Cowboy Pink Williams | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 13th Oklahoma State Treasurer | |
| In office January 14, 1963 – January 9, 1967 | |
| Governor | Henry Bellmon |
| Preceded by | William A. Burkhart |
| Succeeded by | Leo Winters |
| 7th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma | |
| In office January 10, 1955 – January 12, 1959 | |
| Governor | Raymond D. Gary |
| Preceded by | James E. Berry |
| Succeeded by | George Nigh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1892-04-09)April 9, 1892 Newberry, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | April 1, 1976(1976-04-01) (aged 83) Caddo, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Daisy Lane Williams |
| Profession | Politician |
Cowboy Pink Williams, bornJames Pinckney Williams[a] (April 9, 1892 – April 1, 1976), was an American politician who was the seventhlieutenant governor of Oklahoma from 1955 to 1959 andOklahoma State Treasurer from 1963 to 1967.
Williams was born in 1892. His father was in the hardware business and, according to Williams, the demand for tents inCaddo, Oklahoma where he grew up at the turn of the century was such that they were purchased before they had even been unloaded from wagons.[2]
James (sic) Williams was reported in Oklahoma City, working as a delivery driver in 1910, but returned to Caddo in 1911. He married Daisy Lane (1894–1988) in Caddo in 1913. The couple had three children.
Soon after marriage, they moved toDurant, Oklahoma and opened a furniture store. They moved toArdmore, Oklahoma in 1922, where he opened some unspecified business, but soon returned again to Caddo.
Williams used a humorous postcard in opposition to PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower in his campaign for lieutenant governor, a gimmick that the post office stopped.[3] He also legally changed his name from Simeon Pinckney Williams to Cowboy Pink Williams.[3] He won the run-off to get the Democratic nomination, defeating incumbent James Berry.[3]
Williams ran forLieutenant Governor of Oklahoma in 1954. He finished second in the Democratic primary with 78,981 votes (19.16%), behind incumbent five-term Lieutenant GovernorJames E. Berry's 148,406 votes (36.00%).[4] Williams defeated Berry in the runoff by 222,784 votes (52.23%) to 203,747 (47.77%).[5] He defeated Republican Kenneth W. Gray in the general election with 336,311 votes (58.36%)[6] and served from 1955 to 1959.[7] He ran for a second term in 1958 and this time placed first in the Democratic primary with 176,171 votes (40.97%) to State RepresentativeGeorge Nigh's 80,727 (18.77%).[8] Nigh defeated Williams in the runoff with 302,050 votes (61.32%) to 190,530 (38.68%).[9]
Williams ran forOklahoma State Treasurer in 1962, coming first with 165,055 votes (38.67%) and advancing to the runoff with Glen R. Key, who took 105,479 votes (24.71%). Former GovernorJohnston Murray surprisingly finished last in the four-man field with 77,881 votes (18.24%).[10] Williams won the runoff with 214,055 votes (50.37%) to Key's 210,881 (49.63%)[11] and then won the general election against Republican Tom R. Moore with 331,644 votes (51.42%).[12]
After leaving the state treasurer's office due to term limits, Williams announced an intention to seek office in theUnited States House of Representatives, but never ran.[3]
In 1972, when Caddo celebrated its centennial, Williams served as the planning committee chair.[13]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forLieutenant Governor of Oklahoma 1954 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by William A. Burkhart | Democratic nominee forOklahoma State Treasurer 1962 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma 1955–1959 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Treasurer of Oklahoma 1963–1967 | Succeeded by |
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| Other | |
