(11) Governor Ernest W. Marland, 1935 to 1939

              Office of the GovernorMS 50 (portrait only)Ernest Whitworth Marland, Democrat. Served from 1935 to 1939. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Marland was born May 8, 1874. He was educated at Park Institute of that city and received his LL.B. from the University of Michigan, in 1893. He began his law practice at Pittsburgh, but engaged in the oil production business after moving to Oklahoma. He was president of the Marland Oil Company. Marland was a member of the Seventy-third United States Congress from 1933 to 1935; Governor of Oklahoma from January 15, 1935 to January 9, 1939. Before Marland left office, nearly 90,000 Oklahomans were working on 1,300 WPA projects. Marland provided leadership in the development of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Interstate Oil Compact. He died October 3, 1941. His civic contributions to Ponca City included the Pioneer Woman Statue. He is buried in Ponca City.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.