Charles Nathaniel Haskell was an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 1st Governor of Oklahoma, chairman of the board of directors of the Middle States Oil Corporation, and president of the Municipal Gas Company of Muskogee and the Sapulpa Gas Company.
Background
Charles Nathaniel Haskell was born on March 13, 1860 at Leipsic, Ohio, United States. He was the son of George and Jane (Reeves) Haskell. He was next to the youngest in a family of six children - three sons and three daughters. His father was born in Vermont, and the Haskells were descended from Henry and Jonathan, who emigrated from England in 1622 and settled in Massachusetts.
The father died when Charles was only three years old, and seven years later he went to live with a schoolteacher of the community, Thomas J. Miller, and his wife.
Education
Haskell received only a common-school education but at seventeen was granted a teacher's certificate and for the next four years taught rural schools, at the same time studying law.
Career
In 1880 Haskell was admitted to the Ohio bar and in 1881 removed to Ottawa, Ohio, where he began the practice of law. In 1887 he began the promotion and construction of railway and telephone lines. He incorporated, and largely constructed, the Finley, Fort Wayne & Western Railway and also secured control of the Ohio Southern, which he extended south to Ironton and north to Detroit. He also constructed the Columbus & Northwestern from Columbus to St. Mary's, and in 1900, the Detroit & Toledo Shore Line. He and his associates also built a number of telephone lines and in 1900 he went to Texas to engage in such construction there.
In 1901 he moved to Muskogee, Oklahoma, then Indian Territory. Here, again, he engaged in railway construction, building wholly or in part a branch of the Frisco & Midland Valley Railroad, and the Kansas, Oklahoma & Gulf. He also had a large share in constructing a street-railway system for Muskogee and in addition established the Territorial Trust & Banking Company and the Turner Hotel.
In 1905 he was a delegate to the convention which met at Muskogee and formed a constitution for the proposed State of Sequoyah. Congress refused to accept the work of this body, but as one of its vice-presidents Haskell gained experience which was to prove valuable to him the following year when he was elected as delegate to the Oklahoma constitutional convention, in which he became floor leader of the Democratic, or majority, party. His work here was so outstanding that he won the nomination for the office of governor in 1907 and was elected by a substantial majority. He was treasurer of the Democratic national committee in 1908 and helped to carry Oklahoma for Bryan in the presidential election.
Broken in health and virtually penniless when his term as governor had expired, he was forced to borrow money in order to take a period of rest. After his health had been restored he was engaged chiefly in business and financial operations. In 1912 he sought nomination for United States senator but was defeated in the Democratic primary.
He was one of the organizers and chairman of the board of directors of the Middle States Oil Corporation; in 1922 he bought the Louisiana & Northwestern Railroad Company, and in 1927 he built a toll road in Mexico. He was president of the Municipal Gas Company of Muskogee in 1929, and later of the Sapulpa Gas Company.
In his latter years he lived in New York. It was alleged that he made $1, 000, 000 after he left the governor's chair but lost it in speculations in the stock market.
He died of pneumonia in Oklahoma City.
Achievements
Charles Nathaniel Haskell was a prominent politician, lawyer and businessman. As the first governor of a wealthy and populous state, he was confronted by many perplexing problems, which he faced with courage and rare ability.
Charles Haskell Elementary in Edmond, Oklahoma, and Charles N. Haskell Middle School in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma are named in his honor. Haskell County, Oklahoma and the city of Haskell, Oklahoma were also named for him.
Politics
Haskell was one of the most prominent members of the Democratic Party in northwestern Ohio. As a political leader, he removed the capital from Guthrie to Oklahoma City after the people of the state had voted for such removal, though in so doing he met with bitter opposition. He instituted prison reforms, controlled corporations with a strong hand, and forced banks to purchase at par the warrants of the state and its subdivisions by threatening to remove all state deposits from any bank that refused.
During Oklahoma's constitutional convention, Haskell succeeded in pushing for the inclusion of prohibition and blocking the inclusion of women's suffrage in the Oklahoma Constitution.
Personality
Throughout his life Haskell had many warm friends and many harsh critics. None, however, doubted his courage or his ability.
Connections
On October 11, 1880 Haskell married Lucie Pomeroy of Ottawa. Of this marriage were born two sons and a daughter, Norman, Murray, and Lucie. His wife died in 1888, and in September of the following year he married Lillie Elizabeth Gallup, by whom he had two daughters and a son, Frances, Jane, and Joe.
