Wilburn Cartwright | |
|---|---|
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| Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner | |
| In office 1955–1973 | |
| Governor | Raymond D. Gary J. Howard Edmondson George Nigh Henry Bellmon Dewey F. Bartlett David Hall |
| Preceded by | Reford Bond |
| Succeeded by | Rex Privett |
| Oklahoma State Auditor | |
| In office 1951–1955 | |
| Governor | Johnston Murray |
| Preceded by | A. S. J. Shaw |
| Succeeded by | A. S. J. Shaw |
| Oklahoma Secretary of State | |
| In office 1947–1951 | |
| Governor | Roy J. Turner |
| Preceded by | Kathrine Manton |
| Succeeded by | John D. Conner |
| Chairman of the Committee on Roads | |
| In office March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1943 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOklahoma's3rd district | |
| In office March 4, 1927 – January 3, 1943 | |
| Preceded by | Charles D. Carter |
| Succeeded by | Paul Stewart |
| Superintendent of Schools forKrebs, Oklahoma | |
| In office 1922–1926 | |
| Member of theOklahoma Senate from the 20th district | |
| In office 1918–1922 | |
| Preceded by | John R. Hickman |
| Succeeded by | Thomas F. Memminger |
| Member of theOklahoma House of Representatives from theCoal County district | |
| In office 1914–1918 | |
| Preceded by | George T. Searcy |
| Succeeded by | F. Brinkworth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1892-01-12)January 12, 1892 Georgetown, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | March 14, 1979(1979-03-14) (aged 87) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Carrie Staggs |
| Children | 2, includingLynn Cartwright |
| Parent |
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| Relatives |
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| Alma mater | |
| Occupation |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Service years | 1943–1945 |
| Rank |  Major |
| Conflict | World War II |
Wilburn Cartwright (January 12, 1892 – March 14, 1979) was an American lawyer, educator, politician, andUnited States Army officer inWorld War II. The town ofCartwright, Oklahoma is named after him. He self-styled himself "the most elected man in Oklahoma government"[1] and served in elected office in both theOklahoma House of Representatives and theOklahoma Senate, as a school superintendent,United States House of Representatives member forOklahoma's 3rd congressional district,Oklahoma Secretary of State,Oklahoma State Auditor, and on theOklahoma Corporation Commission.
Born on a farm nearGeorgetown, Tennessee, Cartwright moved with his parents to theChickasaw Nation,Indian Territory, in 1903. He attended the public schools atWapanucka andAda, Oklahoma, andState Teachers College atDurant, Oklahoma.[1]
As an educator he taught in the schools ofCoal,Atoka,Bryan, andPittsburg Counties in Oklahoma from 1914 to 1926. During World War I he served as a private in the Student Army Training Corps in 1917 and 1918. He studied law and was admitted to thebar in 1917. He was graduated from the law department of theUniversity of Oklahoma at Norman in 1920. Afterwards he began a lawpractice inMcAlester, Oklahoma. Additionally he took postgraduate work at theUniversity of Chicago,Chicago, Illinois. He served as member of theOklahoma House of Representatives from 1914 to 1918, and then as a member of the State Senate from 1918 until 1922. Cartwright was a vocational adviser for disabled veterans at McAlester, Oklahoma, in 1921 and 1922. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for Congress in 1922 and 1924, and served as Superintendent of schools atKrebs, Oklahoma from 1922 to 1926.[1]
Wilburn's great-great uncle wasPeter Cartwright, who had defeatedAbraham Lincoln in an Illinois legislative race.[1]
His two daughters were Wilburta May Cartwright[2] and actressLynn Cartwright.[1]
His nephew,Jan Eric Cartwright, was the Oklahoma Attorney General from 1979 to 1983.[1]
His siblings were Floyd, Gerty, McKinley, Shafter, Dewey, Cecil,Keith, andClifford (Buck). The last two were also Oklahoma state legislators.[1]
His father,Jackson Robert Cartwright, was a Baptist preacher and served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1929 and 1931.[3]
Cartwright was elected as aDemocrat to the Seventieth and to the seven succeeding Congresses. He served as chairman of the Committee on Roads (Seventy-third through Seventy-seventh Congresses). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1942. Cartwright was a supporter of theNew Deal public works projects in his district.[1]
He served as amajor in theUnited States Army,Allied Military Government, with service in Africa and Europe from 1943 until he was injured. He returned to the United States as an instructor atFort Custer,Michigan, in 1945. He was employed with theVeterans' Administration atMuskogee, Oklahoma, in 1945 and 1946.[1]
Cartwright was electedSecretary of State of Oklahoma for a four-year term in 1946. Cartwright was elected State auditor for a four-year term in 1950. Cartwright was elected State corporation commissioner for a six-year term in 1954 and reelected in 1960 and 1966. He was a resident ofOklahoma City, Oklahoma until his death there on March 14, 1979. He was interred in I.O.O.F. Cemetery,Norman, Oklahoma.[1]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Frank C. Carter | Democratic nominee forOklahoma Secretary of State 1946 | Succeeded by John D. Conner |
| Preceded by A. S. J. Shaw | Democratic nominee forAuditor of Oklahoma 1950 | Succeeded by A. S. J. Shaw |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromOklahoma's 3rd congressional district 1927–1943 | Succeeded by |
| Public Buildings and Grounds (1837–1947) |  | |
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| Rivers and Harbors (1883–1947) | ||
| Roads (1913–1947) | ||
| Flood Control (1916–1947) | ||
| Transportation and Infrastructure* (1947–) | ||
| Note | * Alternately namedPublic Works in 80th through 93rd Congresses andPublic Works and Transportation in 94th through 103rd Congresses. | |
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| People | |
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