J. Howard Edmondson

J. Howard Edmondson
United States Senator from Oklahoma
In office January 7, 1963 – November 3, 1964
Preceded by	Robert S. Kerr
Succeeded by	Fred R. Harris
16th Governor of Oklahoma
In office January 12, 1959 – January 6, 1963
Preceded by	Raymond D. Gary
Succeeded by	George Nigh
Personal details
Born	James Howard Edmondson (1925-09-27)September 27, 1925 Muskogee, Oklahoma
Died	November 17, 1971(1971-11-17) (aged 46) Edmond, Oklahoma
Political party	Democratic
Religion	Presbyterianism

James Howard Edmondson (September 27, 1925 – November 17, 1971) was the 16th Governor of Oklahoma from 1959 to 1963, and a United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1963 to 1964. Elected governor at the age of 33, Edmondson is the youngest governor in the history of the state.

Personal life

Edmondson was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, attended elementary and secondary schools there and enrolled in the University of Oklahoma after high school graduation. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in March 1942, and served until December 5, 1945. He returned to the University, was married to his childhood sweetheart, Jeanette Bartleson, in May 1946, and completed his law degree in August 1948. He had a son, James, Jr., and two daughters, Jeanne and Patricia.

Career

After practicing law in Muskogee, Edmondson moved to Tulsa to become the chief prosecutor in the office of the county attorney of Tulsa County. He was elected county attorney in 1954 and was re-elected in 1956. Edmondson was inaugurated Governor of Oklahoma January 8, 1959, after having been elected to that post by the largest majority ever given a gubernatorial candidate in the state. He ran on a platform of reform, and passed many reforms despite opposition from the legislature during his first two years as governor. He was also committed to a special election to repeal prohibition of the sale of alcohol, and successfully pushed a referendum through the legislature. He was successful in establishing a state merit system and central purchasing, but failed in his attempt to transfer control of county road funds to the Department of Highways.

He resigned from office as governor two weeks before the end of his term, on January 6, 1963, and was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the position left vacant by the death of Robert S. Kerr. He served in the Senate until November 1964. He ran in a 1964 special election to finish the last two years of the Senate term, but was defeated in the Democratic primary by Fred R. Harris.

Trivia

Edmondson was the brother of former U.S. Congressman Ed Edmondson. He was also the uncle of both former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson and current Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice James E. Edmondson. His niece, Sarah Edmondson, is serving a 35-year sentence for murder, attempted murder, and armed robbery. Edmondson also appeared in 1959 on the television game show What's My Line?. The panel was astonished at his young age.

Death

Still a practicing attorney in Oklahoma City, Edmondson died November 17, 1971 of a heart attack in his home and is interred at Memorial Park Cemetery, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma USA.

External links

• Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Edmondson, J. Howard
• Oklahoma Governors Since Statehood

Political offices
Preceded by Raymond D. Gary	Governor of Oklahoma 1959–1963	Succeeded by George Nigh
United States Senate
Preceded by Robert S. Kerr	United States Senator from Oklahoma 1963–1964	Succeeded by Fred Roy Harris