J. Howard Edmondson

James Howard Edmondson (September 27, 1925 – November 17, 1971) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. He served as the 16th governor of Oklahoma from 1959 to 1963, and the appointed United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1963 to 1964, losing to Fred R. Harris in a 1964 Democratic primary election for the U.S. Senate. When he took office as Governor of Oklahoma at the age of 33, Edmondson was, and still is, the youngest governor in the history of the state.

Prior to serving as governor, Edmondson practiced law in Muskogee, Oklahoma, worked as the chief prosecutor for the Tulsa County attorney, and was elected county attorney himself in 1954 and 1956.

Early life and career Edmondson was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, attended elementary and secondary schools there and enrolled in the University of Oklahoma after high school graduation. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in March 1942, and served until December 5, 1945. He returned to the University of Oklahoma, was married to his childhood sweetheart, Jeanette Bartleson, in May 1946, He was successful in establishing a state merit system and central purchasing, but failed in his attempt to transfer control of county road funds to the Department of Highways.

US Senate Edmondson resigned from office as governor two weeks before the end of his term, on January 6, 1963, and was appointed to the US Senate to fill the position left vacant by the death of Robert S. Kerr. He voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He served in the Senate until November 1964. He was ousted in that year's special election to finish the last two years of the Senate term by being defeated in the Democratic primary by Fred R. Harris.

Death While a practicing attorney in Oklahoma City, Edmondson died November 17, 1971, of a heart attack in his home.