Paul Nesbitt

Paul Nesbitt
7th Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
In office 1917–1919
Preceded by	A. McCrory
Succeeded by	Tom Waldrep
Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
In office 1915–1919
Personal details
Born	(1872-04-03)April 3, 1872 Milford, Iowa
Died	July 22, 1950(1950-07-22) (aged 78) Talihina, Oklahoma
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ida May Corber
Occupation	doctor, newspaperman, politician

Paul Nesbitt (April 3, 1872 – July 22, 1950) was an American politician, who served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He also served as a secretary for Governor Charles N. Haskell and as a Cabinet member for Governor John C. Walton. Educated at Chicago Medical College, he was a doctor and newspaperman before his entry into Oklahoma politics.

Nesbitt died July 22, 1950, in Talihina, Oklahoma.

Early life

Nesbitt was born April 3, 1872, at Milford, Iowa, the son of James and Evaline Nesbitt.^[1] His father was a first lieutenant in the United States Army and his grandfather was an Irish immigrant who served under George Washington in the American Revolutionary War.^[1]

Growing up in Nebraska, he was educated at Chicago Medical College and practiced medicine in Vinton, Iowa, El Dorado Springs, Missouri, and finally in Watonga, a town in Oklahoma Territory, in 1899.^[1] Nesbitt briefly owned the Watonga Herald.^[2] He abandoned his practice in 1904 and went to St. Louis, Missouri, to apprentice as a cub reporter and later worked for the Joplin Globe.^[1]

In 1906, he returned to Oklahoma to direct the publicity campaign for the Democratic candidates wanting to serve as delegates to the Oklahoma constitutional convention.^[2] He did not support the nomination of Charles N. Haskell in the Democratic primary, but ended up serving as secretary for Oklahoma's first governor.^[1][3] and helped carry the state seal from Guthrie, Oklahoma, to Oklahoma City in 1910.^[1]

Political career

Nesbitt represented Pittsburg County in the Oklahoma Legislature during the sessions of the 5th, 6th, and 7th Oklahoma Legislature legislatures.^[4]

He supported John C. Walton for governor and served as a Cabinet member under Walton.^[1]

Death

Nesbitt died July 22, 1950, in Talihina, Oklahoma, of a cerebral hemorrhage.^[1]

References

1. Paul Nesbitt, Chronicles of Oklahoma, Vol. 30, p. 245-246. (accessed July 19, 2013)
2. Thoburn, Joseph B. History of Oklahoma, p. 1420.] (accessed July 19, 2013)
3. Chronicles of Oklahoma, Vol 14, p. 189. (accessed July 18, 2013)
4. Historic Members Archived 2013-06-22 at WebCite, Oklahoma House of Representatives Archived 2013-06-22 at the Wayback Machine. (accessed July 19, 2013)