Devon native George Earle, the Governor of Pennsylvania from 1935 to 1939, was a well-respected and popular Democratic politician. Expectations were that he would succeed Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the White House.

But those plans were scotched by FDR himself, as explained in a new biography. Paul Kengor paged through the history for The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Exiled Emissary: George H. Earle III, Soldier, Sailor, Diplomat, Governor, Spy by Christopher J. Farrell chronicles the rise and stall of Earle’s political career.

According to the author, Earle’s “‘heir apparent’ status to FDR was openly and often discussed.”

But it was FDR himself who stood in his way.

First, he broke precedent and pursued a third presidential term, justifying it by the winds of war.

When Earle warned FDR about Soviet aggression throughout Eastern Europe during World War II, he was ignored. FDR was reluctant to endanger his alliance with Stalin.

When Earle correctly concluded that the Soviets — not the Nazis — were behind the 1940 Katyn forest massacre, FDR forbade him to talk about it.

The president then exiled Earle to the island of Samoa.

As Farrell describes it, he was “canceled” by FDR, despite deserving much better.

Read more about George Earle in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.