Jump to content

1st Oklahoma Legislature

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1st Oklahoma Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Leadership
Composition:
Senate
38   6  
House
93   16  

The First Oklahoma Legislature was the first meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The meeting took place from December 2, 1907, to May 26, 1908, in the Guthrie City Hall Building during the first year of the only term of Governor Charles Haskell.[1]

Both houses of the state legislature had large Democratic majorities. William H. Murray, who had served as the president of the state constitutional convention, was elected by his colleagues as the first Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.[2] Henry S. Johnston, who had served as the presiding officer of the state constitutional convention, was elected to serve as the first President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate.[3]

Dates of session

[edit]
  • Regular session: December 2, 1907 – May 26, 1908

Next: 2nd Legislature

Major legislation

[edit]
  • Prohibition - State Senator Richard Billups authored legislation to prohibit the manufacture, transportation and possession of liquor.[4] The bill was amended by William H. Murray to allow state liquor dispensaries for medicinal and scientific purposes.[4] It was signed by the governor on March 24, 1908.[4]
  • Segregation / Jim Crow - The very first bill introduced in both houses once statehood had been achieved was a measure requiring separate coaches and waiting rooms for white and black persons.[5] Oklahoma was admitted to the Union on Saturday, November 16, 1907. The legislature convened two weeks later on Monday December 2. After formalities on the first day, both the House and Senate introduced respective Bill No. 1 on the second legislative day in each chamber, entitled: "An Act for the accommodation, comfort, convenience and protection of passengers on Railroad Trains and Cars." (House)[6] and "An Act to promote the comfort of passengers on railroads, street cars, urban, interurban, suburban cars, and at railroad stations." (Senate).[7] After a suspension of the rules (House) and designation as an emergency bill (Senate), the bill was passed by the House on the fourth legislative day[8] and by the Senate on the fifth[9] by a wide majority of both houses (including many Republicans)[10] and took effect December 18, 1907.[11] The only opposition reported in the record of either chamber was from a Senator that objected "to the section permitting negro nurses and attendants riding in the coach or compartment designated for whites".[5][9]

Party composition

[edit]

Senate

[edit]
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican
38 6 44
Voting share 86.4% 13.6%

House of Representatives

[edit]
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican
93 16 109
Voting share 85.3% 14.7%

Leadership

[edit]

Senate

[edit]

With the Democratic caucus controlling the Oklahoma Senate, Henry S. Johnston of Perry, Oklahoma, was selected to serve as the first President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate.[3] Johnston had served as the presiding officer of the state constitutional convention.[3] Lieutenant Governor George W. Bellamy served as the President of the Senate, which gave him a tie-breaking vote and allowed him to serve as a presiding officer.

House

[edit]

After much deliberation over who would serve as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, the Democratic caucus chose William H. Murray of Tishomingo, Oklahoma, a former Chickasaw Nation representative and the president of the state constitutional convention.[1] Sworn into office on November 16, 1907, Murray pushed for legislation to curb business excesses and support agriculture during his single term as speaker.[2] State Representative Albert H. Ellis, of Garfield County, Oklahoma, was elected by his peers to serve as speaker pro tempore.[1]

Staff

[edit]

Charles H. Pittman served as the first chief clerk of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.[1]

Members

[edit]

Senate

[edit]
State Senator Elmer Thomas would go on to serve as a United States Senator.
District Name Party
Lt-Gov George W. Bellamy Dem
1 Joe S. Morris Dem
2 A. E. Agee Dem
2 R. E. Echols Dem
3 A. G. Updegraff Rep
4 Frank Mathews Dem
5 Tom Moore Dem
6 J. J. Williams Dem
6 Richard Billups Dem
7 Richard Curd Rep
8 Patrick James Goulding Dem
9 S. J. Soldani Dem
9 Edmund Brazell Dem
10 Henry S. Johnston Dem
11 Clarence Davis Dem
12 H. S. Cunningham Rep
13 Michael Eggerman Dem
13 S. A. Cordell Dem
14 Roy Everett Stafford Dem
14 W. H. Johnson Dem
15 L. K. Taylor Dem
15 George Johnson Dem
16 Emory Brownlee Rep
17 Elmer Thomas Dem
17 D. M. Smith Dem
18 J. C. Little Dem
18 J.C. Graham Dem
19 H. S. Blair Dem
19 Robert Wynne Dem
20 Jessee Hatchett Dem
20 Thomas F. Memminger Dem
21 Edwin Sorrels Dem
22 H. H. Holman Dem
23 Reuben Roddie Dem
24 W. P. Stewart Dem
25 William Redwine Rep
26 William M. Franklin Dem
27 Eck Brook Dem
27 Campbell Russell Dem
28 Petway Conn Dem
29 J. M. Keyes Dem
30 Elias Landrum Dem
31 P. J. Yeager Dem
32 H. E. P. Stanford Rep
33 Joseph Strain Dem
  • Table based on cross-references of three sources.[12][13][14]

