following this, he pivoted back to the business world, founding the Lister Construction Company alongside his brother Alfred.
Their firm successfully completed numerous public construction projects throughout Tacoma and across Washington, and in 1910, they established the Lister Lumber Company, which specialized in producing finished wood products.
Though Lister had stepped away from political life, his interest was reignited in 1909 when he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House during a special election but garnered significant support.
This persistence laid the groundwork for his later political aspirations.
In 1912, after initially losing the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to W. W. Black, Lister was thrust back into the race when the Washington State Supreme Court deemed Black ineligible to run for governor.
As the runner-up, Lister became the Democratic nominee and was celebrated as Tacoma’s “home candidate” during his campaign, which included various stops across the state.
His victory in the general election was narrow, aided by the division of votes between the Republicans and the Progressive Party, making him the only Democrat elected to a statewide office.
Sworn in as governor in January 1913, Lister embraced a dual identity as both a social progressive and a fiscal conservative.
He launched efforts to cut the state budget and implement governmental reforms, achieving notable successes including signing legislation to ban the death penalty and establishing the Washington State Department of Agriculture, transforming a state deficit into a surplus.
Lister’s tenure, however, included contentious reform efforts, such as his rejection of substantial road funding bills in favor of a pay-as-you-go strategy and his proposal for a unicameral legislature, which was met with resistance.
Reelected in 1916, Lister’s administration was soon overshadowed by World War I and consequent labor unrest.
Upon the United States entering the conflict in 1917, Lister authorized surveillance of labor radicals, including the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), while also vetoing legislation that restricted civil liberties.
He sought to navigate the treacherous political landscape of the time, advancing reforms during a period of turmoil, including a statewide prohibition.
Tragically, his health declined during his time in office due to heart and kidney disease, which he had kept secret.
Amidst many burdens of leadership and a lean staffing structure, Lister engaged closely with the duties of governance, further worsening his condition.
By early 1919, he was forced to take a leave of absence due to his deteriorating health.
Ernest Lister passed away on June 14, 1919, just one day before his 48th birthday at Seattle’s Swedish Hospital, surrounded by family.
His funeral, held at Tacoma’s First Methodist Church, was a significant event for the community, as businesses, schools, and government offices closed in observance.
The procession included groups from the Third Washington Infantry and fraternal organizations that he had been part of, reflecting the respect and admiration he garnered during his life.
Notably, Lister became the third state governor to die in office and was acknowledged as the first foreign-born governor of Washington.
His legacy as a reformer during a tumultuous time in history endures, cementing his impact on the state he came to call home.
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