William H. Murray

U.S. Congressperson

1869 – 1956

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Who was William H. Murray?

William Henry Davis "Alfalfa Bill" Murray was an American teacher, lawyer, and politician who became active in Oklahoma before statehood as legal adviser to Governor Douglas H. Johnston of the Chickasaw Nation. Although not American Indian, he was appointed by Johnston as the Chickasaw delegate to the Convention for the proposed State of Sequoyah, and was later elected as a delegate to the constitutional convention for the state of Oklahoma.

Murray was elected as the first Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives after statehood, as U.S. Representative, and as the ninth Governor of Oklahoma. His campaign was marked by racist appeal and he supported Jim Crow laws. During his tenure as governor in years of the Great Depression, he established a record for the number of times he used the National Guard to perform duties in the state and for declaring martial law. He was a Democrat.

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Born
Nov 21, 1869
Collinsville
Also known as
  • William Murray
Spouses
Children
Religion
  • Methodism
Nationality
  • United States of America
Profession
Lived in
  • Fort Worth
Died
Oct 15, 1956
Tishomingo

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

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"William H. Murray." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/william_h_murray>.

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