(04) Governor Robert L. Williams, 1915 to 1919

              Office of the GovernorMS 50 (portrait only)Robert Lee Williams, Democrat. Served from 1915 to 1919. Oklahoma's third Governor was born December 20, 1868, at Brundidge, Alabama. He earned an LL.D., was admitted to the Alabama Bar in 1891, and began his practice in Troy, Alabama. In 1896, he went to Atoka, Indian Territory. His years of public service included: Member of the Constitutional Convention, 1906 to 1907; Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, 1907 to 1914; Governor of Oklahoma, January 11, 1915 to January 13, 1919; United States District Judge, Eastern District of Oklahoma, 1919 to 1937; United States Circuit Judge, Tenth Circuit, 1937 to 1939. He died at his home in Durant, Oklahoma, April 10, 1948, and is buried in City Cemetery in Durant.The Governor of Oklahoma is the chief executive officer of the state and is elected for a four year term. Principal powers and responsibilities are outlined by the state constitution and by statute and include certain appointive powers, the veto or approval of bills passed by the Legislature, the granting of pardons and paroles, the summoning of special sessions of the legislature, and the calling out of the militia. Moreover, the Governor is directly responsible for the preparation of the state budget, serves as an ex officio member of several boards and commissions, receives reports from various state officers and agencies, and is charged with the duty of seeing that all laws are faithfully executed in the state.