Frank Frantz

Frank Frantz (* May 7, 1872 in Roanoke, Woodford County, Illinois, † March 8, 1941 in Muskogee, Oklahoma ) was the last Governor of Oklahoma Territory prior to the start of Oklahoma as a state in the United States.

Life

Frank Frantz was born in Illinois and grew up in Roanoke. He settled during the "Oklahoma Land Run " in Medford, within a former reserve the Cherokeeindianer.

During the Spanish- American War, he fought in the unit (1st Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, " The Rough Riders" ) of the former colonel and later U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and participated in the battles of San Juan Hill and Santiago. During his service in the army, a friendship developed with his supervisor Roosevelt, which helped him to his later political career. He was a frequent guest at the White House and 1902 Roosevelt appointed him postmaster of Enid ( Oklahoma). In 1904 he was appointed by Roosevelt as a negotiator with the Osage Indians.

On January 5, 1906 Frantz was the last governor of Oklahoma Territory. After the accession of Oklahoma on November 16, 1907 as state of the United States Frantz ran as a member of the Republican Party for the office of governor, but was defeated in the election to the Democratic Charles N. Haskell.

After his election defeat, he moved to Colorado, where he worked in the oil industry. In 1915, he returned as head of the Department of Oklahoma oil company Cosden to Oklahoma. In 1932 he tried again to get into politics in elections to the Congress of Oklahoma, however, he was again not selected.

Frantz died on 8 March 1941 at the age of 78 years in Muskogee and was buried in Tulsa.

Political action

Frantz was significantly involved in the development of a functioning school system in Oklahoma. When he found out that oil companies are not approved drilling conducted on land that had been reserved for schools and public buildings, he created as governor of an authority which was responsible for the control of oil companies. He also secured the rights from the government to the oil deposits.

About the security of the state territories addition, he acquired for the state of Oklahoma, virtually all unpopulated areas (" No Man 's Land" ), who were later leased back to farmers and so the state of Oklahoma bestowed revenue in millions height.