House of Representatives

[edit]
Speaker of the Oklahoma House William H. Murray
Name Party County
Thomas LaFayette Rider Dem Adair
Dan G. Murley Dem Alfalfa
John R. Evans Rep Alfalfa, Grant
Robert M. Rainey Dem Atoka
William A. Durant Dem Atoka, Bryan
Abel J. Sands Rep Beaver
George Whitehurst Dem Beckham
William H. Bowdre Rep Blaine
J. H. Baldwin Dem Bryan
A. F. Ross Dem Bryan
Charles C. Fisher Dem Caddo
Frank Stevens Dem Caddo
Ben Wilson Dem Caddo, Canadian, Cleveland
Milton B. Cope Dem Canadian
Leo Harris Dem Carter
J. F. McCants Dem Carter
Joseph L. Manus Dem Cherokee
William H. Armstrong Dem Choctaw
Frank L. Casteel Dem Cimarron
J. Vandaveer Dem Cleveland
George W. O'Neal Dem Coal
C. A. Skeen Dem Coal, Johnston
Roy J. Williams Dem Comanche
Amil H. Japp Dem Comanche, Stephens
E. J. Hobdy Dem Craig
John T. Ezzard Dem Craig, Rogers
W. B. Stone Dem Creek
Woodson Norvell Dem Creek, Tulsa
Howell Smith Dem Custer
L. L. Reeves Dem Custer, Washita
Lee B. Smith Dem Delaware
W. G. Smith Rep Dewey
Elmer V. Jesse Dem Ellis
Albert H. Ellis Dem Garfield
Joseph M. Porter Rep Garfield
Eugene Watrous Rep Garfield, Kingfisher
W. M. Lindsay Dem Garvin
William Tabor Dem Garvin
Robert M. Johnson Dem Grady
Albert S. Riddle Dem Grady
Joseph W. Smith Dem Grant
George W. Briggs Dem Greer
W. C. Pendegraft Dem Greer
John W. Durst Dem Harper
Ed Boyle Dem Haskell
J. B. Crouch Dem Haskell, Muskogee
Edward Swengal Dem Hughes
Ben F. Harrison Dem Hughes, Pittsburg
William A. Banks Dem Jackson
Charles M. London Dem Jefferson
William H. Murray Dem Johnston
Q. T. Brown Dem Kay
Logan Hawkins Dem Kay
Harvey Utterback Rep Kingfisher
Jesse T. Armstrong Dem Kiowa
J. V. Faulkner Dem Kiowa
James E. Stivers Dem Latimer
Charles W. Broome Dem LeFlore
E. A. Moore Dem LeFlore, Sequoyah
H. M. Jarrett Dem Lincoln
James H. Lockwood Rep Lincoln
H. G. Stettmund Dem Lincoln, Pottawatomie
Will H. Chappell Rep Logan
John S. Shearer Rep Logan
George H. Stagner Rep Logan
John McCalla Dem Love
Joe R. Sherman Rep Major
H.S.P. Ashby Dem Marshall
Henry N. Butler Dem Mayes
Thomas C. Whitson Dem McClain
William H. Harrison Dem McCurtain
William B. Beck Dem McIntosh
M. Turner Dem Murray
Fred P. Branson Dem Muskogee
A. J. Snelson Dem Muskogee
Charles A. Fraser Rep Noble
J. A. Tillotson Dem Nowata
Thomas B. Wortman Dem Okfuskee
Curtis R. Day Rep Oklahoma
A. T. Earley Dem Oklahoma
Charles G. Jones Rep Oklahoma
I. M. Putnam Dem Oklahoma
William C. McAdoo Dem Okmulgee
John D. Deyerle Dem Osage
A. G. Martin Dem Ottawa
William Murdock Dem Pawnee
George D. Hudson Dem Pawnee, Payne
P. A. Ballard Dem Payne
J. L. Hendrickson Dem Pittsburg
Henry M. McElhaney Dem Pittsburg
Frank Huddleston Dem Pontotoc
Edgar S. Ratliff Dem Pontotoc, Seminole
Milton Bryan Dem Pottawatomie
William S. Carson Dem Pottawatomie
William F. Durham Dem Pottawatomie
Ben T. Williams Dem Pushmataha
Joseph Paschal Dem Roger Mills
John F. Tandy Dem Rogers
Jesse Chastain Dem Seminole
George Winchester Allen Dem Sequoyah
W. B. Anthony Dem Stephens
E. J. Earle Dem Texas
Henry R. King Dem Tillman
Cicero L. Holland Dem Tulsa
A. D. Orcutt Rep Wagoner
A. F. Vandeventer Dem Washington
David L. Smith Dem Washita
