Leon C. Phillips

"Red Phillips" redirects here. For the baseball player, see Red Phillips (baseball). For the football player, see Jim Phillips (American football). For other people, see Leon Phillips (disambiguation).

Leon Chase "Red" Phillips (December 9, 1890 – March 27, 1958) was an American attorney, a state legislator and the 11th governor of Oklahoma from 1939 to 1943.^[1] As Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Phillips made a name for himself as an obstructionist of the proposals of governors William H. Murray and E.W. Marland, including components of the New Deal. As governor, Phillips pushed for deep cuts, but was unable to avoid an unbalanced budget.

Leon Chase Phillips
Phillips in 1938
11th Governor of Oklahoma
In office January 9, 1939 – January 11, 1943
Lieutenant	James E. Berry
Preceded by	E. W. Marland
Succeeded by	Robert S. Kerr
19th Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
In office 1935–1937
Preceded by	Tom Anglin
Succeeded by	J. T. Daniel
Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the Okfuskee County district
In office 1933–1939
Preceded by	W. N. Barry
Succeeded by	Bennie F. Hill
Personal details
Born	December 9, 1890 Grant City, Missouri, U.S.
Died	March 27, 1958(1958-03-27) (aged 67) Okmulgee, Oklahoma, U.S.
Resting place	Hillcrest Cemetery Weleetka, Oklahoma 35.340635°N 96.127325°W / 35.340635; -96.127325 (Leon Phillips burial site in Weleetka, Oklahoma)
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Marie A. Kitchens Helen Phillips
Profession	Lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Rank	Private
Battles/wars	World War I

After retiring from politics, he worked as an attorney before his death from a heart attack. He is buried in Weleetka, Oklahoma.

Early life and career

Phillips was born to Rufus Putnam and Bertha Violet (née Bressler) Phillips in Worth County, Missouri, and moved to Foss in Custer County, Oklahoma, at an early age. While a student at Epworth University in Oklahoma City, he studied for the ministry, but changed to law and received his LL.B. from the University of Oklahoma in 1916. He married Myrtle Ellenberger of Norman, on June 19, 1916, and they had two children.^[2]

Phillips was admitted to the bar in Oklahoma that year, and later was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. After service in World War I as a private in the US Army, he returned to Okemah, where he practiced law.

Political career

Elected three times to the Oklahoma House of Representatives starting in 1932, he served as Speaker of the House from 1935 to 1937.^[2] He led opposition to proposals from governors William H. Murray and E.W. Marland, the latter of which helped him attain his seat as Speaker.^[3]

In 1938, Phillips ran for governor of Oklahoma. He narrowly won the Democratic primary against a wide field of candidates, then defeated Ross Rizley in the general election. Phillips served as governor from January 9, 1939, to January 11, 1943.^[4]

During his governorship, Phillips was charged with accepting a bribe. He was tried twice, but eventually acquitted of the charge.^[5] Phillips was the first state representative to be elected as Governor of Oklahoma, and his term was marked by his proposals to trim the state budget.^[3] Despite deep cuts, the budget produced by the 17th Oklahoma Legislature was not balanced; it was the last budget not subject to constitutional requirements, approved by voters in 1941, to balance the budget.^[3] Phillips was responsible for the constitutional amendment requiring that the legislature pass a balanced budget.^[4]

Phillips considered the New Deal to be federal interference in the state and was an obstructionist to the policies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.^[6]

Later life

Phillips did not seek reelection in 1942, and instead returned to his farm near Okemah, Oklahoma, where he continued to practice law until his death. He died of a heart attack while waiting for a client at the post office in Okmulgee on March 27, 1958.^[5]