Senator James Howard Edmondson

James Howard Edmondson (September 27, 1925 – November 17, 1971) was an American politician from the state of Oklahoma who served as the sixteenth governor of Oklahoma from 1959 to 1963 and as a United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1963 to 1965. A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed to the Senate in 1963 and served one term in Congress during a significant period in American history, contributing to the legislative process and representing the interests of his constituents. When he took office as governor at the age of 33, Edmondson was, and remains, the youngest governor in the history of Oklahoma.

Edmondson was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he attended elementary and secondary schools. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at the University of Oklahoma. His education was interrupted by World War II, and in March 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces. He served on active duty until December 5, 1945, after which he returned to the University of Oklahoma to complete his studies. In May 1946 he married his childhood sweetheart, Jeanette Bartleson. He completed his legal education at the University of Oklahoma, receiving his law degree in August 1948. The couple had three children: a son, James Jr., and two daughters, Jeanne and Patricia.

Following his admission to the bar, Edmondson began practicing law in Muskogee. Seeking broader professional opportunities, he moved to Tulsa, where he joined the office of the county attorney of Tulsa County and became chief prosecutor. Demonstrating political and legal acumen, he was elected county attorney in 1954 and was re-elected in 1956. In these roles he gained a reputation as an energetic and reform-minded prosecutor, experience that helped lay the groundwork for his rapid rise in statewide politics.

In 1958 Edmondson ran for governor of Oklahoma on a platform of governmental reform and modernization. He won the election by the largest majority ever given to a gubernatorial candidate in the state up to that time and was inaugurated on January 12, 1959. As governor, he pursued an ambitious reform agenda despite substantial opposition from the state legislature. He successfully championed the establishment of a state merit system for public employees and a central purchasing system intended to increase efficiency and reduce patronage in state government. He was also committed to ending statewide prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages, pressing the legislature to authorize a special election and successfully pushing a referendum to repeal prohibition. Not all of his initiatives succeeded; notably, he failed in his attempt to transfer control of county road funds to the Oklahoma Department of Highways, a proposal that met strong resistance from local interests.

Edmondson’s gubernatorial service intersected directly with his subsequent congressional career. He resigned from the governorship on January 6, 1963, two weeks before the end of his term, and was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy created by the death of Senator Robert S. Kerr. As a member of the Senate from Oklahoma, he served from 1963 to 1965, participating in the democratic process during a period marked by major national debates over civil rights and social policy. During his tenure, he voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, aligning himself with the landmark federal legislation aimed at ending segregation and discrimination. His appointed term required him to stand for election, and in 1964 he sought the Democratic nomination in a special election to complete the remaining two years of the Senate term. He was defeated in the Democratic primary by Fred R. Harris, thereby ending his brief service in the Senate.

After leaving elective office, Edmondson returned to private legal practice, establishing himself as a practicing attorney in Oklahoma City. He remained active in the legal community and public affairs, drawing on his experience as a prosecutor, governor, and senator. On November 17, 1971, while living in Oklahoma City, he died of a heart attack at his home. He was 46 years old at the time of his death and was buried in Oklahoma City, leaving a legacy as a youthful reform governor and short-term U.S. Senator who played a role in Oklahoma and national politics during a transformative era.