William T. Abbott Dem Woods
Irving W. Hart Dem Woodward
  • Table based on government database.[15]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d A Century to Remember Archived September 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Okhouse.gov. (accessed June 19, 2013)
  2. ^ a b Bryant, Keith L. MURRAY, WILLIAM HENRY DAVID (1869-1956), Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. (accessed July 1, 2013). Archived 2013-07-05.
  3. ^ a b c Burke, Bob. JOHNSTON, HENRY SIMPSON (1867-1965) Archived 2013-10-05 at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. (accessed July 1, 2013)
  4. ^ a b c Wilson, Linda D. "Billups Law Archived 2012-11-19 at the Wayback Machine," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. (accessed July 27, 2013)
  5. ^ a b "Senate Bill One | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture". www.okhistory.org. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
  6. ^ "SECOND DAY. Tuesday, 10 o'clock, a. m., Dec. 3, 1907, CITY HALL, GUTIHRIE" (PDF). JOURNAL OF THE House of Representatives OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE First Legislature of Oklahoma. 1. GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA: LEADER PRINTING AND MANUFACTURING HOUSE. Page 12, Page 14 of PDF. 1908.
  7. ^ "SECOND DAY, Senate Chamber, Tuesday, December 3rd, 1907" (PDF). JOURNAL, Proceedings of the Senate, FIRST LEGISLATURE OF THE SENATE OF OKLAHOMA. 1. Muskogee, Oklahoma: Muskogee Printing Company. Page 6, Page 14 of PDF. 1909.
  8. ^ "FOURTH DAY. Thursday, 10 o'clock, a. m., Dec. 5, 1907, CITY HALL, GUTIHRIE" (PDF). JOURNAL OF THE House of Representatives OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE First Legislature of Oklahoma. 1. GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA: LEADER PRINTIG AND MANUFACTURING HOUSE. Page 14, Page 16 of PDF. 1908.
  9. ^ a b "FIFTH DAY, Senate Chamber, Friday, December 6th, 1907" (PDF). JOURNAL, Proceedings of the Senate, FIRST LEGISLATURE OF THE SENATE OF OKLAHOMA. 1. Muskogee, Oklahoma: Muskogee Printing Company. Page 17, Page 26 of PDF. 1909.
  10. ^ "Oklahoma's first Legislature moved to enact Jim Crow laws". Oklahoman.com. 2007-11-11. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
  11. ^ Oklahoma; Curtis, William L; Elder, Benedict (1908). Written at University of Michigan. General statutes of Oklahoma, 1908: a compilation of all the laws of a general nature including the session laws of 1907, annotated to volume 18 Oklahoma reports, 96 Pacific reporter, 76 Kansas reports and 150 California reports. Kansas City, Mo.: Pipes-Reed Book Co. Pages 1222-1224, Images #1238-1240. hdl:2027/mdp.35112105486858.
  12. ^ Directory of State of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Election Board (accessed on Google Books on June 23, 2013).
  13. ^ All Senate List, Okhouse.gov (accessed on June 23, 2013). 2013-06-30.
  14. ^ Oklahoma Almanac, 2005 Archived 2006-02-18 at the Wayback Machine, Oklahoma Department of Libraries (accessed June 27, 2013)
  15. ^ Historic Members, Okhouse.gov (accessed June 20, 2013). Archived 2013-06-22.
[edit]