Lee Cruce

Lee Cruce (born July 8, 1863 in Marion , Crittenden County , Kentucky , † January 16, 1933 in Los Angeles , California ) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ) and from 1911 to 1915 the second governor of the state of Oklahoma .

Early years and political advancement

Lee Cruce had to drop out of Vanderbilt University for health reasons. He then completed private law studies. After his admission to the bar, he started working in this profession. In 1891 he moved to Ardmore , Oklahoma Territory . There he also went into banking and became President of Ardmore National Bank . In his new home, Cruce served on several industry associations and boards of directors, such as that of the University of Oklahoma .

He began his political career on the Ardmore City Council. In 1910 he was elected as the Democratic candidate with 49:40 percent of the vote against the Republican J. W. McNeal as the new governor of his state. A first attempt to be elected to this office had failed in 1907.

Governor of Oklahoma

Cruce took up his new office on January 9, 1911. During his four-year tenure, the State Highway Department was established to manage and upgrade the roads. He was a staunch opponent of the death penalty and refused to use the sentence during his tenure. He was also against gambling and betting and advocated prohibition . Over this he came into conflict with the legislature of his state. There was also a disagreement about school policy. There were further differences of opinion on the question of the allocation of constituencies for the congressional elections. All of this culminated in impeachment proceedings against the governor, which failed because of a single vote. Cruce was able to end his term of office on January 11, 1915.

Another résumé

After the end of his governorship, Cruce ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the US Senate . He then worked as a lawyer and banker. He was also involved in the oil business and real estate market. Lee Cruce died in 1933. He was married to Chickie LaFlore, with whom he had a child.

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personal data
SURNAME	Cruce, Lee
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	July 8, 1863
PLACE OF BIRTH	Marion , Kentucky
DATE OF DEATH	January 16, 1933
Place of death	Los Angeles , California