Jack C. Walton - Early Life

Early Life

John Calloway Walton was born on March 6, 1881, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He spent six years in Indianapolis before his family moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. At the age of sixteen, Walton joined the United States Army in 1897 where he spent the next six years. Despite his enlistment, Walton did not see active duty during the Spanish-American War; however he did serve at a post in Mexico for some time.

Following his discharge from the military in 1903, Walton traveled to Oklahoma Territory to make his life as a contractor in the field of civil engineering. Walton set up his practice in the thriving metropolis of Oklahoma City. Walton lived in Oklahoma City when Oklahoma was officially admitted to the Union on November 16, 1907, and saw the capital moved from Guthrie, Oklahoma to Oklahoma City in 1910.

Walton joined the Democratic Party and became an active participant in the state’s political matters. In 1917, under the Robert L. Williams administration, Walton was elected to his first political office. Due to his engineering experience, Walton easily won election to the office of Commissioner of Public Works of Oklahoma City. Due to his success in that office, two years later Walton was elected as the mayor of Oklahoma City, a post he served in until 1923.

Before his term as mayor ended, Walton entered his name in the Democratic primary as a candidate for Governor of Oklahoma to succeed James B. A. Robertson. After winning the Democratic nomination Walton travelled around the state giving the most colorful and liveliest speeches and campaign platforms in Oklahoma’s history until that point. In the general election, Walton was successful in his bid, and his inauguration and inaugural ball were just as lively as his campaign.