Cowboy Pink Williams

Cowboy Pink Williams, born Simeon Pinckney Williams [lower-alpha 1] (April 9, 1892 – April 1, 1976), was an Oklahoma politician who was the seventh Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma from 1955 to 1959 and Oklahoma State Treasurer from 1963 to 1967.

Cowboy Pink Williams
13th Oklahoma State Treasurer
In office January 14, 1963 – January 9, 1967
Governor	Henry Bellmon
Preceded by	William A. Burkhart
Succeeded by	Leo Winters
7th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
In office January 10, 1955 – January 12, 1959
Governor	Raymond D. Gary
Preceded by	James E. Berry
Succeeded by	George Nigh
Personal details
Born	April 9, 1892 Newberry, South Carolina
Died	April 1, 1976 (aged 83) Caddo, Oklahoma
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Daisy Lane Williams
Profession	politician

Early life

Williams was born in 1892. His father was in the hardware business and, according to Williams, the demand for tents in Caddo, Oklahoma where he grew up at the turn of the century was such that they were purchased before they had even been unloaded from wagons.[2]

James (sic) Williams was reported in Oklahoma City, working as a delivery driver in 1910, but returned to Caddo in 1911. He married Daisy Lane (1894–1988) in Caddo in 1913. The couple had three children.

Soon after marriage, they moved to Durant, Oklahoma and opened a furniture store. They moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma in 1922, where he opened some unspecified business, but soon returned again to Caddo.

Political career

Williams used a humorous postcard in opposition to President Dwight D. Eisenhower in his campaign for lieutenant governor, a gimmick that the post office stopped.[3] He also legally changed his name from Simeon Pinckney Williams to Cowboy Pink Williams.[3] He won the run-off to get the Democratic nomination, defeating incumbent James Berry.[3]

Williams ran for Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma in 1954. He finished second in the Democratic primary with 78,981 votes (19.16%), behind incumbent five-term Lieutenant Governor James E. Berry's 148,406 votes (36.00%).[4] Williams defeated Berry in the runoff by 222,784 votes (52.23%) to 203,747 (47.77%).[5] He defeated Republican Kenneth W. Gray in the general election with 336,311 votes (58.36%)[6] and served from 1955 to 1959.[7] He ran for a second term in 1958 and this time placed first in the Democratic primary with 176,171 votes (40.97%) to State Representative George Nigh's 80,727 (18.77%).[8] Nigh defeated Williams in the runoff with 302,050 votes (61.32%) to 190,530 (38.68%).[9]

Williams ran for Oklahoma State Treasurer in 1962, coming first with 165,055 votes (38.67%) and advancing to the runoff with Glen R. Key, who took 105,479 votes (24.71%). Former Governor Johnston Murray surprisingly finished last in the four-man field with 77,881 votes (18.24%).[10] Williams won the runoff with 214,055 votes (50.37%) to Key's 210,881 (49.63%)[11] and then won the general election against Republican Tom R. Moore with 331,644 votes (51.42%).[12]

After leaving the state treasurer's office due to term limits, Williams announced an intention to seek office in the United States House of Representatives, but never ran.[3]

Later life

In 1973, when Caddo celebrated its centennial, Williams served as the planning committee chair.[13]

Notes

1. A commemorative marker in his hometown of Caddo shows his birth name as James Pinckney Williams.[1]

References

1. "Cowboy Pink Williams." Historical Marker Database. Accessed November 19, 2016
2. "History of Caddo". Accessed April 16, 2013
3. Hudston, Geneva Johnston (AuthorHouse, 2005). Statesman or Rogue: Elected to Serve. ISBN 1-4208-2503-8
4. "Our Campaigns - OK Lt. Governor - D Primary Race - Jul 06, 1954". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
5. "Our Campaigns - OK Lt. Governor - D Runoff Race - Jul 28, 1954". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
6. "Our Campaigns - OK Lt. Governor Race - Nov 02, 1954". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
7. "History of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor" Ok.gov http://www.ok.gov/ltgovernor/Office_of_Lieutenant_Governor/History_of_Lieutenant_Governor/index.html (accessed April 16, 2013)
8. "Our Campaigns - OK Lt. Governor - D Primary Race - Jul 01, 1958". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
9. "Our Campaigns - OK Lt. Governor - D Runoff Race - Jul 22, 1958". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
10. "Our Campaigns - OK Treasurer - D Primary Race - May 01, 1962". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
11. "Our Campaigns - OK Treasurer - D Runoff Race - May 22, 1962". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
12. "Our Campaigns - OK Treasurer Race - Nov 06, 1962". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
13. Brimage, Lucille. "Caddo", Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/C/CA004.html (accessed April 16, 2013)