1st Oklahoma Legislature
| 1st Oklahoma Legislature | |
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Composition:
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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]
Contents
Dates of session
- Regular session: December 2, 1907 – May 26, 1908
Next: 2nd Legislature
Major legislation
- 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]
Party composition
Senate
| Affiliation | Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | |||
| 38 | 6 | 44 | ||
| Voting share | 86.4% | 13.6% | ||
House of Representatives
| Affiliation | Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | |||
| 93 | 16 | 109 | ||
| Voting share | 85.3% | 14.7% | ||
Leadership
Senate
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
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 A. H. Ellis, of Garfield County, Oklahoma, was elected by his peers to serve as speaker pro tempore.[1]
Staff
Charles H. Pittman served as the first chief clerk of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.[1]
Members
Senate
| 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 | P. J. 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 | Jesse Hatchett | Dem |
| 20 | T. 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 |
House of Representatives
| Name | Party | County |
|---|---|---|
| T. L. 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 E. 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 D. Boyle | Dem | Haskell |
| J. B. Crouch | Dem | Haskell, Muskogee |
| Edward Swengal | Dem | Hughes |
| Benjamin 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. Bullard | 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.[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Century to Remember, Okhouse.gov. (accessed June 19, 2013)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bryant, Keith L. MURRAY, WILLIAM HENRY DAVID (1869-1956), Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. (accessed July 1, 2013). Archived 2013-07-05.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Burke, Bob. JOHNSTON, HENRY SIMPSON (1867-1965), Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. (accessed July 1, 2013)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Wilson, Linda D. "Billups Law," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. (accessed July 27, 2013)
- ↑ Directory of State of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Election Board (accessed on Google Books on June 23, 2013).
- ↑ All Senate List, Okhouse.gov (accessed on June 23, 2013). Archived 2013-06-30.
- ↑ Oklahoma Almanac, 2005, Oklahoma Department of Libraries (accessed June 27, 2013)
- ↑ Historic Members, Okhouse.gov (accessed June 20, 2013). Archived 2013-06-22.
