Governor Roy J. Turner

Term—1947 to 1951

Letter from President Harry S. Truman thanking Governor Roy Turner for his support during the president's re-election campaign.

Research Topics: Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, Grand River Dam Authority, World War II, Civil Rights, Indian Affairs, Interstate Oil Compact Commission, Ada L. Sipuel

Related Websites: Oklahoma Transportation Authority

Descriptive Summary

Size: 11 cubic feet
Creator: Office of Governor
Repository: Oklahoma State Archives
200 Northeast 18th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 522-3579
Open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. M-F

Click here for a detailed Archival Finding Aid in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format.

Arrangement and Description

Record Group: 8-M

Roy Joseph Turner, Democrat. Served from 1947 to 1951. Turner was born November 6, 1894, in Lincoln County, Oklahoma Territory. Upon completion of his high school education, he attended Hill's Business College in Oklahoma City. He was a bookkeeper for Morris Packing Company in Oklahoma City from 1911 to 1915; salesman for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company there, and after his service in World War I, he was a dealer in real estate, principally in Oklahoma, Florida and Texas. By 1928 he had become an independent oil producer. In 1933, he established the Turner Ranch at Sulphur, but he maintained a residence in Oklahoma City where he served on the Board of Education from 1939 to 1946. His term as Governor of Oklahoma was from January 13, 1947, to January 8, 1951. He lived in Oklahoma City until his death June 11, 1973, and is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery there.

Click here for a detailed Biography in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format.

State of State Addresses: 1947 • 1949 • January 1951 • March 1951

Agency History

The Governor of Oklahoma is the chief executive officer of the state and is elected for a four year term. Principal powers and responsibilities are outlined by the state constitution and by statute and include certain appointive powers, the veto or approval of bills passed by the Legislature, the granting of pardons and paroles, the summoning of special sessions of the legislature, and the calling out of the militia. Moreover, the Governor is directly responsible for the preparation of the state budget, serves as an ex officio member of several boards and commissions, receives reports from various state officers and agencies, and is charged with the duty of seeing that all laws are faithfully executed in the state.

Administrative Information

Access: No Restrictions.

Publication Rights: Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the Oklahoma State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement, which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the Oklahoma State Archives collections.

Preferred citation: [Identification of Item], [Box #], [Folder #], Record Group 8-M-[#], Governor's Office Records, Oklahoma State Archives, Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Oklahoma City, OK.