William D. Matthews (politician)
William D. Matthews | |
|---|---|
| 2nd Oklahoma Commissioner of Charities and Corrections | |
| In office January 1915 – January 1923 | |
| Preceded by | Kate Barnard |
| Succeeded by | Mabel Bassett |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 11, 1846 Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States |
| Died | April 18, 1930 (aged 84) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States |
| Party | Democratic Party |
William D. Matthews (January 11, 1846 – April 18, 1930) was an American politician who served as the Oklahoma commissioner of charities and corrections from 1915 to 1923.
Biography
William D. Matthews was born on January 11, 1846, near Holly Springs, Mississippi. During the American Civil War he served in the Confederate States of America Army under John Hunt Morgan.[1] He married his wife in 1868.[2] After the war he became a Methodist preacher and in 1880 he moved to Oklahoma Territory. He moved to Oklahoma City after being appointed chaplain for the 4th Oklahoma Legislature.[1] He ran in the 1914 Oklahoma elections for Oklahoma commissioner of charities and corrections in a nine candidate Democratic Party primary that included Mabel Bassett and Czarina Conlan. He placed first and was the Democratic nominee. He later won the general election.[3] He was preceded in office by Kate Barnard and served two terms until he was succeeded by Mabel Bassett in 1923.[4] He died on April 18, 1930, in Oklahoma City.[5]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | William D. Matthews | 21,720 | 20.1% | |
| Democratic | Mabel Bassett | 19,083 | 17.7% | |
| Democratic | Ruth Dickinson Clement | 13,666 | 12.6% | |
| Democratic | Frank Naylor | 13,563 | 12.5% | |
| Democratic | Anna Laskey | 11,906 | 11.0% | |
| Democratic | Dorothy Briley | 8,654 | 8.0% | |
| Democratic | Ella Bilbo | 7,488 | 6.9% | |
| Democratic | Czarina Conlan | 7,426 | 6.8% | |
| Democratic | Roxanna R. Oxford | 4,296 | 3.9% | |
| Turnout | 107812 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | William D. Matthews | 105,663 | 44.0% | −7.0% | |
| Republican | Alice A. Curtice | 76,167 | 31.7% | −7.1% | |
| Socialist | Florence Anderson | 52,984 | 22.0% | +12.0% | |
| Progressive | Laura M. McClain | 4,612 | 1.9% | New | |
| Prohibition | Hettie H. Leonard | 694 | 0.2% | New | |
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
References
- ^ a b "Man 84, Spent Birthday on State Job". McCurtain Gazette. January 15, 1930. p. 1. Retrieved October 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wed 61 Years Sunday". The Oklahoma News. August 3, 1929. p. 3. Retrieved October 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "1914-1916 Elections Results" (PDF). oklahoma.gov. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ "Oklahoma History" (PDF). Retrieved August 8, 2024.
- ^ "Man Who Fought in South Army at 16, Dies in City". The Oklahoma News. April 19, 1930. p. 2. Retrieved October 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.